Thais celebrate 70 years of revered King Bhumibol’s reign but ongoing health concerns add to anxiety about succession
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, the king’s 63-year-old son, is the heir-apparent but he has not inspired the same level of devotion as his father.
The bespectacled image of King Bhumibol Adulyadej dominates public space in Thailand, from billboards on high-rises to portraits that flank leafy boulevards.
After seven decades on the throne, King Bhumibol is seen by many Thais as a pillar of stability, and accorded semi-divine status. But the kingdom marks his platinum jubilee on Thursday amid anxiety over his health and at a critical political juncture.
The relationship between Thais and the king is deep, more than one can actually begin to explain
Celebrations will include a morning religious ceremony presided over by 770 Buddhist monks, a figure seen as auspicious.
The festivities will serve as a reminder to Thais of their relationship to a king who is regarded as integral to Thailand’s identity and a father-figure to the nation.
It may also jangle nerves about the succession, as most Thais have known no other monarch. The king received heart treatment on Tuesday and has been in hospital for more than a year. Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, the king’s 63-year-old son, is the heir-apparent. He has not inspired the same level of devotion as his father.
“The relationship between Thais and the king is deep, more than one can actually begin to explain,” Colonel Winthai Suvaree, a spokesman for the royalist junta, said. “He is a father to the land.”