Women hold portraits of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej as they sit on the sidewalk outside the Royal Palace on the eve of his Coronation Day anniversary, in the seaside city of Hua Hin some 200 kilometers south of Bangkok on May 4, 2014. Coronation Day commemorates the accession to the throne of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on May 5, 1950. AFP
HUA HIN 鈥� Thailand鈥檚 revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej made a rare public appearance Monday to mark the 64th anniversary of his coronation, as the political turmoil gripping his kingdom enters a critical phase.
The king鈥檚 appearance comes as embattled prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra faces two key legal challenges which could see her removed from office over the coming days, while opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva refused at the weekend to commit to elections mooted for July to end the political crisis.
King Bhumibol, the world鈥檚 longest-reigning monarch and a father figure for Thais, was crowned on May 5 1950, although he came to the throne in June 1946 following the death of his elder brother.
The 86-year-old monarch is seen as a moral authority in Thailand, which has been deeply divided along political lines since 2006 when billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra 鈥� Yingluck鈥檚 older brother 鈥� was ousted in a military coup.
King Bhumibol鈥檚 public speeches are closely scrutinized especially in times of political crisis, but on this occasion he did not speak.
The streets near his coastal palace were a sea of yellow as thousands of people, wearing the king鈥檚 signature color, waved flags and shouted 鈥渓ong live the king鈥� as the monarch鈥檚 vehicle passed through the central coastal town of Hua Hin, where he has lived since leaving a Bangkok hospital last August.
A short service was held in a room in the royal palace packed with Thailand鈥檚 political and military establishment 鈥� many clad in white official uniforms 鈥� and senior members of the royal family including the heir Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Monks led a short prayer as the king, who has suffered ill health for several years and uses a wheelchair, looked on.
Yingluck was also present. She has faced six months of protests demanding she steps down, which have left at least 25 people dead and raised fears of wider violence between pro- and anti-government supporters.
She is due to appear before judges at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday against an allegation of abuse of power over the transfer of a top security official.
The premier could also be charged with neglect of duty by Thai anti-graft officials over a bungled and costly rice subsidy policy which could see her toppled and banned from politics.
It is not clear when either ruling will be made, but they are expected over the next 10 days, with supporters of both sides vowing major rallies in step with the verdicts.
鈥淭his is a critical few weeks for the future of Thailand,鈥� Noppodon Pattama, Thaksin鈥檚 legal adviser, told AFP on Sunday.
鈥淚f the (constitutional) court judgment is fair it could unblock the political conflict鈥� If it is not fair, it will make things worse.鈥�
Thailand鈥檚 political schism roughly pits the Bangkok elite and middle class 鈥� as well as staunchly royalist southerners- against the Shinawatra鈥檚 rural electoral base in the northern portion of the country and many among the urban poor.