BANGKOK
Thais are flocking to a hospital and to Buddhist temples to pray for their ailing king three days after a statement said he had suffered a kidney malfunction and his condition “has not yet stabilized”.
There has been no further statement from the Royal Household Bureau since the brief bulletin released late Sunday said King Bhumibol Adulyadej had undergone dialysis and will remain “under close medical supervision”.
On Tuesday, scores of well-wishers could be seen visiting the compound of Siriraj Hospital, where the 88-year-old has been almost continuously hospitalized since 2009.
There, they recited sacred Buddhist chants to honor his health and longevity.
Several temples in Bangkok and upcountry, including Wat Bowonniwet Vihara -- a royal temple where the king was ordained as a monk for 15 days in 1959 -- and Wat Arun opposite the Grand Palace, organized mass chantings to wish good health to the king and other members of the royal family.
The ailing 84-year-old Queen Sirikit has also been treated for unstated health issues at Siriraj hospital for several years. She suffered a stroke in July 2012.
Groups of elderly people gathered within the Siriraj compound to recite prayers in front of a statue of Prince Mahidol, the king’s father.
Since Sunday, many Thais have been posting "Long live the King" on social networks to show concern for the monarch’s health.
Facebook pages in honor of the royal family -- including “We Love Chakri Dynasty” and “The Royal Monarch Alert Protection Network” -- have shared Buddhist texts to pray for a betterment of the king’s condition.
King Bhumibol is the ninth monarch of the Chakri dynasty which started in 1782 and has been suffering from a range of ailments from lung infections to spinal cord problems.
On Monday, the Thai stock market plunged 3.6 percent on the news -- the biggest decline since August 2015. The Thai currency also weakened against the dollar.
According to the 1924 succession law, Bhumibol’s successor will be Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, his 63-year-old only son.
Vajiralongkorn, whose private life has been subject to debate -- albeit in closed circles due to Thailand’s harsh lese-majeste law -- is much less popular than his father.
According to an academic well versed in military affairs, the decline in the king's health is one of the reasons why Thailand's military junta is trying to maintain their role at the helm of the country during the delicate period in which a new monarch will emerge.
The ruling military overthrew the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra in a May 2014 coup.
The academic spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity in consideration of the lese-majeste law.
