BANGKOK: An elaborate three-day coronation ceremony for Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn will be held May 4 to 6, the palace announced Tuesday, nearly two and half years after the death of his revered father Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Vajiralongkorn, formally known as Rama X of the Chakri dynasty, ascended the throne following his father’s death in October 2016, which ended a tumultuous seven-decade reign over the Southeast Asian kingdom.
He has since dramatically reorganized palace affairs, bolstering his own security detail and granting himself personal stewardship of the multi-billion-dollar crown assets.
Thailand’s monarchy, one of the world’s richest, is shielded from criticism by a harsh royal defamation law punishing any transgressors with up to 15 years per charge.
In a televised announcement the Royal Household Bureau said the coronation will take place in early May.
“It’s suitable time to hold the coronation in accordance to the tradition and for national celebration and joy of the people,” the bureau said.
The “coronation ceremony” will be held on May 4 with an audience granted to “the royal family, privy councilors and cabinet members,” it explained.
The following day a ceremony will “bestow the royal name” according to traditions governing the monarchy, then on May 6 the king will hold a “grand audience” with members of the public and diplomats.
It will mark a dramatic year for Thailand.
The country is poised to hold elections in early 2019, nearly five years after a junta seized power from the civilian government led by prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The junta, which is ultra-royalist and portrays itself as the defender of the monarchy, says it took power to end corruption and money politics under successive civilian governments.
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Coronation of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn to be held May 4-6
Coronation of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn to be held May 4-6
- King Maha Vajiralongkorn, formally known as Rama X of the Chakri dynasty, ascended the throne following his father’s death in October 2016
- Thailand’s monarchy, one of the world’s richest, is shielded from criticism by a harsh royal defamation law
Man arrested in Thailand for smuggling rhino horn inside meat
BANGKOK: Thai authorities arrested a man for allegedly smuggling more than 11 kilograms of rhino horns inside wrapped meat, in a case officials linked on Tuesday to an international wildlife trafficking network.
The 36-year-old Vietnamese man was detained on Monday after landing at Bangkok’s main international airport on suspicion of illegal wildlife imports, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said in a statement.
He was traveling from Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Laos, transiting through Ethiopia and Thailand, according to the department.
Airport authorities and police seized six pieces of rhinoceros horn and around 12 kilograms of unidentified meat used to conceal them inside a polystyrene icebox.
“There were some irregularities in the X-ray scan of the checked luggage so the authorities checked it,” the department said.
Sadudee Panpakdee, director of the department’s CITES division, told AFP officials were unsure of the value of the seized horns or what type of meat was used to conceal them.
The items were sent to a wildlife forensic laboratory for examination, officials said.
If convicted, the suspect faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to one million baht ($32,000).
All five rhino species are protected under international law and trade in their horns is banned.
Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers who often sell highly prized endangered creatures on the lucrative black market in Asia.
The 36-year-old Vietnamese man was detained on Monday after landing at Bangkok’s main international airport on suspicion of illegal wildlife imports, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said in a statement.
He was traveling from Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Laos, transiting through Ethiopia and Thailand, according to the department.
Airport authorities and police seized six pieces of rhinoceros horn and around 12 kilograms of unidentified meat used to conceal them inside a polystyrene icebox.
“There were some irregularities in the X-ray scan of the checked luggage so the authorities checked it,” the department said.
Sadudee Panpakdee, director of the department’s CITES division, told AFP officials were unsure of the value of the seized horns or what type of meat was used to conceal them.
The items were sent to a wildlife forensic laboratory for examination, officials said.
If convicted, the suspect faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to one million baht ($32,000).
All five rhino species are protected under international law and trade in their horns is banned.
Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers who often sell highly prized endangered creatures on the lucrative black market in Asia.
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