THE people of Thailand celebrated their beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 70th anniversary Thursday.
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The central bank also issued a 70 baht ($1.99) note to commemorate the occasion.
The King has not made a public appearance due to his failing health, as reports indicate that he recently had heart surgery.
Hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok early Thursday as a line of 770 monks began a day of celebration with an alms-giving ceremony.
Thailand’s hospital-bound monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej underwent an operation to widen arteries in his heart on Tuesday, the palace said, the latest in a series of medical procedures for the 88-year-old.
The royal confirmation of his ailing health is rare, where bad news about the King is typically kept hush for fear of upsetting the public.
The king has spent most of the past six years in hospital, and anxiety over his health and the succession has formed the backdrop to over a decade of political upheaval that has included two coups. The palace has invited Thais to wear yellow and blue: colours associated with the king and the queen.
Most Thais have known no other monarch and the country is preparing to celebrate his 70 years on the throne on Jun 9. We look forward to continuing our work with Thailand to improve the livelihoods of people in both our countries, the region, and beyond.
“The relationship between Thais and the King is deep, more than one can actually begin to explain”, Col. Winthai Suvaree, a spokesman for the royalist junta, told Reuters.
Analysts attribute Thailand’s political conflict to a scramble behind the scenes for power by the Thai elite to secure their future once the King’s reign draws to an end.
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His anointed successor is Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn but he is yet to draw the same level of devotion as his father.
