A week which began with the fury of anti-government protesters occupying Thailand’s biggest airport ended in a stunned hiatus on Friday as Thais contemplated the illness of their revered king - perhaps the only person who can end months of political deadlock.

Friday marked the birthday of 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, an event that for most of the 62 years of his reign he has marked with an address to the nation the night before. But on Thursday King Bhumibol did not appear before an expectant crowd of digitaries, instead deputing his son and daughter to tell them that he was ill.