General mourners can pay respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace from Oct 29 to Jan 20 next year as the accumulated number of mourners in the palace areas has exceeded 1 million.
Maj Gen Pongsawat Pannajit, deputy commander of the 1st army, on Monday mentioned the period for people to pay respects at the hall where the body of the late King is.
He said that the throne hall would be opened at intervals to about 10,000 mourners a day in total since royal rites were scheduled there too.
Maj Gen Pongsawat also said that traffic near the Grand Palace and the adjacent Sanam Luang ground was very heavy during the weekend but public cooperation helped ease the jams.
He thanked medical volunteers for aiding many people passing out and advised children and the elderly hold written cards showing names, contact information, and details of illnesses and medications to facilitate rescuers.
He urged donations of garbage bags and dried foods which he said were much needed.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau reported that from Oct 14 to 23, about 980,000 mourners turned up at the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang.
About 120,000 people were at Sanam Luang on Oct 14 when the body of late King was brought from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace.
The crowds at Sanam Luang peaked on Oct 22 or last Saturday when the mass singing of the royal anthem was organised. Police estimated about 200,000 people gathered there.
On other days, the numbers of mourners at Sanam Luang ranged from 40,000-60,000 a day. At the Grand Palace, mourners' numbers ranged from about 18,000 to 44,000 a day.
Officials prepared queue cards for 45,000 mourners visiting the Grand Palace on Monday. They received the cards and had their bags checked in front of nearby Wat Maha That before entering the palace.
