Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned on Saturday in an elaborate centuries-old royal tradition that last happened seven decades ago.
The coronation represents a renewal of the monarchy's power after the October 2016 death of Vajiralongkorn's revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It also comes amid more than a decade of political strife, including a 2014 military coup and a contentious election less than two months ago.
The 66-year-old Vajiralongkorn has served as king for more than two years since he assumed the throne. On Saturday, he took the crown from the chief Brahmin, a Hindu priest who has played a guiding part in the mixed Buddhist-Hindu ceremony, during a televised ritual from the Grand Palace.
The 200-year-old, 7.3kg heavy crown was handed to the king, known as Rama X, as part of the third and final rite of the coronation ceremony, the presentation of royal regalia.
Earlier, the king wore a simple white robe as he entered a small pavilion where he was briefly showered with water from several holy rivers and ponds and other sources.
Other water was poured on him from old royal water vessels. The rite, known as the Royal Purification Ceremony, took place amid music from drums, conch shells and other instruments. Outside the palace, artillery was fired in a salute to the monarch.
On Sunday, there will be a 7km royal procession involving 343 men, some of them carrying the king through old Bangkok in an ornately decorated palanquin, allowing Thais to pay homage to their new king.
Monday will see the king greet the public from the balcony of the Grand Palace in the late afternoon and then hold a reception for the diplomatic corps.
