Concerned Thais wear pink in support of ailing King (Updated)

Prompted by the latest medical report, Thais nationwide are wearing pink to express their best wishes for His Majesty the King's good health as huge crowds of well-wishers flocked to the Grand Palace to sign get-well books Tuesday.

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Thais don pink for His Majesty

Dumrongkiat Mala

Thais nationwide are wearing pink to express their best wishes for His Majesty the King's good health as huge crowds of well-wishers flocked to the Grand Palace to sign get-well books Tuesday.

The Royal Household Bureau on Tuesday opened the Sala Sahathai Samakhom pavilion inside the Grand Palace to allow the general public to sign get-well books for the world's longest-serving monarch.

The public can sign the get-well books at the pavilion from 8am and 6pm.

On Tuesday Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha  led cabinet ministers, armed forces leaders and their spouses to sign get-well books for the good health of His Majesty at the pavilion.

Following the Royal Household Bureau's (RHB) 37th announcement on the condition of His Majesty's health, messages have been shared on social media urging Thais to wear pink – a colour which became associated with the King a few years ago when royal astrologers said the colour was good for the King and would help promote his well-being.

Since then, the King has been seen wearing pink in public on several occasions.

Siriraj Hospital was an ocean of pink shirts Tuesday, as well-wishers clad in pink braved the rain to wish His Majesty a speedy recovery from his illness.

His Majesty the King will turn 89 on Dec 5 this year.

Nopparut Klumtong, 26, a private employee, said he went to Sala Sahathai Samakhom to write his best wishes for His Majesty the King.

"I've been concerned about the His Majesty's the King's health because it is unusual for the palace to say the King's health is not stable. Statements on the King's health are normally issued after the monarch's condition has shown improvements," he said.

He said his family is very concerned about His Majesty's health, so they might wear pink every day until the King's health has improved," he said.

Tuesday's story

At Bowon Niwet (above) and other wats, and at makeshift home services, Thais prayed for the health of the monarch after a Royal Household Bureau bulletin. (Photos by Chanat Katanyu)

You can get details on the King's condition in Tuesday's story below.

People unite to pray for King's health

Apinya Wipatayotin

Well-wishers nationwide have joined in reciting prayers to wish His Majesty the King good health following an announcement from the Royal Household Bureau (RHB) about the monarch's treatment.

Prayers for their Majesties, the King and Queen, at Siriraj Hospital.

According to the 37th announcement issued on Sunday by the RHB, royal doctors have performed haemodialysis on His Majesty the King and used drugs to control his blood pressure.

The bureau said doctors carried out haemodialysis on Saturday to purify his blood of toxins, and changed a tube that drains excess spinal fluid from 2pm to 4.40pm.

After the procedure, his blood pressure dropped occasionally, the bureau said.

Medicine was administered and doctors put His Majesty on a ventilator to bring his blood pressure back to normal levels.

At 3am on Sunday, the King's pulse was faster, and his blood pressure had subsided.

An inspection found higher levels of acid in the blood.

An echocardiogram found a sharp decline in the amount of blood being pumped into the lower left chamber of the King's heart as a result of high blood pressure in the lungs.

At 3pm, medicines were administered to enlarge blood vessels in the lungs.

His pulse and blood pressure improved after that.

"The medical team are watching his symptoms and giving treatment carefully because the overall symptoms of his sickness are still not stable," the statement said.

Numerous well-wishers flocked to the Siriraj Hospital Monday, and recited a Buddhist chant titled Bojjhanga Paritta (seven factors of enlightenment) from the Tripitaka scriptures to honour the good health and longevity of His Majesty the King. The chant is believed to help the recovery of those people suffering from illnesses and ward off bad fortune.

A group of elderly people also recited prayers in front of the statue of Prince of Songkla, the King's father, in the compound of Siriraj Hospital where the King has received treatment for many months.

Part of the crowd of well-wishers at Wat Bowon Niwet.

Pimwara Pongsetthapat, a 49-year-old resident from Sathon district, said she had decided to go to the hospital after learning about the statement on the King's health, saying it was the least she could do for His Majesty the King.

Ms Pimwara said that she wanted to convey a message to His Majesty the King that people nationwide have united in giving him encouragement and moral support, and hoped that he would get better soon.

Ploy Kaewsawee, a 20-year-old woman from Bangkok Noi district, said yesterday that she had accompanied her grandmother to the hospital to join in the prayer chanting.

She said her family had been concerned about His Majesty's the King's health.

Thipa Nujareeporn, 62, who comes from central Nakhon Pathom province, said she was confident the King will be able to acknowledge the moral support from his people, and will make a speedy recovery.

Facebook pages such as "We Love Chakri Dynasty", and "The Royal Monarch Alert Protection Network", have also shared the texts of the Bojjhanga Paritta, and urged people to come together and chant prayers to wish His Majesty the King a speedy recovery.

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