His Majesty 'stable' as crowds extend their best wishes

"His physical strength has increased. His sleep and food intake is normal," the Royal Household Bureau announced yesterday.

It added that doctors would continue to give antibiotics to His Majesty until the prescription schedule was completed.

"Food supplement shall also be given in line with nutritional principles," the Royal Household Bureau said.

His Majesty has been receiving treatment at Siriraj Hospital since September 19.

The Royal Household Bureau said it would no longer issue a statement on His Majesty's conditions on a daily basis.

"We will issue a statement again when His Majesty's conditions change," it said.

Siriraj Hospital was yesterday full of pinkclad people as pink was widely perceived as an auspicious colour of His Majesty.

Wellwishers hoped donning pink would lead to His Majesty's quick recovery.

"We pray to the sacred beings for the speedy recovery of His Majesty," a pinkshirted Touch na Takuathung said.

Touch represents a group of singers from the RS company.

A TV reporter for Phoenix Satellite Hong Kong said the huge turnout of people waiting to sign getwell messages for His Majesty showed how much Thais loved their king.

"I am very much impressed. This is a rare phenomenon," she said.

She was speaking as her team covered what happened at Siriraj Hospital.

Interior Ministry permanent secretary Manit Wattanasen said more than 22.5 million people had signed getwell messages for His Majesty at various venues across the country.

Of them, 3.9 million are in the North, 9.9 million in the Northeast, and 5.6 million in the central and eastern regions.

The rest live in the South.

In the southern province of Yala, more than 2,000 Thais and Malaysians yesterday attended a meritmaking ceremony in which robes granted by His Majesty were presented to monks.

The ceremony raised Bt520,000 in donations for the Buddhadhivas royal monastery in Betong district.

Everyone present prayed for His Majesty's quick recovery.