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Published on November 7, 2007

Somjit Phanthong, 51, from Samut Prakan, who was among a small group waiting outside the hospital, said the Queen made a surprise ap-pearance at around 2am to speak to the well wishers.

She said the Queen spoke to the people after she visited the King at the Chalerm Phra Kiat building, where the King is recovering.

The Queen thanked the people for spending long hours outside the hospital to wish the King a speedy recovery. Somjit said the crowd hailed "Long Live Your Majesties" upon hearing the good news.

She said she was delighted to hear about the King's full recovery directly from the Queen.

According to a Royal Household statement issued earlier, the King has been actively exercising and has regained more strength, a team of doctors has said. He can walk short distances without any support and can eat normal meals.

Meanwhile, HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana has no fever, is alert, can sit upright in bed and can occasionally sit in a wheelchair. The Princess is still taking antibiotics and undergoing physical therapy.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn yesterday gave out 4,000 sets of pei mooncakes to well-wishers at the Siriraj Hospital, where the King and the Princess are being treated.

Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda and a number of celebrities from Channel 3 also showed up to sign get-well messages at the hospital.

Siriraj Hospital director Dr Prasit Watthanapha, heeding a call from MC Chatrichalerm Yugala, pleaded with members of the public staying near the hospital or visiting the compound to keep the noise levels down.

He asked those perform-

ing in honour of the King and the Princess to avoid using loudspeakers. The Royal Household Bureau is now officially responsible for controlling noise levels inside the hospital compound.

A large number of souve-nirs related to royal projects

or carrying images of the

Royal Family were distributed to well-wishers yesterday, including 5,000 calendars produced by the Siriraj Foundation. Some 2,000 pins carrying an image of Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, His Majesty's eldest daughter, and 1,000 books relating to her anti-drug campaign "To Be Number One" were also handed out.

A group of mentally challenged children from a special school also put on a musical featuring Thai classics, while a group of boy and girl scouts from Suwannaram Witthaya-khom spent time collecting garbage in the hospital compound yesterday.

The Nation