Bhumibol: I wanna hit that high

BANGKOK, Thailand — King Bhumibol Adulyadej has caused yet another fashion craze amongst his loyal subjects after being seen walking out of a health spa wearing a slightly oversized “Choose Life” t-shirt.

T-shirt makers all over Thailand are said to be in a mad, frantic scramble to meet the insane demand for the t-shirt made famous by George Michael in his band Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” video.

“It’s just plain crazy in here, especially with Christmas coming,” said Bulsin Abutitlos, shift supervisor for Chiangmai, one of Thailand’s largest clothing manufacturers. “Everyone just wants to be cool like King Bhumibol.”

Sources close to the world’s longest-reigning monarch say Bhumibol, who celebrated his 80th birthday Wednesday, wore the t-shirt as an affirmation of his will to “live another 80 years.”

“He is a big fan of 80s pop and heard Wham! on the radio while he was getting his bi-weekly facial,” said royal attendant Jekbim Betulabonkorn. “He said he wanted the ‘Choose Life’ shirt to wear on the way home so we made a couple of phone calls, and within an hour, the shirt was waiting for him in the shower room.”

Bhumidol has become an unlikely fashion trendsetter in Thailand. In October, he ignited a nationwide obsession with pink after he was photographed leaving hospital wearing a shirt and blazer in that color.

Civil servant Rose Tarin, 56, who camped outside a clothing store from 4 in the morning to ensure she was able to buy one of the latest shipments of pink shirts, said she will definitely get the Choose Life shirt as well.

“I want the king to live a long and healthy life,” said Tarin. “This is all for him.”

Wulandari: Corblimey!

Jakarta, INDONESIA — Avid Anglophile and local tinsmith Dian Alatas Wulandari proudly marked the diamond wedding anniversary of reigning British monarch Queen Elizabeth II by affecting a British accent and wearing a Union Jack tanktop to work today.

Even though Indonesia is not a part of the Commonwealth of Nations, Wulandari, 28, said he’s always felt an affinity for anything British and wanted to do “something special” to celebrate the Queen’s milestone. His co-workers and customers were very much amused by his stunt.

“He really could pull off the accent, that man,” said his co-worker Denkat Butan Kalendir. “If I didn’t know him, I could have sworn he was a British tourist that wandered off into our area.”

Not everyone is impressed, though.

“I could do a better accent,” said Tom Jones impersonator Raden Ajeng Bonjol. “All he does is say ‘bloody hell’ and ‘corblimey’. There’s more to being British than that.”

Wulandari wouldn’t reveal where he got or how much he paid for his unique tanktop, saying that he “didn’t want every tinsmith in Jakarta jacking his style.”