Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช) marked 70 years on the throne as the world's longest reigning monarch. He is also known as Rama IX as he is the ninth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty. Having reigned since 9 June 1946, he is the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, serving for 70 years. On June 9, 2016, celebrations in the capital of Bangkok were underway, with a grand ceremony involving 770 men being ordained as Buddhist monks outside the Grand Palace.

To commemorate the occasion, the central bank also issued a 70 baht ($1.99) note.

Bhumibol's time on the throne surpasses Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Head of the Commonwealth), who's been reigning since 1952.

The King is 88 years old, and has spent much of the past few years in hospital. On June 7, 2016, the Thai Royal Household Bureau confirmed that he underwent heart surgery, following other procedures to treat a swollen lung and fluid in his brain.

The royal confirmation of his ailing health is rare, where bad news about the King is typically kept hush for fear of upsetting the public. The King is widely beloved in the country, and his presence is seen as a stabilising force for the Thais, who are less loyal to his son and heir apparent, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn.

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