Thai king’s birthday no-show stokes fears over divided country’s future
Ailing monarch's failure to hold public audience for 87th birthday comes amid profound concern over the kingdom's future after his reign ends
Thailand's ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej cancelled plans to hold a public annual audience marking his 87th birthday yesterday on his doctors' advice, heightening anxiety in the deeply divided kingdom over the leader's health.
The world's longest-serving monarch has been seen by Thais as a unifying father figure throughout a turbulent six-decade rule, and his absence comes at a time of profound concern over the kingdom's future as his reign enters its twilight years.
The king, formally known as Rama IX, has spent most of the last few months in hospital after undergoing an operation to remove his gall bladder in October but had been expected to appear publicly for his birthday.
The last-minute cancellation of celebrations came after doctors advised him against appearing, the Royal Household Bureau said in a statement early yesterday.
A palace official said that plans for a grand audience and live television broadcast were subsequently scrapped.
The king's no-show comes six months after the military toppled the elected government in a coup and amid a high-profile investigation into police corruption which has led to the recent arrest of relatives of Princess Srirasmi, the wife of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.