Thailand crowns king in ornate ceremonies; Xi congratulates

Outside the palace walls, a sea of people in yellow polo shirts sat on roadsides, holding up portraits of the king and the Thai national flag.

Yellow is particularly significant in Thai culture, which is steeped in astrology, as it is the colour of Monday, the day the king was born, and also the colour of the sun, which represents the monarch in the cosmos.

The king received the royal golden plaque containing his name and title, the royal horoscope, and the royal seal, which were made in a three-hour ritual last week.

He also received and put on five articles of the royal regalia from the chief Brahmin.

The high-reaching crown, which weighs 7.3 kg (16 lb) symbolises the summit of Mount Meru, the Hindu god Indra's heavenly abode, and its weight represents the monarch's royal burden.

King Vajiralongkorn put the crown on his head himself with the help of court officials, and adjusted it several times during the ceremony.