Showing posts with label Royal Ceremonies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Royal Ceremonies. Show all posts

Friday 27 October 2017

19.1 million Thais offered sandalwood flowers in homage


More than 19.1 million people across Thailand offered sandalwood flowers in homage to their late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the day of his Royal Cremation on Thursday.

The offerings were made at 878 officially prepared venues across the country.
The Interior Ministry’s command overseeing sandalwood flower centres disclosed the figures on Friday. At up to 2.9 million people laying sandalwood flowers, Bangkok had the highest number of mourners doing so.

Every venue for sandalwood-flower placing was overcrowded on Thursday, said the Ministry.

Source - TheNation

Wednesday 25 October 2017

#Thailand - Many thousands queue to secure a place to watch Royal Cremation ceremonies


Loyal subjects queued all night despite heavy rain in the hope of getting close to the Royal Procession route for the Royal Cremation Ceremony.

The difficulties of having to queue and sleep on the street side without any roof above their head did not deter the people’s will to find a viewing place for the Royal Cremation Ceremony.
They waited patiently at all nine screening points around Sanam Luang which opened to the public at 5am on Wednesday.

Thousands of people were seen queuing at the ninth check point at Pinklao Bridge alone around 4.30 am. The queue was over one kilometre long from under the bridge, down along Phra Arthit Road to Bang Lamphu Intersection. All were in black formal attire, many of them them were elderly women.

Ratchaneenart Sanguansapsiri, a 44-year-old woman from Nonthaburi, said she joined the queue to enter the Royal Cremation Ceremony area at the ninth screening point around 8pm on Tuesday, and she was very glad to be there.

“It was a long and rainy night, but finally we made it,” she said with a big smile early on Wednesday morning.

“We understand what we are going to get through, as we still have to wait inside the ceremony ground for day, yet we are determine to endure this hardship. All of us want to be a part [of this ceremony] to send our beloved King back to Heaven.”
 
It was reported that there were kilometres-long queues at the other screening points.
Along Phra Arthit Road, many nightclubs opened their doors for mourners to use the toilets free of charge. Some restaurants on this nightlife street also provided free snacks and coffee for the people at breakfast time.

Before passing through the screening point, people are required to show their identification cards and have their baggage checked by security officers. Officers are on standby to advise people how to get to the closet screening point.

Source - TheNation

Thailand - Historical ceremony begins


Bangkok at centre of the nation's attentions as mourners turn out to pay their final respects.

ALL ROADS LEAD to Bangkok today for the start of the Royal Cremation Ceremony for the much-revered HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 

People have travelled by buses, private cars, trains and planes during the past days in the hope of getting as close as possible to the “Father of the Land” one last time. 
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The late monarch reigned over Thailand for seven full decades until his passing last year. People have been mourning his departure and are now prepared to bid him a heartfelt farewell. 

As of press time last night, thousands of black-clad people were sitting or lying on footpaths near the nine entrances to the prime zones for members of the public to attend the Royal Cremation. They were to be opened today at 5am. 
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 Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek said officials had started clearing the areas last night before the reopening this morning.
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 The Royal Cremation Ceremony will run from today until Sunday, with the actual cremation taking place tomorrow. 

“I took a van ride from Nakhon Sawan province to attend the ceremony this week,” Piyapas Saengkhieo, 46, said as she queued for a shuttle bus to Sanam Luang, where the Royal Crematorium now stands tall next to the glittering Grand Palace. 

Aree Kantasak, a 60-year-old farmer from Lamphun province, said she would stay at Sanam Luang until the Royal Cremation ceremonies end. 

“I am not sure how near I can be to the ceremonial ground, but at least, I hope, I will be here for him,” she said. 

Montha Kanha and six friends from the border province of Nong Khai took a train to Bangkok, bringing along food, clothes, umbrellas and medicines so they, too, would stand by their beloved late King one last time. “From my birth, I have seen a lot of his royal projects. His royal guidance, such as the sufficiency economy philosophy, can apply to all aspects of life,” the 58-year-old teacher said. “We wish to see him off to Heaven.” 

Wichitra Busaba, a 53-year-old teacher, flew from Loei province to Bangkok but was prepared to sleep on the streets near Sanam Luang over the next few days. 

“I am here to pay final farewell to the late King,” she said. 

The government has estimated that about 250,000 mourners will turn up in areas near Sanam Luang tomorrow. Others can place sandalwood flowers at 85 replicas of the Royal Crematorium and hundreds of temples across Thailand to pay their final respects to one of the greatest Thai kings. 

Mourners near Sanam Luang will have a chance to see the royal processions in honour of the late King with their own eyes. People in other areas, meanwhile, can watch on TV, as the ceremonies will be broadcast live. 

PM’s Office Minister Omsin Chiwaphruek yesterday advised mourners to lay prostrate when the royal processions passed them, adding that umbrellas should not be raised at the time. 
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 “The royal processions and people along the way will be recorded and televised worldwide. Let’s act properly for the good image of the Royal Thai Kingdom,” he said.

Tuesday 24 October 2017

#Thailand - Long list of foreign guests to attend the Royal Cremation ceremony


The latest list of foreign dignitaries to attend the Royal Cremation of HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej scheduled for Thursday. 

1. Lesotho : Their Majesties King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso
2. Bhutan : Their Majesties King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck)
3. Tonga : Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u
4. Myanmar : President U Htin Kyaw and his wife; Su Su Lwin
5. Laos : President Bounnhang Vorachith and wife Khammueng Vorachith
6. Singapore : President Madam Halimah Yacob and husband Mohamed Abdullah Alhabsee
7. Sweden : HM Queen Silvia
8. Netherlands : Maxima
9. Belgium : HM Queen Mathilde
10. Spain : HM Queen Sofia
11. Australia : General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove
12. Canada : The Right Honourable Madame Julie Payette
13. Indonesia : Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri
14. Swiss Confederation : Former Joseph Deiss
15. Germany : Former president Christian Wulff
16. Bahrain : Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
17. Denmark : HRH Crown Prince Frederik
18. Norway : HRH Crown Prince Haakon Magnus
19. Luxembourg : Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie
20. Malaysia : HRH the Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah and HRH Tuanku Zara Salim the Raja Permaisuri of Perak Darul Ridzuan
21. United Kingdom : HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York
22. Japan : HIH Prince Akishino and HIH Princess Akishino
23. Qatar : HH Prince Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
24. Liechtenstein : HRH Princess Margaretha
25. Vietnam : Deputy President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh
26. Cambodia : Prime Minister Hun Sen
27. Swaziland : Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini
28. New Zealand : Former prime minister James Bolger
29. France : Former prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and wife Brigitte Ayrault
30. China : Vice prime minister H.E. Mr. Zhang Gaoli
31. Turkey : Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Işik
32. Korea : Vice National Assembly Speaker Park Joosun
33. Russia : Deputy chairperson of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Olga Epifanova
34. Brunei : PM’s Office Minister, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng
35. United States of America : Secretary of Defence James Mattis
36. Philippines : Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano and wife Maria Laarni Cayetano
37. Sri Lanka : Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana and wife Stella Marapana
38. Nepal : Defence Minister Bhimsen Das Pradhan and wife Bidya Banmali Pradhan
39: Pakistan : Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari
40. Bangladesh : Foreign Minister Mohammed Sahriar Alam
41. India : Deputy Foreign Minister M J Akbar
42. The Holy See : Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro

Source - TheNation