Jokowi pays respects to King

Jokowi pays respects to King

Japan's emperor sends condolence telegram

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife Iriana arrive at the Grand Palace to pay respects to the late King Bhumibol on Tuesday. (Royal Household Bureau photo)
Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife Iriana arrive at the Grand Palace to pay respects to the late King Bhumibol on Tuesday. (Royal Household Bureau photo)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo paid respects to King Bhumibol on Tuesday, while the Japanese emperor sent a telegram of condolence on the passing of the monarch.

The Indonesian president, popularly referred to as Jokowi, and his wife Iriana paid respects to the late King at the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace and later wrote a message in the condolences book in the Red Room of the Royal Household Bureau.

Mr Widodo was on a one-day visit to Thailand for the late King, one the many Asean heads of state and government leaders to pay their respects to the late King in Bangkok.

Others included the prime minister and president of Singapore, Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Malaysian Prime Minsiter Najib Razak, the king of Malaysia, the sultan of Brunei and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The day after the passing of the King, the Indonesian government expressed its condolences to Thailand.

"Indonesia extends its deepest condolences on the demise of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej," the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Oct 14, according to the Antara news agency.

Meanwhile, Japanese Emperor Akihito has sent a message of condolence to Thailand over the passing of the King, the Imperial Household Agency said Tuesday.

The telegram, dated Monday, was addressed to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, The imperial household said.

After the world's longest reigning monarch died on Oct 13, the Japanese emperor and his wife Empress Michiko began a three-day mourning period, beginning that same evening.

Japan's imperial couple maintained close ties with the Thai royal family during the king's reign.

King Bhumibol paid a visit to Japan in 1963, when he met with then emperor Hirohito, the current emperor's father posthumously called emperor Showa. On his behalf, then-crown prince Akihito and the then-crown princess visited Thailand the following year.

The imperial couple selected Thailand as the first destination of their first overseas trip in September 1991 after Emperor Akihito's enthronement.

In 2006, they attended a ceremony in Bangkok to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the King's accession to the throne.

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