Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn Requested Time For Mourning - Thai PM

By MOHD HAIKAL MOHD ISA BANGKOK, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn has requested for an appropriate time before being named as King said Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. In a media conference at the Government House late Thursday night, the crown prince according to him, wants time to mourn the passing of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej. "He (Crown Prince) requested time to deal with his grief and express his sadness along with the people across the nation at this time," he told the media here Thursday. The 64-year-old Crown Prince said the Prime Minister, had already accepted his appointment as the royal heir, which was made since 1972. Prayuth spoke to the media at the same time as the parliament convened a special session to observe a nine-minute silence as a mark of respect to the world's longest-reigning monarch. King Bhumibol, 89, who reigned the throne for 70 years, passed away at 3.52pm today at the Siriraj Hospital while receiving medical treatment, according to the Royal Household Bureau. --BERNAMA