Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun (or Rama X) is due to finally have his coronation next year after the country’s planned general election to reinstall democracy in the Asian nation. Thailand has been ruled by a military junta for several years, and elections have continuously been delayed. The Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayuth Chan-ocha made the announcement last week to reporters during his weekly cabinet meeting.
However, he stopped short of giving an exact date. The general election is due to take place in February 2019.
This was a change from what the Prime Minister had said previously which was that the coronation would take place before the general election in 2019.
He said, “When the King sets the date of the coronation, we need to be sure [that] peace and order prevail.”
The 66-year-old King’s coronation was not expected before the official cremation ceremony of his late father which took place a year after his death in October 2017. The royal cremation took place over five days with the actual cremation taking place on 26 October.
King Rama X’s image did not appear on Thai money until early 2018 – a mark of moving forward for Thais for their new monarch. His image has slowly been replacing that of his father’s on streets and government buildings throughout 2017 and 2018 across the nation.
The only son of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (or Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit was born on 28 July 1952. He came to the throne after the death of his beloved father upon the latter’s death on 13 October 2016 which lead to widespread mourning across Thailand.
He did not officially ascend the throne until his proclamation as King on the night of 1 December 2016 (the 50th day after his father’s death) at his request. The new monarch wanted time to grief before taking on the role. As such, former Prime Minister of Thailand, Prem Tinsulanonda took on the position of regent until Maha Vajiralongkorn was ready to take the throne. The Thai government later retroactively declared King Rama X’s ascension to the throne as 13 October 2016.
