Thailand’s King presided over an oath-taking ceremony today at an army base where almost 7,000 soldiers and police paraded to mark Armed Forces Day.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s presence at the ceremony was unusual, as Thai monarchs have rarely attended the occasion, even though the royal palace and the military are closely linked. The Chief of Defence Forces General Pornpipat Benyasri pledged his life to honour and sustain the greatness of the king.

The government announced that the ceremony was not only to mark Armed Forces Day, but also to honour the King’s coronation, which took place last year.

The monarchy and the military are the two most powerful institutions in Thailand and exercise major influence over the country’s fragile democracy, evidenced most recently by coups the army staged in 2006 and 2014.