Thai King Coronation: Massive crowds witness public procession

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02:10

The Thai people got their first view of their newly-crowned King after days of elaborate ceremonies. A royal procession was held on Sunday for King Maha Vajiralongkorn. As Tony Cheng reports, large crowds lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the grand ceremony.

No sooner had dawn broken and crowds were starting to amass to get close to the Grand Palace. Civil servants and bureaucrats bused in from all over Thailand.

Palace officials expected more than 100,000 people to attend the public procession.

Many had come to witness an event that hasn't happened in nearly seven decades, a once in a lifetime opportunity.

DONNAPHA KLADBUPHA WELL-WISHER "This is the historic moment of the past 69 years. I feel like I need to be here to show the world how much we worship the King."

SAMRARN MORYAIDEE WELL-WISHER "I want to see the coronation for once in my lifetime because I was very young when the last one happened."

But first, official business.

The newly crowned King bestowed new titles on twelve members of the Royal Family.

Titles that reflect his new status at the center of the royal institution and as the head of state.

For the crowds a long wait in the heat.

But as the sun started to drop, the King emerged for the first public appearance of his reign.

Carried aloft by an honor guard, flanked by soldiers in huge bearskin hats, accompanied by a marching band and the hum of discordant pipes.

This was the spectacle the crowd had waited to see all day.

TONY CHENG, CGTN, BANGKOK.