Thais celebrate king’s 88th birthday with biking event

By CS Thana

BANGKOK

Major roads across Thailand were shut down Friday as hundred of thousands of people participated en masse in a cycling event to celebrate the 88th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Organizers say that more than 498,105 people registered for the mass bike ride with 100,000 in Bangkok alone – where Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn led the bike ride along with senior members of the cabinet.

The “Bike for Dad” event was held a week after the birthday of Bhumibol, a highly revered figure whose declining health has been a source of anxiety over his succession.

While Bhumibol is seen as key to the stability of Thailand, where he holds a revered, quasi-religious status, his son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn is far less popular.

Schools across the country were closed Friday and government offices shut for the event.

The festivities see royalists countrywide buy commemorative T-shirts or pins -- often sold as limited edition -- to show their love for the royal family.

A similar event had ben held in August to commemorate the 83rd birthday of Queen Sirikit.

Although the topic of succession is taboo given the country's harsh lese-majeste laws, some observers have said privately that the event was, above all, organized as a way to boost the popularity of Vajiralongkorn.

However, charges of lese-majeste followed the earlier event as police accused several officials of using the event to secure personal profit.

Two of the accused died while in police custody.

A public appearance planned for the king’s birthday ceremony in last year had been canceled on last minute medical advice, raising public concern over the deterioration of his health.

He has been in and out of care since being treated for flu and pneumonia at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital in 2009.