泰国新国王拉玛十世登基

Thailand’s crown prince has become king and launched a new era for Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy ahead of elections promised by the ruling military next year.

泰国王储登基为国王，在执政的军政府承诺于明年举行的选举前开启了这个东南亚第二大经济体的新时代。

Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s ascent to the throne ends the uncertainty of the seven-week interregnum since the death of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej,

王储玛哈.哇集拉隆功(Maha Vajiralongkorn)的登基结束了他的父亲泰国国王普密蓬.阿杜德(Bhumibol Adulyadej)去世后7周的空白期带来的不确定性。

whose storied reign spanned more than 70 years.

后者富有传奇色彩的统治持续了70多年。

Thais and foreign observers are watching closely how the new king will rule at a sensitive time for country long hobbled by political power struggles and military coups.

泰国人和外国观察人士正密切关注新国王将如何统治长期受到政治权力斗争和军事政变困扰、正处于敏感时期的泰国。

Prince Vajiralongkorn does not command the same following as his father and has spent much time abroad in recent years, particularly in Germany.

王储哇集拉隆功受拥护程度不及其父，近年来的大部分时间身处海外，尤其是在德国。

Debate in Thailand about the monarchy and its role in society is stifled by strong social taboos and harsh lese-majesty laws that carry jail sentences of up to 15 years per offence.

在泰国，深刻的社会禁忌和严厉的亵渎王室法律(lèse-majesté laws)压制了围绕君主制及其在社会中的作用的辩论，违反这一法律者可能因每宗罪行获刑15年。

Authorities have launched dozens of cases since the May 2014 coup, including against social media users such as a man accused of insulting King Bhumibol’s favourite dog.

在2014年5月的政变以来，当局提起了数十起这类案件，包括针对社交媒体用户的指控，比如一名男子被控侮辱普密蓬国王最喜欢的狗。

Prince Vajiralongkorn accepted the throne on formal invitation from parliament on Thursday, less than 24 hours after his return from the second of two trips to Germany since his father’s death on October 13.

在议会的正式奏请下，王储哇集拉隆功周四接受王位；不到24小时前，他刚从德国回来，而这是其父10月13日去世以来他第二次去德国。

I would like to accept the invitation for the benefit of the Thai people, he said in a televised statement.

我愿意为了泰国人民的利益接受奏请，他在电视讲话中说。

He becomes Rama X, the 10th monarch of the Chakri dynasty that has ruled Thailand since 1782.

王储哇集拉隆功成为拉玛十世，自1782年以来统治泰国的却克里(Chakri)王朝的第十任君主。

He will take the name King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun.

宫务处发布了拉玛十世的头衔名号。

The prince had surprised some observers by postponing his kingship because of what Prayuth Chan-ocha, the coup leader turned prime minister, said was a wish to grieve with the Thai people.

王储推迟继位，原因是政变领导人、现任总理巴育.占奥差(Prayuth Chan-ocha)表示王储的心愿是和泰国民众一起哀悼，这让一些观察者感到惊讶。

The delay contrasted with King Bhumibol’s ascent to the throne on the same day in 1946 as his brother and predecessor Ananda Mahidol was shot dead in the Grand Palace in Bangkok, in still unexplained circumstances.

王储推迟继位与普密蓬国王继位时的情况相左。后者在其前任和哥哥阿南达.马希多尔(Ananda Mahidol) 1946年6月在曼谷的大皇宫被枪杀当天继位，其兄被枪杀一事至今还是一个谜。

The coronation of King Vajiralongkorn is expected to follow the cremation of his father at the end of a year of official mourning.

预计普密蓬国王的火化仪式将在1年的官方哀悼期结束时举行，之后再举行哇集拉隆功国王的加冕典礼。

The military has insisted its tightly managed timetable for elections remains on track, although some observers think the royal succession is likely to cause — or be used as a reason for — further delay.

军政府坚持其严格管理的选举时间表仍将正常进行，不过一些观察人士认为，王室继承有可能导致进一步延迟选举，或者被当作延迟原因。