泰国国王普密蓬·阿杜德 (Bhumibol Adulyadej) 健康状况仍然存在问题。

The 87-year-old has been the king of Thailand since 1946.

现年87岁的泰国国王自1946年起登基成为泰国国王。

Last week, the king's youngest daughter made a public request for prayers from the Thai people for her ailing father. He has spent much of the past several years in a hospital in Bangkok.

上周，国王的小女儿公开请求泰国人民为她生病的父亲进行祈祷。在过去几年里，他一直住在曼谷的一家医院。

The Thai king briefly appeared in public earlier this month. Since then, he has reportedly had healthl issues with his blood, fever and lungs. Many in the country are concerned.

The king, also known as Rama IX, briefly appeared in public earlier this month. Since then, he has reportedly had blood infections, fever and lung problems. Thai officials say he has improved, but many in the country remain concerned.

国王，也被称为拉玛九世，本月初在公开场合简短露面。从那时起，他被报道患上血液感染、发热及肺部问题。泰国官员说，他的病情已好转，但国家的许多人们仍然担心。

Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is in line to be the next king. But he is not as loved or respected in the country as his parents. In August, he led a 43-kilometer mass bicycle ride in tribute to his ill mother, Queen Sirikit.The event had more than 145,000 cyclists and 9,000 police officers. Some believe the bicycle ride demonstrates to a nation under army rule that the military backs the crown prince to succeed his father.

王太子玛哈·哇集拉隆功(Maha Vajiralongkorn) 将成为下一任国王。但在泰国，他不像他的父母那样受人们爱戴与尊敬。他领导了一场43千米的群众骑自行车赛，向他生病的母亲诗丽吉王后表示致敬。该活动有超过145,000骑车者及9000名警察参加。一些人认为骑自行车赛展示了在军队统治之下的国家，军队支持王储接替他的父亲。

But the prince remains distant from the public. And his private life has been a source of concern.

但是王子仍然远离群众。并且他的私生活成为人们的顾虑。

His sister Princess Sirindhorn, however, is more widely respected. She is broadly admired for her charity work and her efforts in education. Some say that the princess could become asuccessor. But she has not been formally chosen as anheir to thethrone.

然而，他的妹妹诗琳通公主，却受到群众的广泛尊重。她通过从事慈善事业与教育工作而深受爱戴。一些泰国民众期望诗琳通公主(Princess Sirindhorn) 继承王位。但她还没有被正式选为王位继承人。

Openly speaking about the royal succession is taboo, something not to be discussed. Making comments critical of or threatening to senior members of the royal family is also taboo. Doing so can result in long prison sentences under Thailand's harsh laws. Visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

公开谈论王室继承是大忌，有些事情不能被讨论。对王室高级成员作出评论批评或威胁也是禁忌。这样做可能会导致受到泰国严峻刑法长期监禁的惩罚。

Bhumibol is the only king most Thais have ever known. His death will send Thailand into deep mourning.

普密蓬国王是唯一的被大多数泰国人所知的国王。他的死亡将使泰国人民陷入深痛悲哀中。

Tyrell Haberkorn is an expert on Thailand. She says the respect and admiration many Thais have for King Bhumibol "is specific to him as an individual, not the institution."

泰瑞尔哈勃孔是泰国的专家。她表示许多泰国人对普密蓬国王的尊重和赞赏，是把他作为一个特定个体，而非机构。

"Rama X will not be able to automatically slip into the same position held by Rama IX, even if he wears the same crown," she said. "The wildcardhere is not who is going to ascend to the throne, but what citizens will do in that moment."

“拉玛十世不能自动继承拉玛九世的王位位置，即使他带上王冠，”她说。“外卡不是谁登上王位，而是在那一刻，公民将做什么。”

I'm Jonathan Evans.

我是乔纳森·埃文斯。

VOA's Steve Herman wrote this story from Bangkok. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in this Story

successor– n. a person who has a job, position, or title after someone else

heir– n. a person who has the legal right to receive the property of someone who dies

throne – n. the position of king or queen

The health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand remains in question.

The 87-year-old has been the king of Thailand since 1946.

Last week, the king's youngest daughter made a public request for prayers from the Thai people for her ailing father. He has spent much of the past several years in a hospital in Bangkok.

The king, also known as Rama IX, briefly appeared in public earlier this month. Since then, he has reportedly had blood infections, fever and lung problems. Thai officials say he has improved, but many in the country remain concerned.

Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is in line to be the next king. But he is not as loved or respected in the country as his parents. In August, he led a 43-kilometer mass bicycle ride in tribute to his ill mother, Queen Sirikit. The event had more than 145,000 cyclists and 9,000 police officers. Some believe the bicycle ride demonstrates to a nation under army rule that the military backs the crown prince to succeed his father.

But the prince remains distant from the public. And his private life has been a source of concern.

His sister Princess Sirindhorn, however, is more widely respected. She is broadly admired for her charity work and her efforts in education. Some say that the princess could become asuccessor. But she has not been formally chosen as anheir to thethrone.

Openly speaking about the royal succession is taboo, something not to be discussed. Making comments critical of or threatening to senior members of the royal family is also taboo. Doing so can result in long prison sentences under Thailand's harsh laws. Visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

Bhumibol is the only king most Thais have ever known. His death will send Thailand into deep mourning.

Tyrell Haberkorn is an expert on Thailand. She says the respect and admiration many Thais have for King Bhumibol "is specific to him as an individual, not the institution."

"Rama X will not be able to automatically slip into the same position held by Rama IX, even if he wears the same crown," she said. "The wildcard here is not who is going to ascend to the throne, but what citizens will do in that moment."

I'm Jonathan Evans.

VOA's Steve Herman wrote this story from Bangkok. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in this Story

successor– n. a person who has a job, position, or title after someone else

heir– n. a person who has the legal right to receive the property of someone who dies

throne – n. the position of king or queen