Thais have learnt their beloved King and Queen are in good health as Their Majesties left Siriraj Hospital and travelled to Klai Kangwon Palace in the seaside town of Hua Hin to recuperate.
Their Majesties the King and Queen leave Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok to travel to Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin. (AP photo)
Their Majesties departed the hospital Thursday and travelled in a royal van to the palace in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. It was their first visit to Klai Kangwon in almost four years.
Massive crowds - many of them who had travelled from other provinces - gathered at both Siriraj Hospital and along the royal motorcade route in the early morning, hoping for a glimpse of their revered monarch and queen.
At 4.25pm, cheers of "Long Live Their Majesties" reverberated around the hospital as soon as the royal van the King and Queen were travelling in emerged from the underground area of the hospital's Chalerm Phrakiat Building.
- King, Queen's health far better, doctor says
- Monarch returning to Hua Hin to recuperate, rest
- Massive crowds throng route of royal motorcade
- In photos: Their Majesties travel
His Majesty, wearing an orange jacket and accompanied by the Queen who was dressed in blue, looked glowing with health and grace.
The King and the Queen waved and smiled to cheering crowds clad in the royal colours of yellow and pink. The assembled masses held up pictures of Their Majesties and waved national flags and flags bearing royal emblems.
Landscaping along the route was spruced up, with national flags and royal flags flying on parts of Phetkasem Road, which leads to the palace.
"Loyal subjects" generally is just another way to say "Thai people" but this little fellow seemed even more strongly determined than most of his fellow Thais to wave the flags and greet the royal couple on Thursday. (Photo by Phrakrit Juntawong)
The King and the Queen arrived at Klai Kangwon Palace about 6.50pm, with well-wishers thronging the streets leading to the palace and chanting "Long Live Their Majesties".
Udom Kachintorn, dean of the faculty of medicine of Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, said Thursday that the general health of the King and Queen has improved considerably. Now that they are feeling better the King and Queen wanted to move to Klai Kangwon Palace to recuperate and relax, he added.
A team of royal doctors and nurses had accompanied them, and all necessary medical equipment had been installed at the palace and at Hua Hin Hospital nearby, Dr Udom said.
However, it has not been revealed how long Their Majesties will stay at the palace.
The King, who will turn 86 on Dec 5 this year, had been staying at Siriraj Hospital since Sept 19, 2009, when he was admitted with lung inflammation.
The monarch spent about three years and 10 months in the hospital, with a total of 65 announcements issued to provide updates on his condition.
The Queen was diagnosed with a slight shortage of blood to the brain at Siriraj Hospital on July 21 last year. A total of 14 announcements updating her health condition have been released.
The Royal Thai Navy had deployed five ships to provide security for Their Majesties in the Gulf of Thailand offshore from the palace from 8am Thursday, navy chief Surasak Rounroengrom said.
The navy were to fire a 21-gun salute to honour Their Majesties as they arrived at Klai Kangwon Palace, Adm Surasak added.
Royal watcher Thiporn Nuchiporn, 61, left her house in Nakhon Pathom province at 4am Thursday to travel to the hospital in order to see the King and the Queen.
"I regularly come to the hospital. I want to see ‘my father'. I am a bit disheartened that the King will travel to Hua Hin," she said.
"But I am still happy that Their Majesties are healthy. If I have a chance, I will go to Hua Hin, too."
Nakhon Prasartthong, 56, arrived at the hospital at 6am to grab a good spot to see the King and the Queen. "Tears welled up in my eyes when I saw Their Majesties," he said.
He said it did not matter whether the crowds caught a glimpse of the King and Queen. The presence of the well-wishers showing their loyalty was enough to give Their Majesties a great deal of encouragement, he said.
Panprach Hanphanitphan, an engineering student at Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, said he was born during the reign of His Majesty the King and he wanted to see the monarch in person at least once in his life.
Narisara Lertmuang, from Ayutthaya, said she was delighted to learn that His Majesty has been discharged from hospital, which means that he is now in good health.
"The weather in Hua Hin should be better and should help him recuperate," she said.