BREAKING NEWS: Thailand's King Bhumibol, the world's longest reigning monarch, dies in hospital
- Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has died aged 88 in Bangkok hospital
- He was the world's longest reigning monarch coming to throne in 1946
- Bhumibol had been suffering from a number of ailments before his death
- His son Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is expected to become new king
- MAILONLINE
The world's longest reigning monarch Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has died aged 88, it has been confirmed.
The Thai palace announced his death saying that he passed away in hospital earlier this morning.
A statement said: 'His Majesty has passed away at Siriraj Hospital peacefully.
The world's longest reigning monarch Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, pictured, has died aged 88, it has been confirmed
'Even though the board of doctors has closely monitored and treated him to the best of its abilities, the king's condition never improved but deteriorated until Thursday.'
The palace did not give a reason for his death.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced that Bhumibol's son and heir apparent, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 63, will be the new monarch in accordance with the constitution.
He explained government officials will also observe a one-year mourning period.
He added: 'He is now in heaven and may be looking over Thai citizens from there.'
His death means that Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has now become the world's longest reigning monarch.
However, she is unlikely to acknowledge such a record, particularly as the Thai people are grieving for their revered head of state, who came to the throne in 1946.
King Bhumibol and his wife Queen Sirkit wave to crowds in Bangkok in 2006. The Queen is also facing ailing health
Because Bhumibol, pictured with Queen Sirkit has been king since 1946, there is great concern about the eventual succession
Earlier this morning as news of his ailing health was made public, hundreds of tearful Thais offered flowers and chanted prayers for the King.
Wearing pink and yellow shirts in the 88-year-old king's honor, crowds have gathered outside Siriraj Hospital since Sunday, when the royal palace described his health as 'unstable.'
It is believed that his blood pressure had dropped, his liver and kidneys had stopped functioning and he was breathing via a ventilator.
Bhumibol was viewed by many in the majority Buddhist nation as a bodhisattva, or holy being who delays entering nirvana to aid the human race
Last week, doctors performed a hemodialysis to purify his blood. They also replaced a tube that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid.
Because Bhumibol has been king since 1946, there is great concern about the eventual succession.
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, who returned home from Germany on Wednesday, has not earned the same respect as his father.
During his reign that spanned 70 years, the U.S.-born Bhumibol became much more than Thailand's constitutional monarch.
He was the nation's one constant as myriad governments rose and fell and regarded as a gentle leader who used the influence of the throne to unify the nation.
In his heyday, the frail-looking, soft-spoken man in spectacles wielded so much power and respect, he was able to squelch coups and rebellions with a gesture or a few well-chosen words.
Bhumibol was viewed by many in the majority Buddhist nation as a bodhisattva, or holy being who delays entering nirvana to aid the human race.
Bhumibol's son and heir apparent Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is expected to become Thailand's new king
But while junta leaders, prime ministers and courtiers approached him only on their knees, Bhumibol was remarkably down-to-earth.
He rolled up his sleeves and hiked into impoverished villages and remote rice paddies to assess the state of his country and help resolve everything from water and food shortages to family squabbles.
He played half a dozen musical instruments and jammed with American jazz greats including Benny Goodman.
By the twilight of his rule, Bhumibol had become the world's richest monarch and one of the planet's wealthiest people:
Before his death when the Thai people were told the King's health had deteriorated, many flocked to the Bangkok hospital where he was being treated
Well-wishers outside the hospital brought flowers and prayed for the King outside the Siriraj hospital
Forbes magazine estimated his fortune at more than $30 billion in 2011. Although not known for having extravagant tastes, he nevertheless lived the elite life of a modern-day king, racing yachts and appearing at official functions clothed in ornate golden robes.
Over the last decade, the once vigorous Bhumibol had withdrawn from public life due to a series of illnesses. His wife, Queen Sirikit, has also long been ailing and has been even more rarely seen.
The king was often ensconced at a Bangkok hospital, emerging from time to time to gaze across the Chao Phraya River from a special pavilion. He had been notably silent about the political upheaval and protests that have shaken the country in recent years.
Since army-staged coups in 2006 and 2014, political rivals had increasingly invoked the need to protect the palace as a pretext to gain or hold power, and some politicians have been sidelined by opponents who accused them of disrespecting the king, a grave crime in this Southeast Asian country.
Because Bhumibol has been king since 1946, there is great concern about the eventual succession
A woman weeps as she clutches a picture of the Thai king outside a hospital in Bangkok where he was being treated
Although Bhumibol once said he is not above criticism, Thailand's lese majeste law - the world's harshest - has been routinely employed in recent years, with anyone charged with defaming the palace facing 15 years in jail.
His successor Prince Vajiralongkorn is much less well known to Thais and has yet to attain his father's widespread popularity.
He spends much of his time overseas, especially in Germany, and is a keen pilot who flies his own Boeing 737.
In recent years, and especially since the 2014 coup, he has made more frequent public appearances inside Thailand and taken on a larger number of royal engagements. He will inherit one of the world's richest monarchies.
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