BANGKOK — On Tuesday, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn celebrated his 72nd birthday with a grand parade, prominently featuring the queen who directed hundreds of military personnel in the festivities.
This event marked the first ceremonial gathering at the sprawling Royal Plaza in Bangkok in sixteen years.

In Thai culture, birthdays that fall within a 12-year cycle are particularly revered, with the 72nd birthday bearing significant symbolization. Although the king’s actual birthday is July 28, previous celebrations were typically held on December 5, the birthday of his revered father.

King Bhumibol, Vajiralongkorn’s father, was highly respected and played a critical role in guiding Thailand through turbulent times, particularly during the conflicts in neighboring Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, which experienced Communist takeovers in 1975.

In contrast, King Vajiralongkorn has encountered a different set of obstacles, facing political divisions that have threatened the previously unassailable status of the monarchy in Thailand.

Despite these challenges, the atmosphere at the king’s birthday celebration was peaceful, with no signs of dissent among the public who gathered to witness the military display in the plaza, where the royal family watched from an elaborately decorated pavilion.

Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana took charge of the parade as the Commander of the Combined Guards Unit, while Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, the youngest daughter of the king, led the Royal Horse Guards Regiment.

As dusk approached, commanders from various military branches led their units in a ceremonial oath of allegiance to the king, reinforcing the unity of the armed forces under his reign.