Thai king, world's longest-serving monarch dies

Bangkok, Oct 13: Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch, died on Thursday here at the age of 88, according to the Royal Household Bureau.

The king, who died at 3.52 p.m. (8.52 a.m. GMT), ruled the kingdom for seven decades and was revered by the Thai public as a semi-divine figure, Efe news reported.

He passed away in Siriraj Hospital, where he had received hemodialysis treatment on October 8 after his health worsened during the weekend.

The sovereign had been hospitalized since October 2014 and passed away peacefully, the palace said.

King Bhumibol, who has been on the throne since June 9, 1946, had been treated at the hospital for various ailments for much of the past year.

His last public appearance was on January 11 when he visited the Royal Chitralada Palace in the capital.

IANS