BANGKOK – The King of Thailand has left Bangkok for his summer palace in Prachuap Kiri Khan province after a five-week stay at Siriraj Hospital for medical treatment.
The 86-year-old monarch left the hospital in a royal motorcade this evening. Her Majesty the Queen joined the convoy in another vehicle.
King Bhumibol was checked into Siriraj Hospital on 6 August, reportedly for an annual medical examination. The Bureau of Royal Household said the king was diagnosed with mild gastritis during his stay, but has since recovered.
Udom Kachinthorn, the director of Siriraj Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine, said yesterday that the medical team has determined His Majesty the King's health to be "normal."
"At the moment, the doctors think everything is well," said Mr. Udom, who was in charge of the medical staff that tended to the monarch.
Crowds of well-wishers lined the roads in Bangkok and shouted "Long live the King" as the royal motorcade passed by this evening.
King Bhumibol previously spent several years at Siriraj Hospital to undergo surgery and other medical operations before he was discharged in August 2013. Prior to his most recent hospital stay, he was recovering at Klai Kang Won Palace, where he is returning to this evening. The palace is an approximately two-hour drive south of Bangkok.
His Majesty the King's health is a cause of anxiety for many Thais. The monarch has been on the throne for more than 60 years and is widely credited with bringing stability to the kingdom.
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