Roads In Bangkok To Be Closed For Procession Of King's Body

By Mohd Haikal Isa BANGKOK, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- The procession to bring the body of King Bhumibol Adulyadej from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace will begin at 1 pm (local time) on Friday. The procession will pass through Arun Amarin and Phra Pinklao bridges before going to the Ratchadamnoen road to the Grand Palace, entering the palace via Thevapirom Gate. The public are welcome to witness the procession along the designated route and advised to wear black as a mark of mourning and respect to the passing king, said the Royal Household Bureau. Today (Friday) is a public holiday in Thailand, announced the government. Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Police in a statement said, several roads will be closed to the public to enable the procession to make its way to the Royal Palace smoothly. Earlier in the morning, a large number of Thais attended a special ceremony in front of the the King's image at the Sala Sahathai Samakhom pavillion inside the Grand Palace. The special ceremony began in the morning and scheduled to end in the afternoon. King Bhumibol, 89, who had been on the throne for 70 years, died at 3.52 pm on Thursday at Siriraj Hospital where he was undergoing treatments for various illnesses. The world's longest-reigning monarch had been in ill health for several years. Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 54, the late king's second child and the only son from the King's four children is widely expected to ascend to the throne as the new Thai King. He has been designated as the heir to the throne since 1972 at the age of 20. --BERNAMA