Thais Mourn Death of Revered King Bhumibol
Local Editor
The people of Thailand are mourning the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, who died on Thursday aged 88.
An emotional crowd held a late-night vigil in Bangkok, and black-clad crowds are now lining the streets.
The king's body will be taken to the city's Emerald Temple later on Friday. The official mourning will last a year.
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is expected to be the new monarch, but had asked for a delay in succession.
The cabinet had declared Friday a government holiday, and flags are to fly at half-mast for the next 30 days.
The government had also asked for people to wear black, and avoid "joyful events" during this period.
News websites had turned their pages black and white, while tributes had been paid by leaders around the world.
One person in Bangkok told the Associated Press: "There is no word to explain my feeling right now."
"I lost one of the most important people in my life. I feel like I haven't done enough for him. I should have done more," said Gaewkarn Fuangtong.
Thousands of mourners are filling the streets of Bangkok to await the king's funeral procession. His body will be moved from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace on Friday afternoon.
The Crown Prince will conduct the bathing ceremony of the king's body - a traditional Thai Buddhist funeral rite - on Friday evening, said palace officials.
King Bhumibol was seen as a stabilizing figure in a country hit by cycles of political turmoil and coups.
He was widely respected across Thailand, and thought of by many as semi-divine. He earned the devotion of Thais for his efforts to help the rural poor, such as agricultural development projects, and works of charity.
The king had been ill for a long time. When news of his death was announced on Thursday evening, many in the large crowds outside the hospital where he died broke down.
The king was a national father figure, a beacon of stability in a divided and worried country.
The succession process initially appeared straightforward, but is now likely to take longer to be clarified.
The prince said he will not formally take the crown immediately as he needs time to mourn his father's death.
The king's death comes as Thailand remains under military rule following a coup in 2014.
The country suffered from political violence and upheaval over the past decade, as well as a long-running Muslim separatist insurgency in the southern provinces which sees regular small-scale bomb attacks.
Though a constitutional monarch with limited official powers, many Thais looked to King Bhumibol to intervene in times of high tension. He was seen as a unifying and calming influence through numerous coups and 20 constitutions.
However, his critics argued he had endorsed military takeovers and at times had failed to speak out against human rights abuses.
The crown prince, who is 64, is much less well known to Thais and has not attained his father's widespread popularity. He spends much of his time overseas, especially in Germany.
Strict lese-majeste laws protect the most senior members of Thailand's royal family from insult or threat. Public discussion of the succession can be punishable by lengthy jail terms.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
