"Rama"

Of the 4,810 royally initiated irrigation projects, only eight were actually given auspicious names by King Rama IX himself, said Thongpleo Kongchan, director-general of the Royal IrrigationDepartment.

Thousands of monks and well-wishers, including the prime minister and Cabinet members, joined a royal merit-making ceremony to pay tribute to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and also bless Her Majesty Queen Sirikit at the Dusit Palace on Tuesday.

If “All men are created equal” is where you come from, welcome to Thailand during these intriguing times. Welcome to the land where, over the past few weeks, one of the most prominent messages on billboards and TV can make you frown.

Social media timelines on Thursday were very busy. They started with people sharing pictures of merit-making and their thoughts on the 50th day after the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Late at night, they posted reactions to the new King ascending the throne.