PROMINENT public figures, social media users and the United States Embassy joined the mourning yesterday of former prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa, who passed away at the age of 83.

Banharn, the country’s 21st prime minister and patriarch of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, was pronounced dead shortly before 5am yesterday at Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital, where he had been admitted on Thursday after suffering an asthma attack.

Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa, director of Mahidol University’s Siriraj Medical School, told a press conference yesterday that despite being medicated, Banharn’s conditioned worsened after 3am yesterday.

“His blood pressure dropped and his body did not respond well to the medicine given. He passed away at 4.42am on April 23,” the doctor said.

A bathing rite for the veteran politician’s body took place yesterday evening at Wat Debsirin in a ceremony presided over by Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda.

Fourteen days of prayers will be held, with the first seven days under royal sponsorship and the last seven days to be hosted by Banharn’s family and others.

His Majesty the King granted the use of an eight-sided mortuary urn for Banharn’s funeral.

Politicians from the Chart Thai Pattana Party said they were shocked by Banharn’s death.

Social media was awash with messages of condolences, starting shortly after news of the death broke in the early hours of yesterday.

In passing on his condolences to Banharn’s family, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the country had lost a “senior politician with a long period of roles in Thai politics”.

“The prime minister said he believes that what Banharn did as an MP and prime minister will still be remembered by the people,” government spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

Many prominent politicians also voiced their condolences.

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra said in a Facebook message that she had learned with sadness of the “inestimable loss” of Banharn, whose |political career covered four decades. |She expressed her condolences to his |family, Chart Thai Pattana and the |people of Suphan Buri province, which |had long been Banharn’s political stronghold.

“He made several great contributions to the country. And he was a senior figure that commanded the respect of politicians,” Yingluck said.

Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party will host a day of the prayer ceremony during Banharn’s funeral.

Democrat Party deputy leader Ongart Klampaiboon said the party’s politicians had offered their condolences to Banharn’s family. He said that Banharn played important roles in politics.

Ongart said Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was travelling overseas yesterday, also asked him to relay his condolences to Banharn’s family.

The US Embassy said the people of the United States extended their deepest condolences to Banharn’s family.

“A long-time supporter of a strong US-Thai friendship, former prime minister Banharn was at the centre of Thai public life through decades of change. He worked tirelessly to reconcile Thailand’s competing factions, always fighting for his constituents, and sought to better the future of the Thai people,” the embassy said in a statement.

Drafters of the “people’s constitution” of 1997, which was written while Banharn was serving as prime minister between 1995 and 1996, expressed their deepest sorrow over his passing. They credited him with starting the political reform process.

In Suphan Buri, locals offered alms to monks to make merit for Banharn.