Oman Daily Observer

Thailand’s new king makes first public appearance

Civil servants dressed in black and white, the official colours of mourning, lined the streets to the palace as the new king’s convoy passed

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BANGKOK: Thailand’s new king on come, even after a general election it has populist political forces. Friday made his first public appearance promised to hold in 2017. Since taking power in 2014, the junta since ascending the throne the previous Critics say a military-backed has struggled to revive an economy day, ending a period of uncertaint­y since constituti­on, which will need the new hobbled by weak exports and slack the death of his father, King Bhumibol king’s stamp of approval, will consolidat­e domestic demand. Adulyadej, on October 13. the army’s power, but financial analysts “Thailand remains politicall­y fragile

King Maha Vajiralong­korn were upbeat about the outlook. and it remains to be seen how the new Bodindrade­bayavarang­kun, 64, took “Forget about Game-of-Thrones king will navigate uncertain waters,” part in a merit-making ceremony at intrigue. With a new constituti­on in a senior Western diplomat based in Bangkok’s Grand Palace to mark 50 place and the royal succession behind, Bangkok, who declined to be identified, days since his father’s death plunged the said.theconditi­onsforinst­itutionals­tability country into grief. are in place,” Tim Condon, chief Thailand is a constituti­onal

Civil servants dressed in black and economist for Asia at ING in Singapore, monarchy but the palace is one of its white, the official colours of mourning, said in a note. most influentia­l institutio­ns. lined the streets to the palace as the new “We blame its absence since 2013 On a street near the Grand Palace, king’s convoy passed. for the dismal economic performanc­e shops on Friday displayed gold-framed

King Maha Vajiralong­korn, who was and we consider its return an important portraits of the new king alongside then the crown prince, surprised some turning point.” pictures of his father. when he asked to delay his succession Southeast Asia’s second-largest Criticism of the monarch, the regent following the death of his father, economy has suffered over more than or the heir, known by the French term leaving the throne unoccupied for seven a decade of on-off political unrest lese majeste, is a crime that carries a jail weeks. stemming from confrontat­ion between sentence of up to 15 years in Thailand.

His the old royalist establishm­ent and new official taking of the throne,

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

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

 ?? — Reuters ?? Thailand’s new King Maha Vajiralong­korn Bodindrade­bayavarang­kun is seen on his way out from the Grand Palace in Bangkok on Friday
— Reuters Thailand’s new King Maha Vajiralong­korn Bodindrade­bayavarang­kun is seen on his way out from the Grand Palace in Bangkok on Friday

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