Disappointment and concern but also revelry
Disappointment? Yes. Concern? Also yes. But yesterday's celebration was no less.
On the advice of his doctors, the birthday monarch Bhumibol did not leave the hospital for an audience at the Grand Palace, but the planned festivities continued, such as a large fireworks display on Sanam Luang. And at nine o'clock in the evening candles were lit throughout the country for the 87-year-old king and people sang.
Many hundreds of Thais had gathered in front of the Chalerm-Prakiat building of Siriraj Hospital, where the king is being treated, all dressed in the king's birth yellow. Some had arrived a day earlier. They waved flags and shouted 'Long live the king' [in Thai of course].
The doctors tried to allay concerns about the king's condition. On Thursday, the Royal Household Bureau had reported that the king and queen were in good health, the next day at dawn it canceled the planned audience and the trip to the Grand Palace, which many Thais had already been looking forward to.
Udom Kachintorn, dean of the faculty of medicine at Siriraj Hospital, said the king's condition is not serious. But he still has to regain his strength after an inflammation of his intestines and a fever. The inflammation has already healed and two weeks ago the medication could also be stopped.
His Majesty the King is now in the recovery phase. We expect him to be fully recovered in one to two months by eating the right food and getting enough rest. People don't need to panic.'
(Source: Bangkok Post, Dec. 6, 2014)
Photos: A projected picture of the king on a mist of water droplets.