Thailand celebrates its monarch's 70 years on the throne
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej marked 70 years on the throne as the world's longest reigning monarch.
On Thursday, celebrations in the capital of Bangkok were underway, with a grand ceremony involving 770 men being ordained as Buddhist monks outside the Grand Palace.
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The central bank also issued a 70 baht ($1.99) note to commemorate the occasion.
Bhumibol's time on the throne surpasses Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who's been reigning for 64 years.
The King is 88 years old, and has spent much of the past few years in hospital. On Tuesday, the Thai Royal Household Bureau confirmed that he underwent heart surgery, following other procedures to treat a swollen lung and fluid in his brain.
The royal confirmation of his ailing health is rare, where bad news about the King is typically kept hush for fear of upsetting the public. The King is widely beloved in the country, and his presence is seen as a stabilising force for the Thais, who are less loyal to his son and heir apparent, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn.
Bhumibol ascended to the throne after his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, was shot in his bed. The circumstances of his death and whether it was a murder or suicide have never been fully ascertained.
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Victoria Ho is Mashable's Asia Editor, based in Singapore. She previously reported on news and tech at The Business Times, TechCrunch and ZDNet. When she isn't writing, she's making music with her band
