<p class="title">King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Rama X of Thailand, was crowned Saturday in a dazzling show of pageantry, laced with Hindu and Buddhist rituals, vowing to reign "with righteousness" on behalf of the Thai people.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Starting at the auspicious time of 10:09 am (0309 GMT), the public was granted a rare window into the cloistered halls of Thai power as the key rituals of the three-day coronation began.</p>.<p class="bodytext">King Vajiralongkorn is the tenth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, which has reigned since 1782.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He ascended the throne over two years ago following his the death of his beloved father, but waited until after a long mourning period before setting his coronation date.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saturday's sombre ceremony opened with the white-gowned king -- the folds of his robe leaving one shoulder bared -- receiving sacred water from across Thailand and dabbing it gently across his face at a shrine inside the Grand Palace complex.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A cannon salute marked the moment as pipes played and Buddhist monks chanted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several grey-haired Hindu Brahmins were also in attendance at the syncretic ceremony, which symbolises Rama X's transformation from a human to divine figure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He later took his seat under the umbrella of state and was handed the Great Crown of Victory, a tiered gold 7.3-kilogram (16-pound) headpiece topped by a diamond from India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Uttering his first, brief royal command he vowed to reign "with righteousness" for the benefit of the Thai people.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His fourth wife, Suthida -- married in a surprise ceremony days before the coronation -- was invested as Queen, kneeling in respect in front of her husband who sat on a throne.</p>.<p class="bodytext">For most Thais, it is the first time they have witnessed the pomp and grandeur of a coronation -- the last was in 1950 for the king's beloved father Bhumibol Adulyadej.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I'm excited to have a chance to be a part of this... I'm here to capture people's emotions," said Jakarin Kerdchok, 16, a volunteer student taking photos near the palace.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Hundreds of state officials in immaculate white uniforms lined the streets around the Grand Palace.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But only a modest number of civilians braved the hot sun for the royal convoy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bhumibol was seen as a figure of unity in the politically chaotic kingdom until his death in October 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His son Vajiralongkorn, 66, is less well-known to the Thai public, preferring to spend much of his time overseas and rarely addressing his subjects.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fiercely private and four times married, he has inherited one of the world's richest monarchies and a kingdom submerged by political crisis.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thailand has been run by an arch-royalist junta since 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Rama X is widely seen as an adroit player of Thailand's treacherous politics, intervening several times -- including in the March 24 election -- during his short reign.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Those elections are yet to yield a new government, with the kingdom split between pro and anti-junta blocs, the latter crying foul over the vote count so far.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Full results are due to be announced next week with the ruling junta tipped to return as the civilian government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The coronation distracts from the popular indignation regarding election irregularities," said Thai politics expert Paul Chambers of Naresuan University.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Thai monarchy takes primacy in the country's power pyramid, but it is buttressed by the army.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Junta leaders past and present were prominent in Saturday's ceremonies.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, the king arrived at the Grand Palace in a cream Rolls-Royce, his hand raised in a wave but his face characteristically inscrutable.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Friday, the king warmly greeted family members, a rare glimpse of royal family intimacy broadcast on Thai television, including his 14-year-old son from his third marriage -- Prince Dipangkorn -- and his elder sister Ubolratana.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She stunned Thailand in February when her name was forwarded as a candidate for premier by an anti-junta party -- a move swiftly shot down by her brother in a rare royal command.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Harsh lese-majeste laws mean unguarded discussion about the monarchy inside Thailand is virtually impossible.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thailand's normally hyperactive social media has been subdued in the days leading up to the coronation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Born on July 28, 1952, the British-schooled Vajiralongkorn is known for his love of cycling and piloting jets, but he spends much of his time overseas -- mainly in Germany -- and remains something of a mystery to many Thais.</p>
<p class="title">King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Rama X of Thailand, was crowned Saturday in a dazzling show of pageantry, laced with Hindu and Buddhist rituals, vowing to reign "with righteousness" on behalf of the Thai people.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Starting at the auspicious time of 10:09 am (0309 GMT), the public was granted a rare window into the cloistered halls of Thai power as the key rituals of the three-day coronation began.</p>.<p class="bodytext">King Vajiralongkorn is the tenth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, which has reigned since 1782.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He ascended the throne over two years ago following his the death of his beloved father, but waited until after a long mourning period before setting his coronation date.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saturday's sombre ceremony opened with the white-gowned king -- the folds of his robe leaving one shoulder bared -- receiving sacred water from across Thailand and dabbing it gently across his face at a shrine inside the Grand Palace complex.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A cannon salute marked the moment as pipes played and Buddhist monks chanted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several grey-haired Hindu Brahmins were also in attendance at the syncretic ceremony, which symbolises Rama X's transformation from a human to divine figure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He later took his seat under the umbrella of state and was handed the Great Crown of Victory, a tiered gold 7.3-kilogram (16-pound) headpiece topped by a diamond from India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Uttering his first, brief royal command he vowed to reign "with righteousness" for the benefit of the Thai people.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His fourth wife, Suthida -- married in a surprise ceremony days before the coronation -- was invested as Queen, kneeling in respect in front of her husband who sat on a throne.</p>.<p class="bodytext">For most Thais, it is the first time they have witnessed the pomp and grandeur of a coronation -- the last was in 1950 for the king's beloved father Bhumibol Adulyadej.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I'm excited to have a chance to be a part of this... I'm here to capture people's emotions," said Jakarin Kerdchok, 16, a volunteer student taking photos near the palace.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Hundreds of state officials in immaculate white uniforms lined the streets around the Grand Palace.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But only a modest number of civilians braved the hot sun for the royal convoy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bhumibol was seen as a figure of unity in the politically chaotic kingdom until his death in October 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His son Vajiralongkorn, 66, is less well-known to the Thai public, preferring to spend much of his time overseas and rarely addressing his subjects.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Fiercely private and four times married, he has inherited one of the world's richest monarchies and a kingdom submerged by political crisis.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thailand has been run by an arch-royalist junta since 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Rama X is widely seen as an adroit player of Thailand's treacherous politics, intervening several times -- including in the March 24 election -- during his short reign.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Those elections are yet to yield a new government, with the kingdom split between pro and anti-junta blocs, the latter crying foul over the vote count so far.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Full results are due to be announced next week with the ruling junta tipped to return as the civilian government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The coronation distracts from the popular indignation regarding election irregularities," said Thai politics expert Paul Chambers of Naresuan University.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Thai monarchy takes primacy in the country's power pyramid, but it is buttressed by the army.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Junta leaders past and present were prominent in Saturday's ceremonies.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, the king arrived at the Grand Palace in a cream Rolls-Royce, his hand raised in a wave but his face characteristically inscrutable.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Friday, the king warmly greeted family members, a rare glimpse of royal family intimacy broadcast on Thai television, including his 14-year-old son from his third marriage -- Prince Dipangkorn -- and his elder sister Ubolratana.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She stunned Thailand in February when her name was forwarded as a candidate for premier by an anti-junta party -- a move swiftly shot down by her brother in a rare royal command.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Harsh lese-majeste laws mean unguarded discussion about the monarchy inside Thailand is virtually impossible.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thailand's normally hyperactive social media has been subdued in the days leading up to the coronation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Born on July 28, 1952, the British-schooled Vajiralongkorn is known for his love of cycling and piloting jets, but he spends much of his time overseas -- mainly in Germany -- and remains something of a mystery to many Thais.</p>