THAILAND: KING'S FRAIL HEALTH FORCES HIM TO OPT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003025 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, NSC FOR WALTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM TH SUBJECT: THAILAND: KING'S FRAIL HEALTH FORCES HIM TO OPT OUT OF NEARLY ALL BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES REF: BANGKOK 2488 (THAILAND: KING BHUMIBOL'S HOSPITALIZATION) BANGKOK 00003025 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). SUMMARY AND COMMENT -------------- ¶1. (C) On November 30, the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary (PPS) announced that King Bhumibol Adulyadej would not participate in any of the public events scheduled around his December 5 birthday, Thailand's National Day. Though the King has been hospitalized since mid-September (REF A),he has made two public appearances in recent weeks, heightening expectations he might be able preside over portions of the public celebration. Instead, the most notable traditional public events (Military parade and oath-taking, public audience/annual speech) have been postponed, and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn assigned to represent the King for three other ceremonies, reinforcing the reality that the Prince is the unquestioned heir apparent to his father. PPS Arsa Sarasin told Ambassador November 29 that the King still planned to grant an audience to the Cabinet, senior judges, and members of parliament on December ¶5. ¶2. (C) Comment: This latest news will disappoint the King's many loyal subjects, all of whom were presumably looking forward to seeing him back in the public orbit and in better health after the recent extended hospitalization. While the announcement underscores the fragility of the King's condition and will be interpreted by many as symbolically important, there is no evidence to suggest that his health has taken a precipitous turn for the worse. In fact, to the contrary, Arsa told the Ambassador November 29 that palace officials remained optimistic that his health generally remained on the upswing. According to Arsa, the King simply had not yet convalesced to the point that he could withstand the physical demands of participating in the series of public ceremonies/events, particularly the military parade, with its heavy uniform and movements in/out of cars and on the reviewing stand. Whether the 81-year King -- who suffers from Parkinson's and has now logged over two months in the hospital -- will convalesce to that point remains an open question. End Summary and Comment. NO BIRTHDAY BASH FOR HIS MAJESTY -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The King's Principal Private Secretary's office released a statement on November 30 with the full schedule of official ceremonies slated in honor of King Bhumibol's 82nd birthday on December 5. The statement did not explicitly address the fact that the King would not be able to preside over any of the public events, but noted that several of the events, including the December 2 Military Parade which is normally the highlight of the week-long celebrations, and a royal audience for the general public on December 4, when the King traditionally delivers his annual address, would be "postponed." (note: the 2008 general audience/speech was also "postponed" - and never rescheduled. End note.) The November 30 announcement did note, however, that the King would give a royal audience to members of the royal household, selected government officials and members of parliament at the Ammarinthara Winitchai Palace on the morning of December 5. ¶4. (SBU) The announcement further clarified that the Crown Prince would act in the King's stead for the remaining three ceremonies/events that had not been postponed. As a result, the Crown Prince will represent his father during the December 5 afternoon birthday ceremony, the merit making ceremony at Ammarinthara Winitchai Palace on December 6, and the December 8 audience for foreign envoys to present their BANGKOK 00003025 002.2 OF 002 well wishes to the King. JOHN