Rare parade held to mark Thai King’s 72nd birthday
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn celebrated his 72nd birthday with a grand parade in Bangkok on Tuesday.
The ceremony held at the Royal Plaza was the first of its kind in 16 years.
The event marked an iconic occasion in Thai culture, as 72 years is seen as a special milestone in the 12-year birthday cycle.
The king’s actual birthday is on July 28, but this celebration followed the tradition of holding such parades around December.
Queen Suthida, Queen of Thailand and the fourth wife of King Vajiralongkorn led the parade in her role as Commander of the Combined Guards Unit.
Princess Sirivannavari, the king’s youngest daughter, also participated, leading the Royal Horse Guards Regiment.
Military commanders also led troops in swearing an oath of allegiance to the king, local news reports indicate.
The king and his family watched the event from a pavilion constructed for the event.
Several Thailand citizens gathered to witness the rare event, which included troops from across the armed forces.
