Haakon & Mette-Marit grace table Bhumibol

King Bhumibol Adulyedej is rarely seen in public these days. The 80-year old revered monarch of Thailand, which is undergoing yet another political storm, is spending most of his time at his residence in Hua Hin, south of the capital Bangkok.

On Thursday the Thai King granted an audience to visiting Sheik Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwait's Prime Minister.

The picture, released by the Thai Spokesman Office, reveals that King Bhumibol keeps an official portrait of Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit in his reception room.

Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad, who spent six days in Thailand, delivered a hand-written letter from Kuwait's Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah describing the depth of bilateral ties and means to bolster them between the two countries, the Kuwait News Agency reported. The Prime Minister formally invited the Thai King and the Thai Prime Minister to visit Kuwait.

© GPD AP Thai Spokesman Office