Thousands of Thais lined the roads from Bangkok to the historic capital Ayutthaya to catch a glimpse of the country's 84-year-old monarch as he makes his first trip outside the city since being hospitalized in 2009.
Crowds dressed in yellow and pink to honor King Bhumibol Adulyadej, whose health is a matter of immense public concern. His convoy was due to depart Bangkok late Friday afternoon.
Grand pageantry was planned for the visit, including a parade of rare white elephants and a river procession of traditional boats.
The royal visit was centered on a trip to a rice paddy the king once visited in 1996 as part of a royal project to develop a water retention system to mitigate flooding problems in the flood-prone area around Ayutthaya.
