Mongkut (0) did not become King of Thailand (1) he was 46 years old. Before that he (2) spent 25 years as a Buddhist monk, and this experience was a very important influence when he later became king. (3) Thailand, most men spend some time during (4) lives in the monkhood. Usually they go to live for a (5) months in a monastery with other monks. There they live very simply, and study the Buddhist religion.
     In the Buddhist monkhood, men come (6) all levels of Thai society, rich and poor, farmers and merchants, and they all live together as equals. So when the young Prince Mongkut joined a monastery, he (7) not called "Prince", but simply became known (8) "Mongkut the Beggar". It is a rule that all monks (9) leave the monastery every day to walk in the streets and to beg for food from the people, so in (10) way Mongkut came to meet and know ordinary people.