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Thousands cheer as Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn wraps up coronation with barge procession
- Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida took part in a flotilla procession along the Chao Praya river in Bangkok
- The event, which allowed Thais a rare chance to see the royal family in the flesh, also drew foreign dignitaries and diplomats
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Flanked by more than 2,000 oarsmen rowing to a steady drumbeat, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn travelled down Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river as part of a 52-barge flotilla on Thursday, marking the final event of his coronation.
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The flotilla comes seven months after the monarch was crowned in an elaborate three-day affair that involved sacred bathing rituals and a grand procession where he was carried on a palanquin around Bangkok’s historic old quarter to greet the public.
Thousands of well-wishers dressed in royal yellow sat along the riverbanks, cheering on the king who wore a feather-adorned hat and Queen Suthida, his fourth wife, as they passed on a gilded Suphannahong – or “Golden Swan” – barge.
Seated next to them was Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, the king’s 14-year-old son from his third marriage, while his two daughters from previous marriages were on a separate barge decorated with a pink exterior and naga-head figurines.
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