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On 13 October 2016, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua acceded to
the throne after the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great (1946-2016). However, the Coronation
took place more than two years later in 2019 after the funeral of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great
was held in 2017 in order to allocate enough time for the preparation of the ceremony. The Coronation consisted
of the Preliminary, Primary and Final Royal Ceremonies.
The main feature of the Preliminary Royal Ceremonies in April 2019 was the collection and consecration
of water from sacred sites in every province around the country and sending it to Bangkok. This holy water
was an indispensable component of the Coronation as it signifies purity and would be used for the purification
of the King. The Primary Royal Ceremonies on 4-6 May 2019 were the most important part of the Coronation,
especially the Royal Purification Ceremony where His Majesty was purified with holy water. Afterwards, His Majesty
received royal regalia and gave the Oath of Accession. The Royal Procession on Land was organised on 5 May 2019,
offering the first opportunity to the people to admire their monarch after assuming full kingship.
In accordance with ancient tradition, the Coronation ended with the Royal Barge Procession on
12 December 2019, which formed the Final Royal Ceremonies. The purpose of the Royal Barge Procession was similar
to the Royal Procession on Land. That is, to enable His Majesty to grace the capital after the Coronation while
allowing the people to admire their sovereign. In the old days, this would be one of the rare occasions that the King,
who is traditionally regarded as deity, would be seen and revered in person by his subjects.
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