Prayuth Chan-ocha meets heir apparent Maha Vajiralongkorn while King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, is in hospital
Thailand’s prime minister has cut short a trip to the country’s east and flown back to the capital to meet the crown prince in a previously unannounced move that comes as concerns grow over the health of the king.
As a week of national anxiety continued on Thursday over the fate of the 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thais pored over a palace statement that said his condition had “overall not yet stabilised”, four days after it announced his condition had worsened.
“Blood tests show he has an infection and his liver is working irregularly,” the royal household bureau said late on Wednesday. It added his blood pressure had lowered and his breath had quickened.
A government spokesman said Prayuth Chan-ocha returned from Chon Buri province to meet the king’s heir apparent Maha Vajiralongkorn, who had also flown back to Thailand from Germany.
The spokesman said the meeting was “a routine presentation on the government’s work in progress”, although he also said the “prime minister did not undertake his official duties in Chon Buri”, suggesting a last-minute change of plan.
Vajiralongkorn was seen entering Bangkok’s Siriraj hospital on Wednesday afternoon, as hundreds of people gathered outside to pray for the king’s health.
The uncertainty this week has led to stock market jitters in Thailand. After the Thai currency and stocks dipped on Wednesday the government released a statement urging “the Thai public to rely on official announcements for an update on situations, rather than uncorroborated information in social media circles”.
The domestic Set index sank 6.2%, although later recovered, and the Thai baht slumped 1.4% against the US dollar.
In an unusually downbeat statement, the royal palace announced on Sunday that Bhumibol, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, was in an unstable condition.
The widely revered king had undergone haemodialysis – a way of cleansing the blood – the palace said. A ventilator was used after the monarch’s blood pressure dropped and was still in place on Wednesday, according to the updated statement.
People across Thailand have worn bright pink clothes this week, which many believe will attract good luck for their king’s condition. Royal astrologers said a few years ago the colour would promote wellbeing.
