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The crowds began gathering before dawn and swelled later in the day as HM the King performed a series of Buddhist ceremonies among the gilded castles and temples that fill the palace compound.

Police said hundreds of thousands came to either join or observe the spectacle, with music, fireworks and other entertainment scheduled to last until midnight.

Throughout Thailand, millions wore yellow shirts to show their respect for HM the King, who with 61 years on the throne is the world's longest-reigning monarch.

Yellow is the colour Thais associate with Mondays, the day of the week on which the king was born.

Celebrations began in the morning, when HM the King granted a royal audience to 20,000 of the nation's elite as he sat on the balcony of his throne hall, dressed in full regalia, before members of his family, senior government officials and all of the military's top brass.

After a 21-gun salute, top political figures and HM the King's only son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, delivered speeches praising the monarch's work developing the country.

HM the King used the occasion again to plead for unity in a nation still divided over the military coup that ousted elected prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last year.

"Our country will be peaceful and stable, with all key institutions working harmoniously and complementing each other, with full awareness of their duty to each individual person," he said.

"Then our country will become prosperous, stable and developed."

HM the King has made similar remarks twice already this week, as the nation heads into a general election on December 23 that pits Thaksin's allies and his rivals in a vote that neither side is expected to win decisively.

HM the King is the only monarch most Thais can remember, making him a rare figure of unity in a nation that has seen 20 prime ministers, 16 constitutions and more than a dozen coups during his reign.

People from around the country began filling the sidewalks before dawn to stake out choice positions to catch a glimpse of HM the King as he passed in his motorcade.

Seventy-two-year-old Dee Thuanmuanwai from Nakhon Ratchasima travelled through the night to claim a spot on the pavement at 5am.

"I'm so overwhelmed to see him. My days are numbered, with not much time left in life, but I wish him a long life," Dee said.

Many in the crowd were awestruck as the motorcade passed.

"This is my first time to see him. I'm speechless. I wish him a long life," said Janthana Uthaipibool, a 35-year-old from the outskirts of Bangkok.

Vocabulary

revered, adj: profoudly honoured

to swell, v: to grow gradually bigger

gilded, adj: made to look golden

throne, n: special chair reserved for the king to show that he is the king

audience, n: people watching a special event

elite, n: people of special rank and status

regalia, n: special clothes worn to show the office of a person, i.e.: crown

to deliver, v: to hold; to give (a speech)

to catch a glimpse, expression: to see for only a short time

someone's days are numbered, idiom: over soon; person will die soon

Questions

1. How old is HM the King?

a. 61

b. 72

c. 80

d. 84

2. Why did people wear yellow shirts?

a. It is HM the King's favourite colour.

b. Yellow must be worn on public holidays.

c. This is the colour of HM the King's day of birth.

d. It is the only colour clothes are made of in Thailand.

3. For how long has HM the King reigned?

a. 30 days

b. 1 month

c. 61 years

d. 9 centuries

4. When will the general election be held?

a. May 7

b. June 14

c. August 31

d. December 23

5. How many prime ministers have served during HM the King's reign?

a. 9

b. 20

c. 61

d. 80

Synonyms

Which of the following words or phrases replace the ones from the passage best?

1. vigil

a. watch

b. honour

c. devotion

d. perseverance

2. spectacle

a. disaster

b. restraint

c. ambush

d. extravaganza

3. top brass

a. hats

b. royalty

c. leaders

d. decorations

4. plead

a. ask

b. deny

c. restore

d. demand

5. awestruck

a. bored

b. confused

c. annihilated

d. overwhelmed

KEY

Questions           1. c, 2. c, 3. c, 4. d, 5. b

Synonyms           1. a, 2. d, 3. c, 4. a, 5. d

By Ajarn Horst Baelz