Thais turn to tattoos to remember late King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Days after widely revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej died, many Thais are heading to tattoo parlors to get a lasting memory of the only monarch they have ever known.

In the seaside resort town of Pattaya, the Skin Art Tattoo parlor offered up to 50 free tattoos per day between Saturday and Monday, media reported, while in Bangkok tattoo artists are worked off their feet.

The Sak Lai Tattoo Studio in a popular shopping district of central Bangkok has prepared several tattoo designs in honor of the late king, including the number 9 in Thai because he was ninth king of the country's 234-year-old Chakri Dynasty.

"It's a way to express and record their own story of love and devotion to our king," said Esara Usada, 55, who has been a tattoo artist for two decades and owns Sak Lai.

Piyaphan Phanwiroj, 34, shows a newly-inked tattoo that reads 'I was born in the reign of King Rama IX', on the back of his neck, to honour Thailand's late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, at a tattoo shop in Bangkok, Thailand, October 18, 2016.