Recovering Thai King Appears in Public Again
2009-11-3 10:46
The health of Thailand’s king has been a major concern for the country. But on Monday the 2nd, King Bhumibol Adulyadej appeared in public with his family… to participate in the traditional festival of Loy Krathong. He spent a few minutes on the grounds of the hospital where he has been recovering from illness since mid-September.
The king was ferried around the grounds in a wheelchair, waving and taking pictures with the hundreds of kneeling Thais who had gathered to wish him a fast recovery.
On the night of the Loy Krathong festival, Thais float small hand-made rafts on rivers or other stretches of water. By lighting a candle on the raft and sending it on its way, people symbolically get rid of all their bad feelings.
The king released a yellow float at the riverside hospital.
The bureau of the royal household say that the king is getting "progressively better." He has regained strength and he’s stopped taking antibiotics.
The king was admitted to hospital on September 19 with a fever, lung infection and lack of appetite. His only appearance in public since then was to visit royal monuments on the hospital grounds on October 23.
