As a child in Switzerland he began painting. In 1982, nearly 50 of his paintings were exhibited at the National Art Gallery in Bangkok. The King is an accomplished musician who bought his first musical instrument, a clarinet, with his own money at age ten. At 18, he began to compose. Encouraged by his elder brother, His Majesty King Ananda Mahidol, to explore the blues, he wrote Candlelight Blues in 1946. Other famous compositions include Love at Sundown and Falling Rain. His Majesty has composed music especially for Chulalongkorn, Thammasat and Kasetsart Universities. His Majesty's musical group, the Aw Saw Band, is made up of courtiers and well-known Thai musicians. He encouraged Thai composers and musicians to establish a music society. They formed a club which later became the Music Association of Thailand. His Majesty's cousin, and sometime lyricist, the late H.R.H. Prince Chakrabandha Bensiri, was its first president.