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| Thailand begins year of mourning after death of King Bhumibol | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thailand has begun a period of mourning after the death of its revered king, with people wearing dark colours, websites turned black and white, and television channels switched to royal broadcasts. | Thailand has begun a period of mourning after the death of its revered king, with people wearing dark colours, websites turned black and white, and television channels switched to royal broadcasts. |
| King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was the world’s longest-reigning monarch, died in a Bangkok hospital on Thursday afternoon aged 88. | King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was the world’s longest-reigning monarch, died in a Bangkok hospital on Thursday afternoon aged 88. |
| Considered a source of stability in a country that has seen myriad coups since he ascended to the throne at the age of 18 in 1946, Bhumibol’s death has thrown uncertainty over the southeast Asian nation. | Considered a source of stability in a country that has seen myriad coups since he ascended to the throne at the age of 18 in 1946, Bhumibol’s death has thrown uncertainty over the southeast Asian nation. |
| On Friday morning, declared a public holiday, people in the streets wore black, white or grey, avoiding bright colours to signify the country’s loss. In several shops, newspapers were sold out early. | On Friday morning, declared a public holiday, people in the streets wore black, white or grey, avoiding bright colours to signify the country’s loss. In several shops, newspapers were sold out early. |
| Many dailies were published without colour. The Friday edition of the English-language Nation paper was completely devoted to the life of the king. | Many dailies were published without colour. The Friday edition of the English-language Nation paper was completely devoted to the life of the king. |
| Its front page said simply: “Kingdom Grieves.” | Its front page said simply: “Kingdom Grieves.” |
| The Nation newspaper. pic.twitter.com/qP0F6xOk1L | The Nation newspaper. pic.twitter.com/qP0F6xOk1L |
| Soldiers and armoured vehicles were placed around Bangkok’s old quarters late on Thursday evening and remained on Friday. The late king’s body will be taken from the hospital to the grand palace where relatives will pour water over his hand, a Buddhist bathing ceremony. | Soldiers and armoured vehicles were placed around Bangkok’s old quarters late on Thursday evening and remained on Friday. The late king’s body will be taken from the hospital to the grand palace where relatives will pour water over his hand, a Buddhist bathing ceremony. |
| Early on Friday, the streets were already filling with mourners. | Early on Friday, the streets were already filling with mourners. |
| Thailand’s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, said in a nationally-televised address, minutes after the palace announced the death of the king, that people are to avoid “festivities” for 30 days of mourning. The state sector will observe a year of mourning, under which civil servants are ordered to wear black. | Thailand’s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, said in a nationally-televised address, minutes after the palace announced the death of the king, that people are to avoid “festivities” for 30 days of mourning. The state sector will observe a year of mourning, under which civil servants are ordered to wear black. |
| Bhumibol was a daily presence in the life of Thais. His official portrait hangs in almost every restaurant, house and office. At cinemas, people stand for the royal anthem before films. And each morning and evening, loud speakers play the national anthem, whereby people in the street are expected to stop. | Bhumibol was a daily presence in the life of Thais. His official portrait hangs in almost every restaurant, house and office. At cinemas, people stand for the royal anthem before films. And each morning and evening, loud speakers play the national anthem, whereby people in the street are expected to stop. |
| The government has set up a telephone hotline to help people cope with grief. | The government has set up a telephone hotline to help people cope with grief. |
| Google Thailand set its homepage black and white. And all TV channels in Thailand, including some foreign satellite stations such as the BBC and CNN, have been replaced with black-and-white royal broadcasts. They included footage of the late king playing his saxophone. | Google Thailand set its homepage black and white. And all TV channels in Thailand, including some foreign satellite stations such as the BBC and CNN, have been replaced with black-and-white royal broadcasts. They included footage of the late king playing his saxophone. |
| A BBC producer in London said on Twitter that the Thai government was not happy with its coverage. | A BBC producer in London said on Twitter that the Thai government was not happy with its coverage. |
| BBC world taken off air in #Thailand. Government not happy with BBC news coverage of #ThaiKing | BBC world taken off air in #Thailand. Government not happy with BBC news coverage of #ThaiKing |
| Even the infamous full moon party, a monthly all-night beach festival on the island of Koh Phangan, was cancelled, its organisers said. “We kindly invite all of you to pray for His Majesty’s soul to rise to heaven,” its said in a statement online. | Even the infamous full moon party, a monthly all-night beach festival on the island of Koh Phangan, was cancelled, its organisers said. “We kindly invite all of you to pray for His Majesty’s soul to rise to heaven,” its said in a statement online. |
| The prime minister confirmed that Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn would ascend the throne, though in a later statement he said there would be a delay in appointing Vajiralongkorn as he had asked for time to mourn with the country. | The prime minister confirmed that Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn would ascend the throne, though in a later statement he said there would be a delay in appointing Vajiralongkorn as he had asked for time to mourn with the country. |
| The late king’s only son and heir, Vajiralongkorn does not hold the same national affection as his father. | The late king’s only son and heir, Vajiralongkorn does not hold the same national affection as his father. |
| Prayuth said the country was in “immeasurable grief” but ended his Thursday evening broadcast with: “Long live His Majesty the new king.” | Prayuth said the country was in “immeasurable grief” but ended his Thursday evening broadcast with: “Long live His Majesty the new king.” |
| The UN general assembly held a minute’s silence while the British foreign office said that all Union flags on government buildings were to be flown at half mast. | The UN general assembly held a minute’s silence while the British foreign office said that all Union flags on government buildings were to be flown at half mast. |
| It asked UK citizens, of which there are 50,000 residents and roughly 100,000 visitors in Thailand at any time, to behave respectfully and “wear sombre and respectful clothing when in public”. | It asked UK citizens, of which there are 50,000 residents and roughly 100,000 visitors in Thailand at any time, to behave respectfully and “wear sombre and respectful clothing when in public”. |
| Over the past few years, there had been speculation of a complete nationwide shutdown in the event of the king’s death. But the military junta, which took power from a democratically elected government in 2014, has indicated that it wants to keep the country open and running smoothly. | Over the past few years, there had been speculation of a complete nationwide shutdown in the event of the king’s death. But the military junta, which took power from a democratically elected government in 2014, has indicated that it wants to keep the country open and running smoothly. |
| Google in Thailand today. pic.twitter.com/HQ3511Pdmb | Google in Thailand today. pic.twitter.com/HQ3511Pdmb |
| Prayuth said security was his top priority and asked businesses to stay active and stock investors not to dump shares. Banks remained open on Friday. | Prayuth said security was his top priority and asked businesses to stay active and stock investors not to dump shares. Banks remained open on Friday. |
| Open discussion of the monarchy is restricted by a strict lèse-majesté law that makes criticism of the royal family punishable by years in jail. In practice, this means open discussion of the succession is considered illegal. | Open discussion of the monarchy is restricted by a strict lèse-majesté law that makes criticism of the royal family punishable by years in jail. In practice, this means open discussion of the succession is considered illegal. |
| “The death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej is a landmark event in Thai politics, with stark implications for that country’s political stability. The vast majority of living Thais has no memory of any other king, and also only knows the monarchy as an almost sacred institution that pervades Thai politics and society,” said Tom Pepinsky, a southeast Asia expert at Cornell University. | “The death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej is a landmark event in Thai politics, with stark implications for that country’s political stability. The vast majority of living Thais has no memory of any other king, and also only knows the monarchy as an almost sacred institution that pervades Thai politics and society,” said Tom Pepinsky, a southeast Asia expert at Cornell University. |
| “The dominant narrative among many observers is that the king has been a stabilising force, but this belies the decades of coups that have plagued modern Thai history. His death means that the Thai political system must find an alternative focal point around which to unite the country’s factionalised population.” | “The dominant narrative among many observers is that the king has been a stabilising force, but this belies the decades of coups that have plagued modern Thai history. His death means that the Thai political system must find an alternative focal point around which to unite the country’s factionalised population.” |