Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will fly overseas on Friday night and return home next month, three senior military sources with knowledge of the matter said, two weeks after the death of his father, the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The departure comes during a timeframe the military government had identified for the prince to ascend the throne, with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha saying last week it could be within seven to 15 days of the king's death, or even later.
The coronation of the crown prince, however, cannot take place until after the king's royal cremation, in a year's time.