CONTACT Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to email me at: Sonjapearl@royaltyinthenews.com - and my real name is Megan :)
|
On Sunday, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, the world’s longest reigning head of state, left Siriraj Hospital to mark his 83rd birthday. It was one of the rare times when the King left the hospital where he has been hospitalized for over a year and for Thais to see the monarch regarded as a demi-god.
 AP Photo/Thai Royal Household Bhumibol was taken from Siriraj in a wheelchair to the Grand Palace to make his birthday speech. He was greeted by thousands of his people, chanting “Long live the King!” and waving flags.
At the palace, in the Amarindhara throne hall, the King said his speech. “I would like to thank all of you for gathering here to give me sincere birthday wishes.”
“Our country has been prospering and peaceful for a long time because we adhere to our nation and join hands to perform our duty by giving the utmost priority to public interests.
“All of you who are gathering here – and all Thais from all sectors – should seek a clear understanding of your duty and perform your duty to the best, with caution and awareness.
“Being careless and imprudent can lead to mistakes and damage (to duties) in one’s responsibility. When one becomes senseless and unreasonable, one can become forgetful and afraid and can abuse his or her authority. This is very dangerous. This kind of practice can lead to downfall to oneself and to the country.
“As a result, I would like to ask all of you to be prudent and to keep your determination to perform your duty in line with your reasons for the sake of peace and security and sustainable happiness of our people,” the King said.
After the speech and a few Buddhist rituals, King Bhumibol returned to the hospital where he has been since September 2009. He originally was admitted for lung inflammation and fever, but supposedly, he remains hospitalized for physical therapy.
The King’s birthday is a public holiday in Thailand. It is marked with fireworks and Buddhist rituals. Some Thais even launch floating paper lanterns to the sky as way of celebrating the occasion.
Source: Asia News Network, AFP
 PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN/Bangkok Post King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand emerged from Siriraj Hospital Saturday to pay tribute to his late grandfather. King Rama V died 100 years ago, and the current Thai King paid his respects to the statue of one of his predecessors.
Accompanied by his daughter, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, King Bhumibol laid flowers at the statue. He also took time to remember other deceased royals, including his mother.
Hundreds of Thais gathered at Siriraj Hospital to cheer for their beloved King. Many chanted, “long live the King!” as Bhumibol waved to them.
He also spent a few moments at the hospital’s pier at Chao Phraya River. Bangkok has been experiencing flooding, and the King has been briefed often on the situation.
King Bhumibol has been hospitalized since September 2009. He was admitted for lung inflammation and continues to stay at Siriraj for physical therapy.
Source: Bangkok Post
 REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin/Files The Queen of Thailand was discharged from a Bangkok hospital Monday after a four day stay.
78 year-old Queen Sirikit was admitted to Chulalongkorn Hospital on Friday due to a rapid heartbeat, according to the Palace. She was released after doctors said her treatment was successful.
“The doctors said the (queen’s) general condition and her heart rate had become normal after the treatment,” said the Royal Household Bureau. “No rapid heartbeat was detected again.”
Sirikit’s hospital stay comes not long after the one year anniversary of her husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s admittance to Siriraj Hospital. The octogenarian King was originally hospitalized for loss of appetite, fever and lung inflammation.
According to reports, the King remains at Siriraj for physical therapy but that has never been officially confirmed.
The Queen returned to her husband’s bedside where she has always been since September 19th 2009.
Sources: AP
 AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit The King of Thailand made a rare public appearance in Bangkok Wednesday. King Bhumibol Adulyadej left Siriraj Hospital to attend the Thailand Philaharmonic Orchestra, the first time he left the hospital in months.
The revered King has been at Siriraj for over a year. He was initially admitted for loss of appetite, fever and inflammation of the lungs. According to the royal family, the 81 year-old monarch remains hospitalized for physical therapy.
Source: AP, Reuters
On Thursday, Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej chose a hardliner as his country’s next military chief. The man is current deputy army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is believed to have been tough on the anti-government protests this past spring. The appointment means Prayuth is in a politically powerful position in a turmoil prone country.
 PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL/AFP/Getty Images/FILE The King’s decision comes as Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has called for military openness and responsibility over its crackdown of the protests.
“The public expectation is very high, so the military must increase its capacity but it must also be accountable,” Abhisit said.
Prayuth is seen as an opponent of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire politician who fueled the protest movement.
“With hardliners in the military, the establishment is strong now,” said Chaturon Chaisaeng, a veteran politician with close ties to the opposition. “In the very near future, I don’t see much likelihood of violence.”
Prayuth is also a protege of General Prem Tinsulanonda, a former Army chief, who was prime minister between 1980 and 1988 and now heads the King Bhumibol’s privy council.
Prayuth is expected to takeover for Gen. Anupong Paochinda who is due to retire at the end of September.
Source: AFP, DPA
 AP Photo/FILE Speaking on Thai radio Wednesday, Queen Sirikit commented on her husband, the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and the concern over his health. His Majesty has been hospitalized for nearly a year, and worries of his health has affected Thailand’s stocks.
“His health has substantially improved but doctors still ask him to continue doing physical therapy so that he can move around with strength first before leaving the hospital,” the Queen said during the interview, which was done for her 78th birthday.
King Bhumibol was originally admitted to Siriraj hospital in mid-September 2009 for lung inflammation and fatigue. For a while there were reports on how well he as doing, but those reports have been silent since the beginning of 2010.
At the same time, the 82 year old monarch – the world’s longest reigning – has made few public appearances.
The King’s health is a major concern in Thailand, which is in political turmoil. If and when he dies, there are many who feel his son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, will not be as savvy and effective as a sovereign as his father is when it comes to politics.
Source: Reuters
As the protests in the streets of Bangkok intensify, and the death and injured toll rises, many Thais are wondering the same thing, where is the King?
 AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul - May 5 2010 For decades, King Bhumibol Adulyadej was seen as a father figure for his people amidst political turmoil. Twice before when conflicts like this arose, in 1973 and 1992, the constitutional monarch put a stop to it by telling the government to put an end to the troubles. But now, as the same problems grow worse, the King has yet to say anything.
He remains at Siriraj Hospital, where the 82 year-old monarch has been since September. When he was admitted, it was said he had inflamed lungs and lack of appetite. But there has been no explanation on why Bhumibol has been hospitalized for so long.
Thais are aware that their revered King will not be around much longer. That makes many of them worry about what will happen to their country once he passes. His son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is not as popular nor does he have the same political savvy that his father has to bring the political troubles to a standstill.
Pr0blem is, King Bhumibol kind of made these political troubles himself. He created an elite class of military and business leaders, and alienated its poorer citizens. It is this class that accuses the group the Red Shirts for being disloyal to the monarchy.
But the Red Shirts claim they respect the King, but want changes to the system. “Real democracy would have the King at the top, with no elite class to interfere,” said a protest leader, Nattawut Saikua, according to the New York Times.
“There might still be people in Thai society that want to see the King play a role in resolving the crisis,” Jon Ungpakorn, a former senator and one of the nation’s most vocal advocates for democracy, told the New York Times.
“But on the other side, a large section of society realizes that we should not depend on the monarchy for resolving crises,” he said. “If we are to be a democratic system, we must learn to deal with our problems ourselves.”
On Wednesday, Thais put aside their political differences to mark their revered King’s 60th anniversary on the throne. Thailand has been experiencing political turmoil for nearly two months, and many hoped King Bhumibol Adulyadej would bring calm. Instead, the ailing 82 year-old monarch has been hospitalized since September for a respiratory illness.
 REUTERS/Adrees Latif But for Coronation Day, King Bhumibol left Siriraj Hospital to mark his ascension anniversary. It was the first time he left since February. Dressed regally in a white uniform, the King was pushed in a wheelchair out of the hospital into a motorcade which drove him and members of the royal family to the Grand Palace. Thousands lined the streets, yelling out, “Long live the King!” and waving Thai flags.
Even on social networking sites, Thais expressed their devotion to their King. At one point, a top trending topic on Twitter was WeLoveKing.
Bhumibol spent one hour at the palace where he presided over a Buddhist ceremony at Amarindra Vinichaya Throne Hall. His wife, Queen Sirikit, was beside him as were Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, top military officers and other senior government officials were also at the ceremony.
After the religious ceremony, a 63 cannon salute was fired at noon in the King’s honor. Bhumibol was then taken back to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the anti-government group known as the Red Shirts gave alms to 300 monks to pay homage to the monarch, who is the world’s longest reigning head of state.
Veera Musikapong, who leads the Red Shirts, said the protesters have no intention of overthrowing the monarchy.
Sources: AFP, Bernama
The King of Thailand finally spoke during the political turmoil surrounding his country Monday, but he avoided any mention of it.
 AFP/THAI TV/Thai Tv King Bhumibol Adulyadej was simply televised on Thai TV appointing new judges and requesting them to be honest. Nothing more.
“It is very important for you to help uphold justice and national order,” the 82-year-old monarch said. “If you strictly follow the oath you have taken, that will definitely help restore peace to the nation.”
“In the country, there might be people who neglect their duties, but you can set an example that there are those who perform their duties strictly and honestly.”
Some are taking his vague comments as criticism towards the government for failing to keep peace in Thailand. Others, however, are seeing this as the King not willing to take a position in the crisis, which is spinning out of control.
The appointments took place at Siriraj Hospital, where the King, the world’s longest reigning head of state, has been since September. While he was initially brought in for loss of appetite and fever, it is not known why King Bhumibol has been hospitalized for so long.
Sources: AP, New York Times
Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej will pay for the medical and funeral expenses of the dozens of people injured or killed in Thursday’s grenade blasts in Bangkok’s financial district. One woman was killed and about 85 people were hurt in the series of attacks aimed at government supporters during mass protests.
 REUTERS/Jerry Lampen “The King granted medical expenses for the wounded people and funeral expenses for the dead,” the Royal Household Bureau said in a statement Friday, adding that the amount would be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Bhumibol, who has been hospitalized since September, has made no comment or move about the protests sweeping his country. While he has no political power, the beloved King is seen as a unifying force. Back in 1992, during similar protests, he intervened by criticizing both military and political leaders, and the tensions ceased.
Now, the anti-government “red shirts” protesters are asking for the monarch to make a similar move.
A few days ago, former Prime Ministers Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Somchai Wongsawat, leaders of the pro-Thaksin movement, a leading opposition party, requested audience with King Bhumibol in hopes of getting him to intervene. But so far, the palace has not announced if that request has been granted.
Sources: AFP, Straits Times
|
|
Recent Comments