Thailand’s newly married king begins coronation weekend
Three days of elaborate centuries- old ceremonies begin today for the formal coronation of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who has been on the throne for more than two years.
What Vajiralongkorn – also known as King Rama X, the tenth king of the Chakri dynasty – will do with the power and influence the venerated status confers is still not clear. The 66 - ye a r - ol d monarch has sent mixed signals. Bursts of assertiveness alternate with a seemingly hands off approach in other matters – a perception girded by the amount of time he spends at a large residence he maintains in Germany.
O n W e d n e s d a y , h e announced his fourth marriage, to a former flight attendant who is a commander of his security detail, and appointed her Queen Suthida. The timing of the announcement, just ahead of his coronation, suggests a fresh commitment to his royal duties. On Thursday, the king and his new bride took part in ceremonies to pay homage to Vajiralongkorn’s royal ancestors and worship deities, and yesterday he attended preparatory rituals for his coronation.
“I am excited and happy,” said Chanachai Charoensue, a 55- year- old office worker who is one of the many Thais looking forward to the coronation.
“Actually, His Majesty the King has carried out his duties for a while,” he said. “I know that the government will hold a ceremony befitting his royal stature. I want to witness this ceremony.”
Vajiralongkorn is likely to remain burdened by old gossip about his personal life that has dogged him since returni ng f r om his education i n England and Australia. Many Thais are familiar with tales about his all eged exploits while he was crown prince, even though harsh laws mandate a prison term of three to 15 years for anyone found guilty of insulting the monarchy. Vajiralongkorn early on was pinned with the reputation of a playboy, a trait that even his own mother acknowledged. He has gone through bitter divorces with three women who have borne him seven children.
His father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej – the only monarch most Thais had known when he died in October 2016 after seven decades on the throne – won most of his countrymen’s deep love and respect as an exemplar of rectitude and an avid cheerleader for his country’s economic development. His three sisters are frequently engaged in public service.
“The defining years saw King Bhumibol s p e nding l arge amounts of time in provincial Thailand, visiting ordinar y people,” said Michael Montesano, coordinator of the Thailand Studies Program at Singapore’s ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute. “We have yet to see similar behaviour on the part of his heir.”