"The King is dead," writes the Post Todayon its black-and-white front page Friday, a day after Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej died in Bangkok at age 88.
Having spent 70 years as head of state, King Bhumidol was the world's longest-reigning monarch, as well as the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha announced that the country would mourn its king for one year. Several Thai media, including the Bangkok Post, are paying tribute to the late ruler by running black-and-white front pages on Friday and turning their websites monochrome.
King Bhumidol was seen generally regarded as a feature of stability in a country rocked by political turmoil and a long history of military coups. In an emotional editorial, the Bangkok Post writes: "No words can describe the sense of loss, the grief and anguish, that Thais of all generations feel today as they mourn the death of beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX."
The king's only son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is set to become the new mornarch, though he has reportedly asked for a delay in his crowning so he could mourn with the country. With the country currently ruled by a military-led government, the king's death raises questions about the prospects of a return to some semblance of democracy.
