#Thailand - Stickers allowing entry to ceremonial grounds become treasured souvenirs

STICKERS allowing mourners to pass through to the inner area of Bangkok’s Sanam Luang ceremonial grounds to observe the Royal Cremation ceremonies for HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej have become collector’s items for many people in memory of the beloved monarch.

Bearing each person’s registration number, the stickers – which come in different designs depending on which screening point people pass through – have become souvenirs for people attending the historic event.

“I intend to keep this sticker and will laminate it because it identifies that I, once in my life and for the last time, am at this place at this time in the last days of the farewell to HM King Rama IX. I’m one of the loyal Thai subjects that has a chance to be here,” said Theerayuth Kanchanaphetch, 39. 

“Each visitor passing through a screening point will get a sticker placed on his or her left chest. Mine is number 15458,” he said.

Theerayuth came from Songkhla’s Hat Yai district early Tuesday morning and spent the night camping under Phra Pinklao Bridge amid the rain. He woke at 3am to wait in a queue to access a visitor-screening point – two hours before the checkpoint was opened, then passed into the inner area where he sat in front of the National Museum at 7am.

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 Nakhon Si Thammarat resident Sathaporn Meelai, 43, said she and her daughter had arrived in Bangkok at noon on Tuesday and stayed overnight under Phra Pinklao Bridge. She was given a sticker with the number 14899 while her daughter received number 14898. 

After passing into the area, she carefully peeled off the sticker and attached it to her Thai national ID card as she was afraid she would lose it. “I will keep this sticker for the rest of my life as a souvenir of my attendance at the Royal Cremation ceremonies for HM the late King,” she said.

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Rayong resident Aree Tothong, 70, who also stayed under the bridge amid the downpour on Tuesday night, said she was determined to attend the ceremonies after three previous three trips to pay respects to HM the late King’s Royal Urn inside the Grand Palace’s Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall. 

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that I must attend. I had to pin my sticker number 14155 on to my chest to ensure it wouldn’t go missing. I intend to keep this item for the rest of my life to remember HM the late King. I want to keep it so my children and grandchildren know that I was born in the reign of King Rama IX and I live through two reigns,” she said.

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.

#Thailand - Royal cremation ceremonies to be held Oct 25-29

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THE Royal cremation ceremonies for HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX) will be held between October 25 and 29.

October 26, the day of his |cremation, will also be a national holiday to allow members of the public to take part in the important event. 

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King Rama IX passed away on October 13 last year, plunging Thailand into deep mourning. A large number of Thais continue to wear black and white today to grieve over his death. 

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Throughout his seven-decade reign, King Rama IX worked tirelessly to improve the well-being of his people. In return, he won much love and reverence from his subjects. 

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Assistant Government Spokesman Colonel Atisit Chaiyanuwat announced yesterday that HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn (King Rama X) |had approved the schedule. 

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Atisit said Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam had proposed three options on how to facilitate people’s desire to join the royal cremation ceremonies. 

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The first is to declare October 25 and October 27 as national holidays too, so that people from the provinces can travel to Bangkok for the ceremonies and then travel back in time to work again. 

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The second is for October 25 and October 27 to be holidays for people living outside Bangkok and its adjacent provinces.

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The third is to not declare any additional holiday and let people decide themselves how they can attend. 

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Last Friday, King Rama X also approved the Office of the Prime Minister’s decision to declare his birthday, July 28, and the day of his father’s passing, October |13, as important days in Thailand. 

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King Rama X ordered that royal ceremonies be held in remembrance of his father on October 13 every year, the same way royal ceremonies are held in commemoration of his great grandfather, King Rama V. 

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 Source - TheNation

Thailand - 3 million funeral wood flowers for King’s cremation

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Three million funeral wood flowers will be given to public mourners before the late HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s royal cremation, according to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Governor Pol General Aswin Kwanmuang.

The artificial flowers will be made into 36 patterns – such as roses, orchids, water lilies, cape jasmines, daffodils, zinnias and champaks – from focal natural materials like dried banana leaves and trunks and dried water hyacinths, Aswin said on Monday.

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They will be made and provided at 101 booths across Bangkok.

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Flower makers will include people from BMA schools, vocational schools and companies. 

Their models will also be given to those wishing to craft the flowers themselves.

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According to Thai tradition, wood flowers are placed in front of a deceased person’s coffin or urn as a last tribute before cremation.

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The BMA’s Social Development Department is receiving raw material donations for the flower-making process.

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Source - TheNation

Bangkok - Changes to Sanam Luang mourners area

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Some adjustments will be implemented from April 1 for people arriving at Sanam Luang to pay their respects before the royal urn of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej inside the Grand Palace’s Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall in Bangkok.

Following a meeting of the Peace and Order Maintaining Command on Friday, Deputy First Army Region commander Maj-General Pongsawat Pannachit said the adjustment was needed because Sanam Luang would be prepared as the ceremonial ground for the upcoming Royal Ploughing Ceremony.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Department of Public Work is currently preparing the southern area of Sanam Luang to support mourners, with an administrative tent and medical team set up there.

From April 1, officials and volunteers will provide snacks to visitors each morning, Pongsawat said.

Later each day, people can receive food from charity tents at two areas near the Mother Earth Squeezing Her Hair Statue and the old Government Lottery Office. 

Those visiting the "Yen Sira Phro Phra Boriban" exhibition building at Sanam Luang will have a tent especially for them at the area opposite the Appeals Court.

A shuttle bus service from the Grand Palace's Thevapirom Gate to the exhibition building will be available.

The Royal Ploughing Ceremony will be held in May on the Phuetcha Mongkhon holiday to mark the traditional beginning of the rice-growing season.

The ceremony, rooted in Brahman belief, will involve two sacred oxen ploughing a furrow in the ceremonial ground while rice seeds are sown. 

After the ploughing, the oxen will be offered food such as rice, corn, green beans, sesame, fresh-cut grass, water and rice whisky.

There will be a prediction on whether the coming growing season will be bountiful based on what the oxen eat.

THAILAND - Officials appeal to public as mourners queue for 10 hours

Concerns over fairness of online system as people cut in line

OFFICIALS YESTERDAY asked for public suggestion on queue management at the Grand Palace after they found people waiting up to 10 hours on Sunday to say goodbye to the late King, despite continuing efforts to reduce waiting times.
“If anyone has ideas or best practices on how to better manage queues by deploying an offline and online queue registration system, please do not hesitate to tell us. We will give you credit if your suggestion is implemented,” said Maj-General Pongsawat Panchit, deputy commander of the First Region Army and deputy head of the Joint Administration of Security and Order Maintaining for the Grand Palace Vicinity (JSO).
Pongsawat’s comments at a press briefing followed mounting public concern over poor queue management, leading to day-long waits for people of all ages to get inside the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall to pay tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who peacefully passed away on October 13.
As more than 20,000 people are entering the Grand Palace each day, with longer queues on weekends and holidays, the JSO has coordinated with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to develop an online system for mourners to reserve places to get inside the complex. The system is slated to be implemented this month and start running on a trial basis on December 1.
However, the system has raised concerns that people would not be able to access it because it was online.
 “Taking this concern into consideration, we are still thinking about how to fairly apply the online system. Imagine, many people come without online registration in the early morning, wait for long hours, and those who register online just come and can cut into the lines and get inside right the way. This is going to hurt the waiting people’s feelings. We have to find ways that can manage people’s feelings,” Pongsawat said.
Pongsawat said the day-long queues were mainly the result of many people arriving at Sanam Luang, the park opposite the Grand Palace, at the same time.

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Health issues
“On Sunday, 20,000 people arrived at the field at the same time, around 7am. With a limited capacity to allow 2,000 people per hour to enter the Grand Palace, the last person who had waited since the morning would be able to get inside after 10 hours had passed,” he said.
People were advised to visit the Grand Palace in a staggered manner each day. People who live in Bangkok, including those living near the Grand Palace, should come in the afternoon rather than in the morning rush hours.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has set up dozens of tents to form seven indoor queues on the field to mitigate exposure to the sun.
Nevertheless, people are still cutting into lines and dozens of others pass out each day while waiting because of the heat or pre-existing health issues.
Pongsawat urged people to have sympathy for others and help each other while in queues.
He said the Royal Household Bureau was also concerned over people with poor health queuing.
Pongsawat recommended that sick people stay at home so their condition did not worsen.
Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy chief Maj-General Ittipol Piriyapinyo urged visitors to bring their identity cards or passports as they were required at security checkpoints around Sanam Luang.
Regarding increasing requests from organisations asking to arrange activities in memory of the King, Pongsawat said a committee chaired by a representative of the Ministry of Culture would consider activities and approve those that are appropriate to be held at Sanam Luang.

Source: TheNation 

Thailand - Public participation allowed in building of Royal Crematorium

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Fine Arts Department prepares historic royal carriages and palanquins for use

MEMBERS OF the public will be able to contribute to the construction of the royal crematorium and related accessories for the much-revered HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
“We will allow public participation,” Deputy Prime Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn said yesterday.


The King passed away at the age of 89 on October 13, plunging the nation into deep grief.
The government is now in the process of preparing the royal crematorium and related accessories for the grand royal cremation of the monarch. The process is expected to be completed in a year.

“The Fine Arts Department has already surveyed the condition of the royal carriages and royal palanquins housed in the National Museum of Bangkok, to prepare for the royal procession of the cremation ceremony of His Majesty the King,” said Ananda Chuchoti, director-general of the Fine Arts Department.

He said the department would work closely with scientists in the cleansing process of the royal carriages and royal palanquins while artisans of the Office of Traditional Arts will be in charge of restoring any damaged parts.

“We don’t know yet the details of the royal procession but our task is to prepare these royal carriages and royal palanquins for use,” he added.

Maha Phichai Ratcharot (The Royal Great Victory Carriage), three Ratcharot Noi (Small Carriages), two Phra Yannamas Sam Lamkhan (Golden Palanquin with Three Beams) and two Krirk (Mechanical Hoist) are housed at the National Museum of Bangkok.

The Royal Great Victory Carriage, built in the reign of King Rama I, is 11.20 metres high, 15.30 metres long and weighs 13.7 tonnes and requires 216 men to pull it. In the ceremonial procession, it was used to carry the Royal Urn of Their Majesties the King and the Queen and high-ranking royal families to the royal crematorium.

The Royal Great Victory Carriage was first used for King Rama I’s father in ceremonies in 1796. It was last used in 2011 during the royal cremation ceremony of Princess Phetcharat Ratchasuda, the daughter of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI).

Source: Coconuts.co

Thailand - Huge turnout at Sanam Luang for mass singing of Royal Anthem

Bird's Eye View of Massive people attending the heartfelt mass singing of the royal anthem in tribute to HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Sanam Luang.

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Huge crowds of black-clad mourners from across the country poured into Sanam Luang on Saturday morning, hoping to join the mass singing of the Royal Anthem in the afternoon and express their love for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

People holding umbrellas in the scorching sun strolled on the huge ground, waiting for the mass singing to start at 1pm. There were long lines for free food and drinks provided by hundreds of well-wishers.

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 Thousands of mourners also waited in front of the Grand Palace's Viset Chaisri Gate, waiting for their turn to sign the condolence book in the Sala Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion inside the compound.
People coming to Sanam Luang are required to go through many security checkpoints set up around the ground.

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Source: The Nation

Thailand - Huge singing tribute today

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Hundreds of thousands expected at Sanam Luang for mass royal anthem renditions; security tightened for big day

HUNDREDS of thousands of people are expected to attend the heartfelt singing of the royal anthem in tribute to HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Sanam Luang today.
Organisers have prepared a full orchestra to help provide memorable moments.
From 1pm to 5pm, there will be multiple rounds of mass singing of the royal anthem with the backing of a full orchestra, they said.
Another highlight is scheduled for 10pm, when mourners will hold white candles and sing a last round of the royal anthem.
Newly appointed Deputy Bangkok Governor Pol Lt Gen Amnuay Nimmano said the authorities expected a huge gathering – at least 100,000 Thais to join the mass singing.
In recent days, at least 50,000 people clad in black have gathered daily at Sanam Luang next to the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, where royal and religious ceremonies are taking place to pay tribute to the late King, according to Maj-General Pongsawat Panchit, deputy commander of the First Region Army, which is responsible for security around the area.
Security measures have been stepped up for today’s grand event, while emergency service providers are prepared to cope with the needs of the huge crowd expected to visit Sanam Luang over the three-day long weekend, according to Pongsawat, who chaired yesterday’s meeting of a joint security and safety command officials.
The operation will utilise officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the First Army Region, the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), the Ministry of Public Health, and other related state organisations. Seven checkpoints will be set up to screen visitors before they enter the inner area of Sanam Luang.
Both male and female police will operate the checkpoints, while other personnel will patrol areas around Sanam Laung, including Rajdamnoen Road.
“This is the heartland [Sanam Luang]. We have to secure it and make sure that everything here goes smooth. We are willing to work hard for this unifying and historic event,” Pongsawat said.
He urged the authorities to take preventive measures against possible crime and handle cases of missing children and the elderly properly.
More volunteer doctors and hospital staff will be ready to help any visitors needing first aid or emergency medical treatment, he said. Pongsawat also urged to the authorities to provide more wheelchairs to facilitate the elderly and handicapped. Currently, there were 250 wheelchairs available, he said.
The BMA will assign more doctors and medical personnel to provide emergency services to visitors while officials will closely monitor the quality of ready-to-eat food donated by the public in a bid to avoid cases of food poisoning.
Wattanee Wattana, deputy permanent secretary of the BMA, said ready-to-eat food, especially food with coconut milk as an ingredient, would be bad if exposed to heat for more than four hours, so authorities would check the quality before handing out food.
In regard to traffic management, no personal or public vehicles were allowed to enter the Sanam Luang area, he said. Members of the public should commute to Sanam Luang by shuttle buses or other public transport, he said.
Tents and seats will be set up at bus stops around Sanam Luang for the public.
Today, people will be allowed to enter the Sala Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion in the Grand Palace to sign the condolence book in memory of the King while the royal anthem singing is underway, the command centre said.
But certain streets around Sanam Luang, where royal motorcades regularly pass, remain closed and people joining the singing are not allowed to enter those prohibited zones, Amnuay said.
But he said the preserved routes could be used for emergency purposes during the singing event.
Tonight’s singing is being organised by a team headed by Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol. Organisers discussed the preparation plan for the singing yesterday with the command centre officials.
The major concern of authorities was emergency cases, so the number of doctors and other volunteer medics would be increased, Amnuay said.
According to the Royal Household Bureau, around 225,000 people have signed the condolence book since last Saturday – an average of 40,000 to 50,000 people per day. And last Saturday saw the highest turnout – about 70,000.
From Friday, people will be allowed to pay their respects to the King in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace, where the monarch’s body rests.

Sourse: The Nation