Thai king leaves hospital after surgery

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

BANGKOK, Aug 4 (Reuters) Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, left hospital today two weeks after successful surgery on his spine.

To adulation from thousands of well-wishers, including Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the 78-year-old monarch was wheeled out of Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital before heading by car to his palace.

''I am delighted that His Majesty is well now and leaving the hospital today. Long Live the King,'' one of the well-wishers, Ubol Busayamanont, told state-run Modern Nine Television.

The streets around the hospital were a sea of red-and-white Thai flags and supporters were decked out in yellow -- the colour of Monday, the king's birth day.

He underwent five hours of surgery on his spine on July 20 after a fall the previous month in which he cracked a rib. The palace said last month he would refrain from official duties for some time.

King Bhumibol, who celebrated 60 years on the throne in June, is revered by Thailand's 63 million people as a champion of the poor and a pillar of stability during a turbulent, coup-prone period in the country's history.

Despite being a constitutional monarch, he has publicly wielded his influence three times either to break political deadlock or end bloodshed.

His latest intervention was in April when he summoned top judges to tell them to sort out the political mess left behind by an inconclusive general election.

Since then, the three members of the Election Commission have been jailed for mishandling the poll and a new election has been set for October 15.

The king is known to have been treated for a range of ailments, most recently a hernia in 2003. He had two minor heart operations in 1995.

REUTERS KR PM1332

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