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BANGKOK (AFP) - – Thailand's revered king spoke on national television Monday for the first time since anti-government protests broke out in mid-March, addressing a group of newly appointed judges.
"Do your job with honesty. In this country there may be some people who forget their duty. You should be an example by working honestly and properly, your job is very important," King Bhumibol Adulyadej said.
The 82-year-old monarch spoke to the judges at the Bangkok hospital where he has been staying since last September. He did not refer to the nation's political crisis.
"Working honestly will boost the country's progress and serve as an example for citizens, for civil servants and other people. It will help the country to live in peace and contentment," he said.
"You should help maintain justice. If you can strictly follow your oaths, it will help the country remain orderly," he added. "Being honest is not easy, there will be many temptations."
Thailand's opposition has asked for an audience with the revered king, who has intervened in previous bouts of civil unrest.
Anti-government protesters have mounted rolling demonstrations that have paralysed Bangkok's main retail district, triggering threats of a crackdown by security forces.
