(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Thailand's revered 86-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej has had his gall bladder removed, the palace said yesterday, two days after he was rushed to hospital sparking fears for his health in the politically turbulent nation.
Bhumibol, who is the world's longest-serving monarch but has suffered from numerous ailments in recent years, is treated as a near-deity in Thailand and his health is a subject of great public concern.
The nation is beset by anxiety over the future once Bhumibol's more-than six decade reign comes to an end.
The king was driven from his coastal palace to Bangkok's Siriraj hospital with a fever on Friday evening.
Tests over the weekend found he had a swollen gall bladder, prompting the operation to remove the organ late Sunday, the Royal Household Bureau said in a statement.
Doctors were "satisfied" with the surgery and the king's condition was "improving" early yesterday, the statement added.
"His majesty's heartbeat has slowed down... his blood pressure is in the normal range and his temperature is lower," the RHB statement declared.
Surgery to remove the gall bladder is common and patients tend to recovery quickly from the operation.
Bhumibol, who is officially King Rama IX, left the Siriraj last month after a stay of almost six weeks for a check-up.
He lived in the same hospital for nearly four years after being admitted with respiratory problems in 2009 - but there was no explanation from the palace over his prolonged stay.
As a constitutional monarch the king has no official political role, but Thais see King Bhumibol as a unifying figure and a moral force during a long reign that has been flecked by political turmoil.
In August he formally endorsed the kingdom's new Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-Ocha - who seized power from the elected administration on May 22 as head of the army, shortly after Yingluck Shinawatra was booted out of office by a controversial court ruling.
Prayut led his military-stacked cabinet to the hospital yesterday morning to sign a book of well-wishing for the monarch.
"We have heard good news from the medical team that his majesty has strengthened," Prayut told reporters later.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.