King Bhumibol repeated his rare television appearance in April 2006 during another political crisis. The government asked him to choose a prime minister. He said: "Asking for a royally-appointed prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon me, a mess. it is irrational he solved a similar crisis in 2008. King Bhumibol passed away on the 13th of october, 2016. he was 88 years old.