Photo gallery:Thais nationwide celebrate 85th birthday of revered king
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Well-wishers wave the Thai national flag and the King's royal flag during Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej birthday speech outside the Anatasamakom Throne Hall in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. King Bhumibol celebrates his 85th birthday on Wednesday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Thailand's honour guards march from the Royal Plaza to the Anatasamakom Throne Hall to await the arrival of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej at a ceremony celebrating his 85th birthday in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Well-wishers gather to listen to a speech by Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Anatasamakom Throne Hall in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. King Bhumibol celebrates his 85th birthday on Wednesday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Royal Guards parade ahead of an address by Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Anantasamakom Throne Hall in Royal Plaza in Bangkok's historic district on Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Thai royal guard march during a ceremony celebrating King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 85th birthday held at the the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Thai royal guard march during a ceremony celebrating King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 85th birthday held at the the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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People hold up portraits of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej as they wait for his address at the Anantasamakom Throne Hall in Royal Plaza in Bangkok's historic district on Dec 5, 2012. Tens of thousands of Thais crowded central Bangkok on Dec 5 for a rare address by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch, as part of celebrations for his 85th birthday. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej (centre) is surrounded by his daughters Princesses Ubol Ratana (2nd left), Chulabhorn (3rd left), Sirindhorn (right), his son Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (2nd right) and his grand-son Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (3rd right) as he sits on the throne after he delivered an address from a balcony of the Anantasamakom Throne Hall in front of the Royal Plaza in Bangkok's historic district on Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej arrives back at the Siriraj Hospital, after a ceremony at the Anatasamakom Throne Hall, in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Thai Buddhist monks (right) receive offerings during a ceremony marking King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 85th birthday in Narathiwat, southern Thailand on Dec 5, 2012. Thailand's revered king called for unity and stability in the divided nation on Dec 5 as huge crowds of adoring, flag-waving citizens packed Bangkok for a rare speech to mark his 85th birthday. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, centre, is accompanied by Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn after addressing well-wishers from the balcony at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec 5, 2012 during a ceremony celebrating his 85th birthday. -- PHOTO: AP
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Well-wishers wave the Thai national flag and the King's royal flag during Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday speech outside the Anatasamakom Throne Hall in Bangkok December 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Well-wishers wave the Thai national flag and the King's royal flag during Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej birthday speech outside the Anatasamakom Throne Hall in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. King Bhumibol celebrates his 85th birthday on Wednesday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Thailand's honour guards march from the Royal Plaza to the Anatasamakom Throne Hall to await the arrival of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej at a ceremony celebrating his 85th birthday in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Well-wishers gather to listen to a speech by Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Anatasamakom Throne Hall in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. King Bhumibol celebrates his 85th birthday on Wednesday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Royal Guards parade ahead of an address by Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Anantasamakom Throne Hall in Royal Plaza in Bangkok's historic district on Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Thai royal guard march during a ceremony celebrating King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 85th birthday held at the the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Thai royal guard march during a ceremony celebrating King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 85th birthday held at the the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
People hold up portraits of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej as they wait for his address at the Anantasamakom Throne Hall in Royal Plaza in Bangkok's historic district on Dec 5, 2012. Tens of thousands of Thais crowded central Bangkok on Dec 5 for a rare address by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch, as part of celebrations for his 85th birthday. -- PHOTO: AFP
Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej (centre) is surrounded by his daughters Princesses Ubol Ratana (2nd left), Chulabhorn (3rd left), Sirindhorn (right), his son Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (2nd right) and his grand-son Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (3rd right) as he sits on the throne after he delivered an address from a balcony of the Anantasamakom Throne Hall in front of the Royal Plaza in Bangkok's historic district on Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej arrives back at the Siriraj Hospital, after a ceremony at the Anatasamakom Throne Hall, in Bangkok Dec 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Thai Buddhist monks (right) receive offerings during a ceremony marking King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 85th birthday in Narathiwat, southern Thailand on Dec 5, 2012. Thailand's revered king called for unity and stability in the divided nation on Dec 5 as huge crowds of adoring, flag-waving citizens packed Bangkok for a rare speech to mark his 85th birthday. -- PHOTO: AFP
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, centre, is accompanied by Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn after addressing well-wishers from the balcony at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec 5, 2012 during a ceremony celebrating his 85th birthday. -- PHOTO: AP
Well-wishers wave the Thai national flag and the King's royal flag during Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday speech outside the Anatasamakom Throne Hall in Bangkok December 5, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
BANGKOK - Hundreds of thousands of people from across Thailand have gathered in the streets of Bangkok for a rare public appearance by King Bhumibol Adulyadej on his 85th birthday.
The King, whose birthday is also celebrated as Father's Day and a national holiday, appeared briefly on the balcony of the ornate Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, overlooking the Royal Plaza which was transformed by the crowd into a vast sea of yellow dressed as they are in the King's official colour.
