MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Crown Prince of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn will become the country’s new king following the death of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Thursday.
"The government will inform the National Legislative Assembly that His Majesty the King had appointed HRH the Crown Prince in accordance with the royal law on December 28, 1972, and then the National Legislative Assembly will take the relevant action," the prime minister said referring to Vajiralongkorn as quoted by the Bangkok Post newspaper.
Bhumibol, also known as Rama IX, passed away at the age of 88 at 3:52 p.m. (08:52 GMT) on Thursday. He became Thai king in 1946.
Vajiralongkorn was born in 1952. At the age of 20, in 1972, he was appointed crown prince by his father, King Rama IX.
