BANGKOK (AP) — His Majesty King Bhumibol, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, has died at age 88.

The Royal palace said the HM the King passed away peacefully on Thursday at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital.

“Even though the board of doctors has closely monitored and treated him to the best of its abilities, his Majesty’s condition never improved but deteriorated until Thursday,” it said in a statement.

It did not mention details of mourning or succession.

The entire Royal family were by his side as he passed at 3:52pm Thursday 13th of October.

Bhumibol Adulyadej became the King in 1946 and is revered here in Thailand as a demigod. He anchored the Southeast Asian country through violent upheavals at home and communist revolutions next door with a blend of majesty and a common touch.

The once-vigorous King had withdrawn from public life over the last decade due to his ill health. He lived at the Siriraj Hospital and had been notably silent about the political upheaval that has shaken Thailand in recent years. </s> INTERNATIONAL NEWS - Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, has died after 70 years on the throne, the palace says.

The king, 88, was widely revered in Thailand. He was seen as a stabilising figure in a country hit by cycles of political turmoil and multiple coups.

He had been in poor health in recent years, making few public appearances.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will be the new monarch, the prime minister has said.

"He is now in heaven and may be looking over Thai citizens from there,'' he said.

The king's death comes as Thailand remains under military rule following a coup in 2014.

Prayuth Chan-ocha also said Thailand would observe a year-long mourning period for King Bhumibol. </s> In this photo by Sakchai Lalit, Thais hold portraits of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej outside Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, where the ailing 88-year-old monarch has been treated for years. Several people had gathered at the hospital to pray and burn incense for the king's well-being. Bhumibol is the world's longest-reigning monarch and has been a key unifying figure in the Southeast Asian country. Thais are concerned about the eventual succession as he has been king since 1946 and the crown prince has not earned the same respect as his father. The king's health was described as unstable after he underwent procedures over the weekend to purify his blood and change a tube that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid. </s> Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, has died after 70 years as head of state.

The 88-year-old king was widely revered but had been in poor health in recent years, making few public appearances.

He was seen as a stabilising figure in a country hit by cycles of political turmoil and multiple coups.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will be the new monarch, the prime minister has said.

 The announcement

After two days of speculation and rumours surrounding the king’s deteriorating health, the palace announcement confirming his death finally came early on Thursday evening.

“His majesty has passed away at Siriraj Hospital peacefully,” a statement said, adding he had died at 15:52 (08:52 GMT).

In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Thailand would hold a one-year mourning period, that flags would fly half-mast and all entertainment functions must be “toned down” for a month.

In a later statement he urged vigilance, saying national security was a top priority.

“Everyone will need to be alert in every region and throughout the country to ensure safety”, he said.

The king’s death comes as Thailand remains under military rule following a coup in 2014.

A palace official, speaking to crowds outside the hospital, said the body of the king would be moved to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok on Friday.

 The people’s grief

King Bhumibol was widely respected across Thailand, and thought of by many as semi-divine.

Hundreds of mourners gathered outside the Bangkok hospital where he died, stricken with grief at the news.

As night fell, crowds of mourners remained at the hospital where the King died

Many held pictures of the king and wore yellow or pink clothing in his honour.

“How will Thailand live without you father?” cried one distressed man.

“I lost one of the most important people in my life. I feel like I haven’t done enough for him,” said another.

A wave of emotion swept through the crowd – Jonah Fisher, BBC News, Bangkok

Throughout the first part of the day the king’s supporters had sung royal songs and recited prayers at Siriraj Hospital. Many wore carefully chosen colours. Pink, for good health, or yellow the royal colour.

Most knelt holding pictures of King Bhumibol, facing the part of the hospital where he was receiving treatment.

By early afternoon the mood had begun to change. With all of his children at his bedside, rumours were circulating that the 88-year-old had passed away.

Although the prime minister said Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn would become the new monarch, he added that the official proclamation would be made at a later date.

He said the crown prince had confirmed that he would perform his duty as heir to the throne, but had asked for time to mourn his father’s death.

The crown prince, who is 64, is much less well known to Thais and has not attained his father’s widespread popularity. He spends much of his time overseas, especially in Germany.

Strict lese-majeste laws protect the most senior members of Thailand’s royal family from insult or threat. Public discussion of the succession can be punishable by lengthy jail terms.

Given the pivotal role the king has played in maintaining the balance of power in Thailand’s volatile political environment, the succession will be a formidable challenge for the government, says the BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok.

King Bhumibol, who was born in Cambridge in the US state of Massachusetts, acceded to the throne on 9 June 1946 after his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, died.

Though a constitutional monarch with limited official powers, many Thais looked to King Bhumibol to him to intervene in times of high tension. He was seen as a unifying and calming influence through numerous coups and 20 constitutions.

However, his critics argued he had endorsed military takeovers and at times had failed to speak out against human rights abuses.

Following the death of King Bhumibol, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has become the world longest-reigning monarch, having been on the throne for 64 years.

Tributes have been flowing in from across the world.

US President Barack Obama called the late king a “tireless champion of his country’s development”.

“I had the honour of calling on his majesty the king during my visit to Thailand in 2012, and recall his grace and warmth, as well as his deep affection and compassion for the Thai people,” he said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement that he hoped Thailand would honour King Bhumibol’s legacy of commitment to universal values and respect for human rights.

Asian leaders were quick to express their condolences. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the late king as “one of the tallest leaders of our times”.

Image copyright AP

 Image caption Crowds outside the hospital howled with grief when the announcement was made

Image copyright AFP

 Image caption Most ordinary Thais know only a few details about Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn

For more on this story and video go to: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37643326 </s> Bangkok: Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, has died after a long illness, plunging his south-east Asian country of 64 million people into a period of intense mourning and uncertainty. He was 88.

Thai television interrupted programming to make the announcement shortly before 7pm Thai time.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced that Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will succeed his father.

People cry outside Siriraj Hospital after the death was announced. Photo: AP

"The government will proceed with the succession. The government will inform the National Legislative Assembly that his Majesty the King appointed his heir on December 28 1972," Mr Prayuth said. The assembly was due to meet Thursday evening.

Mr Prayath said there would be a 12 month mourning period and flags would fly at half mast for 30 days. He said there could be no celebratory events held for 30 days, indicating there will be restrictions on bars and the selling of alcohol.

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Revered by Thais, the king succeeded to the throne on June 9, 1946, when he was a gangly, thick-spectacled American-born 18-year-old who could barely speak Thai.

During 70 years on the throne he presided over the revival of a faltering centuries-old royal institution, growing in power and influence as he helped direct Thailand's social and economic development.

A young woman lights a candle before praying at Erawan Shrine in Bangkok on Thursday. Photo: Kate Geraghty

Thailand's National Assembly ended an extraordinary session late Thursday night without inviting a successor to the king to ascend to the throne.

"We are preparing the next moves," said a spokesman for the assembly, which is made up of military appointees. Assembly members wore black and stood in silence for nine minutes.

People pray at Erawan Shrine in Bangkok on Thursday following the death of the King. Photo: Kate Geraghty

It is likely to be months before the Crown Prince's coronation as the new monarch,as Thailand goes through a period of intense national mourning.

Many businesses are expected to be closed or provide reduced services as Thais mourn the loss of the ninth Chakri king, whom many regard as semi-divine.

Mourning outside the hospital after the Royal Palace made the announcement. Photo: AP

Western diplomats in Bangkok say tourists and expatriates in Thailand should wear black and respect the grief Thais will be feeling for their king, whose portrait hangs in every government building and in many shops and homes.

People in a crowd that had gathered at Bangkok's Siriraj hospital, where the king has been battling ailments for several years, openly wept as news of the death swept social media.

An undated photo of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. Photo: AFP

"Long live the King! Long live the King!" they cried, gazing up at the hospital building with tear-filled eyes.

Dozens of doctors wearing white coats solemnly sang the Thai national anthem in the hospital's foyer. One women wearing pink, a colour royal astrologists said was good for the king, collapsed hysterically in the hospital grounds holding photograph of the king and queen. But a Reuters reporter said most of the people at the hospital were dignified.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2010. Photo: Reuters

Four of the king's children, including 63-year-old Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, were at the hospital Thursday evening. The Crown Prince arrived in the country on Thursday from Germany where he owns a lakeside villa.

King Bhumibol had been treated for various ailments during a year-long hospitalisation in the Thai capital. He had not made a public appearance since January 2016.

Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. Photo: Reuters

Anxiety over his health and eventual succession has formed the backdrop to more than a decade of bitter political division in Thailand that has included military takeovers and sometimes violent street demonstrations.

The death follows a coup in May 2014 that toppled the democratically-elected government of Thailand's first female prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Photo: Getty Images

King Bhumibol acceded to the throne after the mysterious shooting death of his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, at the Royal Palace in Bangkok on June 9, 1946.

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where his father was studying, King Bhumibol, whose name means "Strength of the Land, Incomparable Power", was educated in Switzerland before returning to Thailand to be crowned on May 5, 1950, with a promise to the nation: "We shall reign with righteousness, for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese [Thai] people."

He had married Queen Sirikit - then a 17-year-old student - a week earlier, and they had four children, one son and three daughters.

The queen, who turned 84 in August 2016, has also suffered ailments and hospitalisation in recent times.

News about the royal family is tightly controlled in Thailand, where laws protecting the royals from insult make it a crime to defame, insult or threaten the king, queen, heir to the throne or regent.

Former army chief and now Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha warned when he led the 2014 coup that anything deemed "offensive" to the monarchy would be dealt with harshly under the country's lese-majeste laws. </s> Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej is in an “unstable” condition after undergoing multiple medical procedures, and is now confined in a hospital, a statement from the palace confirmed. At 88 years old, the king is the world’s longest-serving monarch and is widely revered.

In recent years, the king has received treatment for a number of illnesses, the BBC reports. He has not appeared in public over the last few months, and spent most of the last year in a hospital.

The palace statement, released Sunday night, relates that doctors at the Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok conducted hemodialysis – a procedure that requires inserting a tube into a vein to allow the kidney to filter blood. The medical team also changed a draining tube that was releasing fluid from his brain. After these procedures, the monarch’s blood pressure dropped on occasion, and he had to be put on a ventilator.

The king then underwent echocardiography to check on his heart. While his blood pressure has improved, his general condition “remains unstable” and his condition is now closely monitored.

Public concern over King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s health has been growing due to his prolonged hospital stays. Last month, he was treated for fluid in his lungs, reduced kidney function and a severe infection, following removal of his gallbladder last year, according to CNN.

Thailand’s Royal Household Bureau has been posting updates on the king’s condition on its Facebook page.

The king is seen as a unifying symbol in a country rife with political divisions, violence, and tension. Also known as Rama IX, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the ninth leader in the Chakri Dynasty. He ascended to the throne on June 9, 1946, after his brother King Ananda Mahidol died from a gunshot wound, and has served for over 70 years. He has been married to Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara since 1950 and is succeeded by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, as well as three daughters, the Princesses Ubolratana Rajakanya, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and Chulabhorn Walailak. </s> Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch, is in an unstable condition after receiving dialysis treatment, the palace has said in a statement.

The Royal Household Bureau said on Sunday that the 88-year-old was given some medicine and put on a ventilator to bring his blood pressure back to normal.

"The medical team are watching his symptoms and giving treatments carefully because the overall symptoms of his sickness are still not stable," the statement said.

Historically the palace has tightly controlled news about his health and it is difficult to ascertain his overall condition.



In recent months the palace has begun issuing more regular updates that point to a string of major health issues including renal failure.

THE LISTENING POST: Thailand's lese majeste law

Over the past two years he has also been treated for bacterial infections, breathing difficulties, heart problems and hydrocephalus - a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid often referred to as "water on the brain".

He has not been seen in public since January 11 when he spent several hours visiting his palace in Bangkok.



News about the king's health is closely monitored in Thailand, where King Bhumibol is deeply revered.

Anxiety over the king's health and an eventual succession has formed the backdrop to more than a decade of bitter political divide in Thailand that has included two military coups and often-violent street demonstrations. </s> I say this in memory of Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, also known as King Rama IX. He passed away almost two months ago and was the longest active reigning monarch in the world, almost six full years more than Queen Elizabeth II. His birthday is Dec. 5 and that's the reason it's Father's Day in Thailand. He was truly a remarkable man and what he did for the country of Thailand, especially its people, is inspiring and very impressive. He was a diplomat, in the truest sense of the word. Also, he was an American citizen since he was born in the United States. </s> PH joins rest of world in mourning passing of Thai king

The Philippine government has extended its sympathies to Thailand following the death of its revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

“On behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte and the Filipino people, we join the rest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in mourning the passing of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said.

“The late King Bhumibol was not only the world’s longest reigning monarch but also the guiding hand behind the emergence of Thailand as one of the most progressive countries in the whole of Asia,” he said.

The Thai king died Thursday “in a peaceful state” at a hospital, according to the Royal Palace. He was 88.
The King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej dies at the age of 88. He was the world's longest currently serving monarch.