A sea of black-clad mourners massed across Bangkok's historic heart early Thursday as funeral rituals began for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a revered monarch whose passing after a seven-decade reign has left Thailand bereft of its only unifying figure. <br /> <br />As dawn broke an estimated 200,000 Thais had gathered around the Grand Palace to bid an emotional farewell to a monarch known as "father of the nation", silently packing the pavements, many clutching portraits of the beloved late king. <br /> <br />The golden spires of a spectacular $90 million cremation site, purpose-built for the funeral, were bathed in light as Bhumibol's son and heir, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, joined Buddhist monks to start a day of sombre processions, colourful pageantry and religious ceremony. – AFP <br /> <br />Website: https://www.themalaysianinsight.com <br />Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themalaysianinsight <br />Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/msianinsight/ <br />Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msianinsight/
