Photo gallery:Thais nationwide celebrate 85th birthday of revered king

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.