Thailand celebrates King X's birthday with 500 drones light show

Bangkok: Thailand celebrated King Maha Vajiralongkorn or Rama X's birthday on Tuesday, July 28 with a light show using hundreds of drones to illuminate the night sky.

The 12-minute light show used 500 drones to depict various images of the Thai king who turns 68 this year. The drones also formed in the shape of a nurse and doctor, in gratitude to the frontline workers of the novel coronavirus outbreak. During past weeks, the country has seen a number of pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the country. There were also some veiled public references at the protest to the powerful Thai monarchy, despite a law forbidding criticism of the king. Such references would once have been unthinkable.

Thailand’s prime minister previously has warned political activists not to criticise the monarchy, saying doing so could damage their job prospects even though the king had asked him not to make prosecutions under a law protecting the royal family. Insulting the monarchy is a crime, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.