King Rama X

After much hesitation I finally decided to purchase a ticket to Thailand. The last time I was there was 2015. After my TBI [Traumatic Brain Injury] last year I am quite nervous about heading over there alone. I’ve never really been afraid of travel. Indeed, I have spent much of my life out and about in the world. This time is different though. I can’t help but place it on the spousal breakup, the loss of my private life, the collapse of my personal world.

What a poor boy to do?

He goes to the ancient Kingdom of Siam to witness the Coronation of the King –  that’s what a poor boy do.

After a year of chaos some might say it’s a totally irrational endeavor. But this is the first coronation in over 70 years and Thais, being the most fun-loving and enigmatic people on earth, will never let their king and country down. It would be totally against protocol. I feel like I should join in. As one of the few countries on earth where lèse-majesté is still law, it could be downright dangerous to not celebrate and make a day of it.

In this case several days.

May 4th to May 6th are the designated days for Maha Vajiralongkorn’s coronation. After looking it up I soon discovered that the transition starts much earlier, April 6th. It involves many ancient Buddhist and Hindu rituals that date back to the 13th century. He is not considered a formal monarch until these elaborate rituals are performed. He will then be known as King Rama X.