Thailand prepares to bid farewell to 'people's king'

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Thailand held a nationwide Buddhist almsgiving ceremony on Friday to mark the passage of a year since the death of its revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a father figure to the nation during a reign that spanned seven decades.

As many as 199 Buddhist monks in orange robes participated in the event at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, where the king spent most of his twilight years being treated for various ailments before his death last year on October 13, a couple of months shy of his 89th birthday.

File photo taken on May 5, 2014 shows Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej (1st L) presides over a ceremony commemorating the 64th anniversary of Royal Coronation Day in Hua Hin, Thailand. /Xinhua Photo

Described as "the people's king" and "the father of modern Thailand," Bhumibol commanded deep devotion during his reign. The past year has drawn out widespread scenes of collective mourning across the kingdom, with many Thais expunging color from their wardrobes and donning only black and white for most of the year.

The solemn mood has deepened this month as the kingdom grapples with having to say a final goodbye to the monarch during his October 26 cremation, part of an elaborate five-day funeral that will send Bhumibol's spirit to the afterlife.

On Friday, a sea of mourners dressed in black gathered outside Siriraj Hospital in a powerful shared sense of national grief. There were tears on many people's face.

The Royal Crematorium site for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. /Reuters Photo

"I'm deeply saddened and miss my king so much," Anong Hatsathadon, a mourner told CGTN. "Right now, I can't believe that he is gone and this day has come. I wish he was still here and lived with us forever."

Another mourner, Boonya Chomchoei, said: "My King gave us everything and he did everything for the Thai people so we can live better lives."

In the evening, Thailand's new king, 65-year-old Maha Vajiralongkorn, lit candles as senior monks chanted in a ritual-heavy ceremony before junta leaders and other elites seated in the glittering palace hall.

Well-wishers line up to pay respect to late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, October 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo

In a letter to the public this week, Vajiralongkorn expressed gratitude to the some 12 million Thais who visited the throne hall where Bhumibol's body has been lying in state.

At least a quarter million Thais are expected to attend the cremation ceremony, which will center around a towering funeral pyre that has been erected outside Bangkok's Grand Palace.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

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