BANGKOK: Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, has died at the age of 88, the palace announced Thursday, leaving a divided nation bereft of a rare figure of unity.
Bhumibol’s death ends a remarkable seven-decade reign and plunges Thailand into a deeply uncertain future.
Most Thais have known no other monarch and he has been portrayed as a guiding light through decades of political turmoil, coups and violent unrest.
“At 15:52 (0852 GMT) he died at Siriraj Hospital peacefully,” the Royal Household Bureau said in a statement.
“Although the team of doctors treated him to the best of their ability, his condition deteriorated,” it said as large crowds erupted in mourning outside the hospital where the monarch spent most of the last two years.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the former army chief who leads Thailand’s ruling junta, said that the king’s 64-year-old son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is his named successor.
The Crown Prince 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 a televised address to the nation, Prayut said Thailand would hold a one-year mourning period and that all entertainment functions must be “toned down” for a month.
Thai television stations switched to a special announcement that began with black and white photographs of the king, before a formally dressed presenter read out the palace statement.
Bhumibol’s death is a major test for the country’s generals, who seized power in 2014 vowing to restore stability after a decade of political chaos, a turbulent period exacerbated by the king’s declining health as jostling elites competed for power.
The military has deep links with the palace and many inside the kingdom saw the putsch as a move to ensure generals could stamp down on any instability during a succession.
