Thailand has a new king after Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, accepted an from parliament to succeed his . His comes 50 days after the loved and revered King Bhumibol died in October, aged 88. Prince Vajiralongkorn will be known as King Maha Vajiralongkorn. He will also be known as Rama X, or the 10th of Thailand's Chakri . He addressed his in a televised statement on Thursday. He said: "I would like to accept the invitation for the of the Thai people." Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said: "May all the Thai people unite to pray that…he may reign as an idol and of the Thai people."
The of the new king will not take until after King Bhumibol's cremation next year. The new king was born on July 28, 1952. He went to schools in Australia and the UK before doing his training in Australia. King Maha Vajiralongkorn is travelled and has a home in Germany. Over the past few years, he has undertaken more of his father's ceremonial in Thailand when the late king was ill and needed medical treatment. He also organized and participated in high-profile such as cycle around the Thai capital Bangkok. One of his first acts as will be to endorse Thailand's constitution that has been backed by the Thai people.
