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Thailand has new king

Crown prince formally becomes country’s new king

By GRANT PECK, Associated Press
Published: December 1, 2016, 5:04pm
2 Photos
Thailand&#039;s new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebay-avarangkun, pays his respects to a portrait of his late father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and Queen Sirikit on Thursday at the Dusit Palace Bangkok.
Thailand's new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebay-avarangkun, pays his respects to a portrait of his late father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and Queen Sirikit on Thursday at the Dusit Palace Bangkok. (Bureau of the Royal Household) Photo Gallery

BANGKOK — Thailand has a new king, with the country’s crown prince formally taking the throne to succeed his late father, who reigned for 70 years.

The new monarch, who received the title “His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun,” assumed his new position Thursday, according to an announcement broadcast on all TV channels. He will also be known as Rama X, the tenth king in the Chakri dynasty founded in 1782.

A videotaped broadcast showed senior officials presenting the formal invitation to the prince to become king, and then his acceptance. It then showed the officials prostrate themselves at the feet of the new king, who was wearing a formal white uniform with decorations.

Vajiralongkorn’s father, Bhumibol Adulyadej, died on Oct. 13 at age 88 after many years of ill health. In 1972, Bhumibol designated Vajiralongkorn as his successor.

Vajiralongkorn, 64, was originally expected to assume the throne the day his father died, but in a surprise announcement, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said the prince asked for the succession to be put off so he would have time to mourn.

Prayuth said Thursday night that because of tradition that the throne should not remain vacant, the new king’s reign will be considered as beginning on the day Bhumibol died.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy but Bhumibol played an important role in stabilizing his country through a time of enormous change which saw neighboring monarchies collapse under the pressures of the Vietnam War.

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