Thai palace says king’s medical condition satisfactory

BANGKOK – Thailand’s hospitalized 88-year-old king was treated last month for swollen knees, fever and cough, fluids pressuring the spinal cord and an irregular heartbeat, along with stomach problems, the royal palace said Wednesday.

It said in a report that King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s ailments generally responded satisfactorily to treatment, which included medicine, assisted breathing and minor surgical procedures.

The king, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, was crowned in 1946 and his devotion to developing the country has made him much admired. However, the palace has been dragged into bitter and sometimes-violent political divisions over the past decade, threatening his legacy. There is public unease about the end of his reign because his son and heir Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn has not engendered the same level of respect.