BANGKOK, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn accepted invitation from parliament president to ascend to the throne and thus formally proclaimed King Rama X in a televised ceremony.

"I accepted the invitation to ascend to the throne," Vajiralongkorn said.

"We have a new king now", Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said in a televised address broadcast late Thursday after Vajiralongkorn's succession ceremony was released.

Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, head of parliament, or National Legislative Assembly, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Supreme Court President Veerapol Tungsuwan and the current Regent Prem Tingsulanondaare were granted an audience with the prince at about 19:16, during which Pornpetch invited the prince to formally ascend the throne, succeeding his father, revered late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died at 88 on Oct. 13.

Since Vajiralongkorn accepted the invitation, he is now King Rama X, or the 10th king of the Chakri dynasty founded in 1782, though his formal coronation will not happen before his father's royal cremation later next year.