Thai king greets thousands on the last day of his coronation

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn greeted thousands of his subjects from a balcony of his Grand Palace today to mark the third and final day of coronation ceremonies.

Thousands of spectators gathered around Bangkok's Grand Palace in the hope of getting a glimpse of King Vajiralongkorn and his new bride, Queen Suthida.

The king and queen were greeted with a band playing the royal anthem and a 21-gun salute.

The monarch and new Queen Suthida waved to a big crowd wearing yellow, the colour associated with the king, and waving flags in a royal audience, a day after a grand procession through Bangkok.

The three branches of the armed forces saluted the king before the prime minister led the crowd in chanting 'Long live the king!'.

The coronation started on Saturday, after a long period of official mourning for the king's revered father, who died in October 2016 having reigned for 70 years.

On Sunday, the king was carried through the streets on a gilded palanquin for the royal procession. Well-wishers, all wearing yellow, gathered from early morning along the four-mile (7 km) route from the Grand Palace to three royal temples.

Later on Monday, which has been declared a national holiday, the king will meet diplomats.

Since becoming king 18 months ago, Vajiralongkorn has moved to consolidate the authority of the monarchy, including taking more direct control of the crown's vast wealth with the help of the military government.

Vajiralongkorn succeeded to the throne after the 2016 death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for seven decades, but it wasn't until Saturday's formal coronation that he was established as full-fledged monarch with complete regal powers based on the Southeast Asian nation's traditions.

Large video screens were placed nearby so those unable to make their way to the front could watch the proceedings.

It was not certain whether the king would speak. The diplomats were to have an audience with the king afterward.

Though Thailand has had a constitutional monarchy since 1932, when a revolution ended absolute rule by kings, the country's monarchs are regarded as almost divine and have been seen as a unifying presence in a country that has seen regular bouts of political instability as it rotates between elected governments and military rule.