Preparing for the final farewell

As the royal funeral for King Bhumibol Adulyadej is less than three months away, craftsmen and officials responsible for building and decorating the royal crematorium rarely have a rest day. Hard at work, their skillful hands and trained eyes focus on the minute details of the decorative art pieces for the final farewell.

Among the experts, about 10 officials of the Office of Traditional Art's painting section as well as some 100 volunteers have been beautifying more than 500 large-scale sculptures of gods, angels and mythical creatures, as well as 90 small stucco statues. Their workshop is at the Hall of Sculpture near Sanam Luang.

"This year, our work has improved from the last time we had a royal funeral. The colours are better matched and applied," said Surathkij Pheeraphongsil, a specialist who is in charge of painting sculptures for the royal crematorium. "The officials closely supervise the work of the volunteers who are determined to strictly follow all the requirements."

According to him, the fibreglass sculptures of 400 deities and angels and 100 mythical Himaphan Forest animals were shaped and moulded by the office's sculptors while the 90 small stucco statues were created by a group of Phetchaburi craftsmen. The former have been painted with oil paints and the latter by 60 shades of acrylics.

The use of stucco statues from Phetchaburi is similar to the royal funeral of Princess Bejraratana Rajasuda, but the sizes are bigger this time because the royal crematorium and compound are larger.

The statues will be installed in pairs. For example, a large horse sculpture and smaller stucco horse will be placed together and there will be water flowing from their mouths. In the middle will be the sculptures of Himaphan Forest animals.

Prasopsuk Ratmai, head of sculpture at the Office of Traditional Art, supervises his unit in creating sculptures for decorating the royal crematorium, including Hindu gods Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Indra, the standing and sitting angels, the Garuda and auspicious animals. The principle of work is to highlight the outstanding quality of art in the reign of King Bhumibol -- the quality of being realistic, natural and reflecting Thai aesthetics.

Before the painting process, the sculptures were shaped and moulded. Sombat Thanatkij, a sculptor, said some of the office's artists worked on the statues at their headquarters in Nakhon Pathom, while some other sculptors and outsourced workers made moulds and created fibreglass sculptures in a temporary workshop at Sanam Luang. The moulding took three days for each sculpture.

His team moulded most of the sculptures, including the Hindu deities, 32 sitting angels and eight standing angels, while Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Poh Chang Campus created the sculptures of 10 types of elephant.

Currently at the Hall of Sculpture, the 10 officials and 30 of the volunteers paint the statues every day from 9am-9pm. Their work will be completed before the end of September.

One of the volunteers, Pittayaporn Onaga, 60, who has a bachelor's degree in interior design and has been doing this volunteer work for about three weeks, said: "Of course, I am so proud because I want to do something for King Rama IX. This is what I can do for him and this is the last opportunity."

Another volunteer, Chaipoj Sengthaisong, 41, who has a traditional painting degree from Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Poh Chang Campus and does volunteer work at the hall every evening, said: "I have the duty to paint the sculptures and draw Thai motifs on them. I am so delighted to do this task. So are my 10 former classmates who are also volunteers."

The construction of a royal crematorium requires all branches of Thai traditional arts and craftsmanship. The royal funeral is, therefore, a showcase of Thai architecture, sculpture, painting, woodcarving and fretwork embroidery, and flower arranging.

According to Buddhist belief, a king is a Bodhisattva who will reincarnate as the future Buddha. Being a king is the opportunity to do good deeds to accumulate merit and charisma to be reborn as Buddha. According to the Brahman doctrine, a king is an avatar of the three mighty gods, Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu.

The royal crematorium, according to the past designs and Buddhist literature Traiphum, represents Mount Sumeru, or the centre of the universe, surrounded by the Himaphan Forest.

According to tradition, a royal crematorium for a king can only be designed in the shape of a busabok. The royal crematorium for King Bhumibol consists of nine busaboks -- a tall structure, placed on a three-tiered square-shaped base with a staircase on each of the four sides.

The roof decoration is in the shape of an arch called phakkawam, which looks like the aura around Lord Buddha and represents the Dusit level of heaven, to where the late king will ascend according to religious belief.

The first tier of the base of the principal busabok is adorned with the statues of Brahman deities Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, Indra and Ganesh. The second tier is decorated with the statues of gathering angels, or thep choomnoom. The next tier features statues of Gurada, or Vishnu's carrier, in combat with the Naga. Each of the four corners is placed with a small busabok for four monks to sit and pray.

On the second layer of the base, each of the four corners has a small busabok for keeping the royal golden urn, the kalamet wooden urn and some equipment. This level is decorated with statues of various legendary tigers and lions.

Each of the four corners of the lowest level is decorated with the statues of four world-safeguarding deities, or thao chatulokkaban. Around the lowest layer of the base is a pond representing the Anodard Pond and small replicas of mountains adorned with statues of mythical animals.

According to Fine Arts Department director-general Anandha Chuchoti, every task given to the Fine Arts Department for the royal funeral will be completed by the end of September.

The royal funeral ceremonies are scheduled to take place on Oct 25-29, with the royal cremation set for Oct 26. As of last week, the construction of the royal crematorium and surrounding buildings as well as the creation of sculptures are over 70% completed.

During our last visit -- the press are allowed in from time to time -- we saw a rice field and a monkey's cheeks-shaped pond taking shape in front of the royal crematorium compound.

Pornthum Thumwimol, one of the landscape architects of the Fine Arts Department responsible for the landscape of the royal crematorium, said: "Around the royal crematorium is a model of Anodard Pond. In front of the compound is a rice field with a Thai number nine-shaped dyke covered with gold-coloured soil. The rice field will feature three strains of rice plants in three sizes, provided by the Department of Rice."

In addition, there will be two check dams and a deep pond in which two types of aerators, designed by King Bhumibol, will be installed. Water from there will be used in watering trees in the precinct. All the trees there are relating to King Bhumibol. They include nine Yang trees and six mango trees of the Maha Janaka strain. Vetiver grass will be grown on the edges of the pond to prevent soil erosion.

"We want to deliver meanings related to King Rama IX under two concepts -- his ascending to heaven and his work, including many royal projects. His palace even has rice fields instead of beautiful gardens," the architect said.