King Bhumibol Adulyadej: 10 defining pictures of Thailand's 'God'

Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch, died on 13th Oct at the age of 88. The king ruled the kingdom for seven decades.   

Dec 14, 2016, 16:23 PM IST

Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch, died on 13th Oct at the age of 88. The king ruled the kingdom for seven decades. 

 

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Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch, died on 13th Oct at the age of 88. The king ruled the kingdom for seven decades. 

King Bhumibol has been on the throne since June 9, 1946. 

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He was seen as a stabilising figure in a country hit by cycles of political turmoil and multiple coups.

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A day after the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Thai government declared a public holiday for people in the kingdom to mourn. The government also asked Thais to stop entertainment activities for a month. 

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Despite being seen as a benign father figure who remained above politics, he also intervened at times of heightened political tension.

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After Bhumibol's death, on social media, many Thais changed the colour of their profiles to black and white as a sign of respect for their beloved king.

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Although he was a constitutional monarch with limited powers, most Thais regarded him as semi-divine.

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It was also reported that Thai people dressed in pure black or black and white after his death to mourn the beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 

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Bhumibol Adulyadej was born in Cambridge in the US state of Massachusetts on 5 December 1927.

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His father, Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, was studying at Harvard when his son was born.

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The family later returned to Thailand, where his father died when he was just two years old.

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After King Bhumibol Adulyadej's death, Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was formally proclaimed king on Dec 1 in a televised ceremony. 

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