Thailand’s
new king on Friday made his first public appearance since ascending the
throne the previous day, ending a period of uncertainty since the death
of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, on Oct. 13.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn
Bodindradebayavarangkun, 64, took part in a merit-making ceremony at
Bangkok’s Grand Palace to mark 50 days since his father’s death plunged
the country into grief.
Civil servants dressed in black and
white, the official colors of mourning, lined the streets to the palace
as the new king’s convoy passed.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who was then
the crown prince, surprised some when he asked to delay his succession
following the death of his father, leaving the throne unoccupied for
seven weeks.
His official taking of the throne, in a
brief ceremony televised late on Thursday, ends that unprecedented
interregnum while raising new questions about the palace’s relationship
with the generals who have been in power since a 2014 coup.
The military government has made it
clear it wants to oversee economic and political developments for years
to come, even after a general election it has promised to hold in 2017.
Read More: reuters
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