With demand rising for commemorative coins issued during the reign of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Treasury Department on Wednesday released a 100-baht package of five coins.
Commemorative coins issued to honour King Bhumibol being awarded the Humanitarian Soil Scientist award (top) and the 50th anniversary of his royal rainmaking project (below). (Treasury Department photos)
Chakkrit Parapuntakul, director-general of the department, said around one million of the commemorative coins had been sold since the King passed away on Oct 13.
The department had 24 types of commemorative coins in stock, totalling three or four million. They were minted to honour King Bhumibol on various auspicious occasions and are currently available for purchase.
Mr Chakkrit said after the King’s passing mourners flocked to the department, the Bureau of Monetary Management on Chakrabongse Road and the Royal Thai Mint in the Rangsit area to snap up commemorative coins in remembrance of His Majesty. Buyers often took a long time in choosing which coins they wanted, resulting in long lines.
Bundling five 20-baht coins into one pack would help save time, and make it more convenient for buyers.
Each person is allowed to purchase only two sets.
The five-coin series was minted to celebrate His Majesty’s achievement in receiving the Humanitarian Soil Scientist award from the International Union of Soil Sciences for his dedication to soil resource management, the 60th anniversary of the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, the King’s 80th birthday anniversary, the 50th anniversary of the Royal Rainmaking Project, and the 80th birthday anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
People dressed in black line up at the Treasury Department on Wednesday to snap up commemorative coins in honour of the late King. (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)
Meanwhile, the joint Peace and Order Administration Centre is preparing measures to handle an influx of mourners planning to pay respects to the late King before his urn in the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace on Saturday.
About 10,000 mourners are allowed into the hall each day, but the centre expects the number of people to exceed the limit.
Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana said after another meeting of the centre on Wednesday that more people could enter the hall if the situation permits.
Mourners can wait for other days to show respect to the late King as there is no plan to close the hall for the public, added the minister, who is secretary of the centre.
Hundreds of thousands of mourners packed Sanam Luang last Saturday to sing the Royal Anthem for the late King. The same scenario could be seen this coming weekend, as Saturday is the first day that mourners are allowed to pay respects to King Bhumibol before his body in the hall.
People going inside Sanam Luang and the area around the Grand Palace have to go through x-ray machines for weapons at all eight entrances for security reasons.
On Tuesday alone, more than 200 sharp objects such as knives and cutter blades were seized on the spot, police said.
