Thai king suffering from fever and lung inflammation

BANGKOK

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej is suffering from a fever and a chest x-ray has shown inflammation in his left lung, the Royal Household Bureau announced late Sunday.

The statement said the oxygen concentration in the 87-year-old monarch’s blood had also dropped while his heartbeat slightly increased. 

It added, however, that his blood pressure had returned to normal after a minor rise Saturday and he was able to take in some water, the Bangkok Post reported.

Last month, the Bureau had announced that Adulyadej had recovered from increased cerebrospinal fluid and lung inflammation.

He had left a hospital in Bangkok on May 10 to reside at a seaside palace, only to return to Siriraj Hospital, where he has been confined extensively since 2009, and remained after having his gall bladder removed last October.

Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch, is seen as key to the stability of Thailand, where he holds a revered, quasi-religious status.

Anxiety over his succession, which could happen with his death or if he were to abdicate in favor of his only son, has been mounting recently amid his declining health.

Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, 63, whose third wife relinquished her title last year, is next in line to the throne but is far less popular than his father, who is viewed as a unifying figure.