President Jokowi Pays Last Respects to King Bhumibol

President Jokowi and First Lady Ibu Iriana pay their last respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, at the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday (25/10) afternoon (Picture: KRIS/Secretariat of the President)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo accompanied by First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo paid their last respects to the late King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, at the Grand Palace, Thailand, on Tuesday (25/10) afternoon.

The President and First Lady arrived at Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall of the Grand Palace, at 2.05 p.m. local time, not long after landing atMilitary Airport, Terminal 2, Wing 6, Don Mueang, Bangkok, Thailand. Their arrival was welcomed by the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household Bureau, Chirayu Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, and the Director General of the Department of Protocol of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chakri Srichawana.

Afterwards, the President and Ibu Iriana headed to the Royal Um where the body of the King of Thailand, who died at 88, on Thursday (13/10), is lying. In that place, they paid their last respects and prayed for the late King and laid a wreath of flower as well.

Before leaving Bangkok Grand Palace, the President and First Lady signed the book of  condolence for the late King at the Main Hall of Household Bureau. At 2.20 p.m. local time, the President, Ibu Iriana, and their entourage headed to Wisma Indonesia at Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok.

A number of heads of states have paid their last respects to King Bhumibol. The King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel as well as Queen Jetsun Pema have paid their respects on 15 October 2016. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong and Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Tun Razak visited the Bangkok Grand Palace on 21 and 22 October. Other heads of states are also scheduled to come to pay their respects in the next few days.

On that occasion, the President and First Lady were accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, and Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Kingdom of Thailand Ahmad Rusdi. (BPMI Setpres/ES)(MMB/YM/Naster)