His Majesty the King's coronation will take place May 4-6, according to the Royal Household Bureau.
The actual coronation ceremony will be performed on May 4. After the coronation, His Majesty the King will grant an audience to a grand gathering of royal family members, privy councillors, cabinet members and senior government officials.
Later that day, the assumption of residence ceremony will be held. The ritual marks the King taking up residence at the Grand Palace. On May 5, a ceremony marking the inscription of the King's full ceremonial name on a golden tablet will take place, after which the monarch will bestow new royal titles upon members of the royal family.
His Majesty will then travel in a state procession around the palace, the details of which have yet to be revealed. On May 6, the King will appear on the balcony of Sutthaisawan Prasat Throne Hall at the Grand Palace where the public will be given the opportunity to give their best wishes to the monarch, according to the Royal Household Bureau. His Majesty will then grant an audience with the diplomatic corps in the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall.
After the coronation, the King also plans a royal barge procession along the Chao Phraya River during the royal krathin (Buddhist monk robe presentation) ceremony later this year, the Royal Household Bureau said.
On Dec 1, 2016, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn accepted an invitation by National Legislative Assembly President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai to become king and acceded to the throne as the 10th monarch of the Chakri Dynasty after King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away on Oct 13 of that year. The last coronation to take place in Thailand was that of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, on May 5, 1950.
Meanwhile, the Royal Household Bureau opened the gates of the Grand Palace to the public on Tuesday so people could sign well-wishers' books to wish His Majesty the King and the royal family a happy New Year.
Among those at the Grand Palace were privy councillors, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, cabinet ministers, members of the legislature, the judiciary, independent organisations, foreign diplomats, military leaders, government officials, politicians and businessmen. No word was to hand on whether a public holiday will be granted during the coronation period.
