Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday sent a message of congratulations to King Rama XX of Thailand upon the official proclamation of the latter as monarch in the Thai parliament on November 29, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

In his message, President Rahmon expressed confidence that friendly relations between Tajikistan and Thailand would develop in the future as well.

Recall, Thailand began the process of naming Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn as the country's new king on November 29.  Its parliament approved the sending of a formal invitation, which he has to accept before ascending to the throne.

The deeply revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej died on October 13, plunging Thailand into mourning.

BBC reports that the prince was widely expected to succeed his father, but officials had earlier said he wanted to postpone it by at least a year.  The official reason given was that he wanted to give the Thai people time to mourn his father before he became king.