Japan’s emperor Akihito met Thailand’s new monarch on Sunday during a brief visit to pay respects to his recently departed friend the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
BANGKOK: Japan’s emperor Akihito met Thailand’s new monarch on Sunday (Mar 5) uring a brief visit to pay respects to his recently departed friend the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The audience was one of the first face to face meetings King Maha Vajiralongkorn has held with a fellow monarch since he ascended the throne following the October death of his father.
Thailand’s palace is in a sensitive state of transition and observers are closely watching Vajiralongkorn for any signs over what direction he will take the monarchy during his reign.
Bhumibol was widely loved and sat on the throne for seven tumultuous decades that saw Thailand grow from an impoverished rural nation into a middle income country.
Vajiralongkorn, 64, has spent much of his time outside the kingdom and has yet to attain his father’s widespread popularity.
Thailand’s nightly royal news programme gave no details on what was said between the two monarchs as they met in Vajiralongkorn’s current Bangkok residence the Dusit Palace.
Both Akihito and his wife Michiko were dressed in black, a colour most Thais will wear for the duration of the one year mourning period until Bhumibol is cremated.
