Thais and Singaporeans alike showed up yesterday evening at Wat Ananda Metyarama - a Thai Buddhist temple in Jalan Bukit Merah - to pray for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The Thai monarch, who reigned for 70 years, died on Thursday at age 88.
The mood was sombre as the crowd of about 100 people, mostly in black, clasped their hands and chanted prayers in front of the King's portrait in a one-hour session led by Buddhist monks.
Housewife Thatib Duangporn, 38, a Singapore permanent resident from Chiang Rai, came with her Singaporean husband and seven-year-old son.
She said: "I'm very sad he's gone.
"I cried. He was the best king. He helped poor people and always thought of the Thai people."
Also present by invitation were two representatives from the Inter-Religious Organisation, Singapore - secretary and Buddhist representative Sam Poo, 56, and Sikh representative Harbans Singh, 86.
Mr Singh said of the late King: "He always cared for his people like family. He's been an apostle of peace and harmony in Thailand."
Earlier in the day, President Tony Tan Keng Yam went directly to the Royal Thai Embassy after returning to Singapore from his state visit to Norway. He wrote in the condolence book that the late King was "an exceptional monarch who cared deeply for his people".
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who also went to the embassy yesterday, said in a Facebook post: "The grief of the Thai people is great as His Majesty was deeply loved. King Bhumibol was a good friend of Singapore.
"Our defence relations thrived and deepened while he was on the throne...People-to-people ties also flourished. His Majesty will be greatly missed."
