HM the King to grant audience on Dec 5

His Majesty the King will this Saturday give Thai people a great present with his first public appearance outside Siriraj Hospital since his admission about 10 weeks ago.

The monarch will grant an audience to Royal family members, members of Parliament and state officials at the Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall on Saturday morning, while most other royal functions related to his normal birthday celebrations will be indefinitely postponed.

Some of the postponements are rare while others are unprecedented, but Thais will take heart in his presence at the Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall on his birthday.

The King has assigned HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn a prominent role to represent him at many other royal functions that he cannot attend.

The much-loved King will turn 82 on December 5.

The postponement will affect the Trooping of the Colours initially scheduled on December 2, and a royal audience to be granted at the Dusit Dalai Pavilion, Suan Chitra-lada, on December 4.

According to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, His Majesty will only grant an audience to Royal family members, members of the Parliament and government officials at Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall on the morning of December 5.

After that, the crown prince will act on His Majesty's behalf for the functions related to his birthday on the afternoon of December 5, at religious rites on December 6 at the Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall, and on December 8 at Dusit Dalai Pavilion, where foreign ambassadors are scheduled to present birthday wishes to the monarch.

WELL-WISHERS FLOCK TO HOSPITAL

Currently, His Majesty is undergoing treatment at Siriraj Hospital. He was admitted on September 19. There was no official word yesterday about the King's stay at the hospital.

His well-wishers have flocked to the hospital every day ever since to wish him a speedy recovery. His only appearances since were at the hospital - first, when he was accompanied by doctors to the hospital's ground floor on October 23 to pay homage to his late mother and King Rama V on the occassion of the Piya Maharaja Day, and when he joined HM the Queen and other Royal family members in floating their krathong near the hospital on November 2.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the government-organised celebratory events for His Majesty's birthday would go ahead.

"There will be neither adjustment nor cancellation," he said.

This year, the government has prepared to host a series of grand events to honour the much-revered monarch on the occasion of his birthday.

The events have already been advertised in various media.

On December 3 and December 13, impressive light-and-sound shows about His Majesty's royal works will be staged at the Royal Plaza.

Between December 3 and December 7, the Laser Multi Vision Light and Sound show will also run from 8.30pm to 10.30pm at the Democracy Monument. Musical performances will be on from 6pm to midnight at a nearby spot in front of the Government Lottery Office during those days.

A parade of decoratively-lit vehicles and a musical fountain are among the planned programmes as well.

A survey, conducted by Assumption University's Abac Poll last Saturday of 1,380 households in 17 provinces nationwide on happiness of Thais, found that out of a possible 10 points, up to 9.14 points were registered as Thais are very happy that the King's birthday is approaching.

Every year, Thais across the country look forward to December 4 as the Royal audience traditionally granted by His Majesty on that day is televised in full.

It is a precious time when Thais can watch and listen to their King. His Majesty's birthday speech is full of wisdom and useful advice for the country.

Last year, His Majesty did not deliver his birthday speech because of health problems.