Construction of the royal crematorium for King Bhumibol Adulyadej will finish before the deadline of Sept 30 as progress has been faster than expected, says the committee in charge of its construction.
Speaking after inspecting the work site Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn, who chairs the committee overseeing the building of the royal pyre and restoration of royal chariots for the cremation ceremony, said all of the foundation and design work have been done.
"Our construction team has developed a new technique which allows craftsmen to work more safely and quickly. With the traditional method, workers have to climb up to work on top of the royal crematorium, but with our new method everything will be built on the ground before being assembled block by block by cranes," Gen Tanasak said.
The deputy premier said almost every piece of artwork will be built in the pavilion, called Sala Vithanasathapaka, on the construction site, consisting of four separate rooms for painting, sculpting, woodworking and building the royal urn.
"With these rooms, our team will not have to struggle in the rainy season from July to August. That's why we think building the royal crematorium and its compound will be completed earlier than planned," he said.
According to the Fine Arts Department, the royal pyre will have a square-shaped base of 60x60 metres and be 50.49 metres high. It will depict Mount Sumeru which, according to traditional belief, is where the King's divine spirit will return.
Phra Merumat with bussabok (movable thrones) on top will be adorned with deities and creatures from the Himmapan (Himavanta) mythological forest in the middle.
The creatures will also include garuda, a large mythical bird, as it is believed the creatures will carry the King and help him return to heaven.
The layout of the ceremony venue was designed based on sacred religious places across Rattanakosin Island.
The positions of the structures at the north and east of Sanam Luang will be designated in accordance with the location of pagodas in Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) while those in the western and eastern areas will be positioned in a way similar to the ordination hall of Wat Maha That Yuwarat Rangsarit.
The committee in charge of the construction also recently agreed on a plan to build six small golden urns decorated with diamonds and precious stones, and a new royal chariot called Ratcharot Peunyai (cannon chariot) to show special respect to the King.
The small golden urns will be used to collect the King's ashes. Some of them will be placed at the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, while the rest will be given to His Majesty the King and members of the royal family.
Meanwhile, a new chariot will be made to carry the royal urn at Sanam Luang, and Phra Maha Pichai Raja Rot, a chariot built in 1796, will carry the royal urn from Wat Pho to Sanam Luang.
Gen Tanasak said that the first pillar of the building will be erected at Sanam Luang by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Feb 27. Gen Prayut will also hold a Brahmin ceremony for the royal crematorium on the same day.
The deputy prime minister said that he also plans to promote the construction site of the royal pyre as a tourist destination and also for the general public, but only after all of the dangerous phases have been completed.
Video by Apichart Jinakul