Chinese state media reports death of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej aged 88

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: Hong Kong Free Press

Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej has reportedly died aged 88, according to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua citing the Thai Bureau of the Royal Household.

Xinhua and the South China Morning Post deleted a breaking news report within minutes, though an announcement from the royal palace is due within the hour.

On Sunday, the palace announced that Bhumibol was in an unstable condition at Siriraj hospital after receiving haemodialysis treatment.

BBC journalist Jonathan Head tweeted that an unscheduled Thai cabinet meeting is expected to take place at 5pm local time, followed by a palace announcement at 5:30pm.

Read more: https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/10/13/breaking-thailands-king-bhumibol-adulyadej-dies-aged-88-report/

[jberryhill]

1. This is going to be interesting

The crown prince is not well liked, and Thailand has very strict laws about criticizing royalty. Against the background of their political divide, this is something of a fork in the road for their future.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Confirmed:

Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej dies after 70-year reign
Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej has died aged 88, ending seven decades on the throne during which he became a unifying father figure and rare source of stability in a country that has weathered more than a dozen coups since he came to power in 1946 aged just 18.

A statement from the royal household bureau said Bhumibol, who was the world’s longest-reigning monarch, “passed away peacefully” at 3.52pm (8.52am BST) on Thursday at Siriraj hospital in Bangkok.

Thailand’s prime minister, Prayut Chan-ocha, dressed in a black suit, appeared on domestic television channels minutes after the announcement and confirmed that the Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will succeed to the throne. He said the nation will observe a year-long mourning period.
...
His wife, Queen Sirikit, has also suffered declining health. They have three children, but their only son and heir, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, does not command the same affection as his father, causing fears of a rupture in the state’s structure.

However, 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, so it is hard to gauge the popularity of the son. Any Thai can bring a legal case against a person under the lèse-majesté law. In 2014, complaints were filed against a woman who wore black on the king’s birthday.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/13/thai-king-bhumibol-adulyadej-dies-after-70-year-reign

And that leaves Britain's Liz as the longest-reigning monarch.