BANGKOK • Thousands of people gathered in the Thai capital Bangkok yesterday to show their devotion to the monarchy on the birthday of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's late father, following months of street protests led by a youth movement demanding changes to royal powers.

King Vajiralongkorn led a candle-lighting ceremony in front of the Grand Palace to pay tribute to his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016 after reigning for seven decades - during which he was seen by many Thais as a symbol of national unity.

The king was joined by thousands of loyalists wearing the royal colour yellow and waving national flags.

In recent months, the monarchy in Thailand has become a target of a youth-led protest movement that accuses the current king and the government led by former army chief Prayut Chan-o-cha of expanding royal powers to a level not seen since absolute monarchy was ended in 1932.

The protesters broke longstanding taboos by openly criticising King Vajiralongkorn for taking direct control of two military units and the wealth of the Crown Property Bureau, valued at tens of billions of dollars.

Yesterday's ceremony was one of the biggest shows of royalist support since protests surged in July.

"The king has always been there to take care of people's happiness, and without the king there would be chaos," Mr Wanchote Kunprasert, 65, told Reuters.

Another man who was holding a portrait of King Bhumibol said that respect for the monarchy is deeply ingrained in Thai culture and he dismissed the protests calling for its reform.

"The monarchy has been with us for centuries; how can you change that by just a few months of protests?" said Mr Sirinan Jungwatmunee, 63.

REUTERS