Thais in Malaysia head home for coronation
So ‘sacred’ is King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s coronation that his subjects in Malaysia have taken leave from work to travel back to Bangkok to witness the three-day ceremony, a first since 69 years ago.
PETALING JAYA: Many younger generation Thai nationals, who are abroad and have never seen a coronation, were delighted to catch the once-in-a-lifetime ceremony.
While some are heading home from Malaysia to catch the historic event, others have to contend with watching Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s coronation online.
Information technology support specialist Danish said she was proud to have the chance to witness the rare ceremony.
“My friends and I have been talking about this because we have never seen a coronation before. It is something new, unique and we are so excited,” said the 28-year-old.
“We have been following the hashtags #RoyalCoronation2019 in Thai language for the latest updates and videos,” she said.
The southern Thai, who has been residing in Kuala Lumpur for 10 years, described the coronation as “double auspicious” as the King was enthroned and his Queen was announced.
“We were going to have a new father and wondered who will be our new mother. That is how Thais refer to our King and Queen. It is nice to have two good news in a day,” she said.
Peter Chong and his wife Waree Sampoonanoon have been showing the live telecast of the coronation at their cafe in Jalan Tukang Besi, Melaka.
“Some of my patrons were amazed with the elaborate ceremony,” said Chong, 60, adding that one of his staff, who is also a Thai citizen, also enjoyed watching it.
Waree, 46, from Bangkok, said her home country “will now be better with a King and Queen”.
Thai king Maha Vajiralongkorn, officially now Rama X, completed Buddhist and Brahmin rituals to symbolically transform into a living god as the South-East Asian nation crowned its first monarch in nearly seven decades. The coronation ceremony took place inside the Grand Palace throne hall in Bangkok after a period of official mourning for his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October 2016.