We mourn the king

In Thailand, at the age of 89, King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away in Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. This was reported on Thursday, October 13, by Reuters citing the royal family’s circle. The cause of his death was not specified.

In recent years, the monarch spent most of his time in the hospital. In mid-September, his daughter — Princess Chulabhorn — spoke on national television about her father’s poor health and participated in a Buddhist prayer for the recovery of the sick.

The agency notes that the next king of Thailand will be the sole heir to the throne — 63-year-old Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Bhumibol Adulyadej ascended to the throne in 1946 and was the longest-reigning living monarch in the world. He is revered by many residents who see him as a symbol of the country’s unity amid a complicated political history. Despite lacking formal power, the king repeatedly participated in resolving political conflicts in the state. It is believed that the monarch played an important role in Thailand’s democratization in the 1990s. In 2006, he supported the military junta that overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra’s government. In May 2014, following a military coup, the king appointed General Prayut Chan-o-cha as the head of the National Council for Peace and Order.

Source: www.Lenta.ru