The eccentric coronation of the mighty Thai king

Bangkok. The King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, was officially crowned yesterday during a lavish ceremony at the Grand Palace, where he took on the lead role in a centuries-old elaborate rite that had not been held since at least 70 years old.

The coronation represents a revival of the monarchy's power after the death of the revered king of Vajiralongkorn, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016, at the age of 88 years. The event was held amid more than a decade of political confrontations, which included a coup in 2014 and controversial elections held less than two months ago.

Vajiralongkorn has published his first royal command, supposed to set the tone of his reign. His words did not differ much from those uttered in his day by his father. "I will pursue, preserve and develop and reign with justice for the benefit and happiness of the people forever," said the monarch, according to an unofficial translation.

Vajiralongkorn, 66, was a monarch since his accession to the throne more than two years ago. He received his crown from the hands of Chief Brahman, a Hindu priest who served as a guide at a mixed Buddhist and Hindu ceremony. The king is known as Rama X, to be the 10th monarch of the Chakri dynasty.

After the cleansing and anointing came the surrender of the great crown of victory, more than seven kilos, 66 centimeters in height and inlays of gold and diamonds, which Rama X received under an exclusive umbrella of nine layers symbolizing its connection. with the heavenly life.

A salvo of 101 guns announced at the four winds the consecration of the king, converted into devaraja ("King God") and defender of Buddhism.

His wife and ex-guard, Queen Suthida, whose affair was announced by surprise last Wednesday, attended the ceremony and prostrated to be blessed by her husband, as all subjects had to do. ;have done.

The lack of real power of the figure of the king, the intimacy of his environment and the harsh laws of the majesty of the country that impose absolute silence to the people and the lack of criticism to the With regard to the royal family, under penalty of heavy penalties. In prison, they made him a difficult figure to define, until the crisis of 2017 positions him as – according to his detractors – a mere puppet of the all-powerful national army.

In April of the same year, the king signed a new constitution reinforcing the power of the ruling military junta at the time.

In March, controversial elections took place during which Puea Thai, the party of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, won the largest number of seats against the military party, Phalang Pracharat. The king appeared only to defend the work of the army against "the wicked looking to cause chaos".

The ceremony cost $ 31 million. Hundreds of thousands of people have left their homes to accompany the seven-kilometer royal procession. Vajiralongkorn was "baptized" with the water of five rivers and four ponds of the country.