Thai king leaves hospital for 4 hours on ‘personal’ matter

Thai king leaves hospital for 4 hours

BANGKOK — Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej briefly left the hospital where he has been treated for the past five months to make a late-night visit to his palace, an official said Sunday.

It was the first time the 82-year-old monarch has left Siriraj Hospital since he was hospitalized Sept. 19 with fatigue and loss of appetite.

Bhumibol left for Chitralada Palace at about 9 p.m. Saturday night on “personal” business and returned to the hospital at 1 a.m. Sunday, a palace official said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to release information, did not explain the nature of the personal business.

She said there would be no official announcement because the visit was regarded as part of the king’s personal affairs. Hospital officials said they could not comment.

The king’s health is a matter of immense public concern, both because he is widely admired and because he is regarded as a unifying figure in times of political crisis.

The palace has said he is recovering from a lung inflammation.

He has made a handful of public appearances at the hospital, but this is the first time he has left its premises.