City Hall will gear up to mobilise facilities, including accommodation, mobile toilets, food and drinking water, to accommodate mourners at the royal cremation ceremony on Thursday.
Wantanee Wattana, deputy clerk for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), said following yesterday's rehearsal of the royal processions, it found that drinking water and toilets were not sufficient for the huge number of mourners expected at the event.
The BMA will conclude an evaluation of its performance from the rehearsal and cooperate with other agencies to improve efficiency in providing services to the public.
BMA deputy clerk Vanchai Thanomsak said up to five million people, both Bangkok residents and visitors from other provinces, are expected to view the ceremony in various areas in the capital.
The government has built nine replicas of the royal crematorium and prepared 42 venues and 62 temples in Bangkok for mourners to lay funeral flowers to pay respects and bid a final farewell to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Mr Vanchai said only up to 50,000 mourners can assemble at the royal cremation ground at Sanam Luang and its surrounding areas during the ceremony on Thursday.
The BMA plans to provide 70 toilet buses (around 700 toilet seats) and 150 mobile toilet units around Sanam Luang to accommodate mourners.
Another 65 buildings including schools, hotels, temples and shops near Sanam Laung will open toilet facilities for mourners who plan to stay overnight.
Yesterday, tens of thousands of mourners assembled at Sanam Luang from dawn to get a full spectacle of the much-awaited rehearsal of the royal processions.
To make sure they got the best spots, some mourners queued since 1am yesterday in order to enter Sanam Luang at 5am. At 7am, pavement areas provided for viewing were fully occupied by mourners.
Despite the event being a rehearsal, mourners wore proper black attire and solemn expressions on their faces. They performed a "krab", laying their front bodies on the floor as a gesture of utmost respect while Phra Maha Phichai Rajarot or the Great Victory Chariot carrying a replica royal urn to the royal crematorium at Sanam Luang and a procession of royal family members led by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn slowly moved past them. Some even sobbed as they saw the sight of the royal urn.
The rehearsal yesterday was for the first, second and third processions of the royal cremation ceremony where the royal urn will be transported from Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace and carried to the royal crematorium at Sanam Luang.
The rehearsal for the fourth, fifth and sixth processions will run today from 8am to 5pm. This is the part of the ceremony where royal relics of the late monarch will be transported from the royal crematorium to the Grand Palace, and the royal ashes will be transported to Wat Rajabopit and Wat Bowonniwet Vihara.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana will take part in the rehearsal of the sixth procession. The princess, who is adept at horse riding and has represented Thailand in equestrian competitions, will lead the cavalry, which is made up of 78 mounted soldiers from the 29th Cavalry Battalion, to transport the ashes of her late grandfather to two temples.
The official royal cremation ceremony will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, with merit-making ceremonies and others done in private within the throne hall.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau has announced it will close more roads and prohibit parking on roads connected to Sanam Luang from Oct 25-29.
According to the announcement published in the Royal Gazette on Oct 20, road closures and parking bans aim to facilitate traffic during the ceremony and accommodate mourners who travel to inner areas to place flowers at the royal crematorium replicas and pavilions.
Four roads will be closed from Oct 25-29 with parking not allowed. They are Phra Sumen Road (from Soi Lamphu to Bang Lamphu intersection); Chakrabongse Road (Bang Lamphu intersection-Chao Fa Road); Chao Fa Road (Chakrabongse Road-Phra Athit Road); and Phra Athit Road (under Phra Pin Klao Bridge-Soi Lamphu).
From Oct 26-29, 15 roads and sois are closed to traffic and no parking is allowed. They are Bamrung Muang Road (Atsadang-Maha Chai); Tanao Road (Si Kak Sao Chingcha-tiger's shrine); Din So Road (Bamrung Muang-Mahannop); Charoen Krung Road (Atsadang-Maha Chai; Ratchabopit Road (Atsadang-Ti Thong); Fuang Nakhon Road (Si Kak Phraya Si-Si Kak Sao Chingcha); Ti Thong Road (Charoen Krung-Bamrung Muang; Ban Mo Road (Si Kak Phraya Si-Chakkraphet); Tri Phet Road (Charoen Krung-Chakkraphet); Chakkraphet Road (Atsadang-Ti Petch); Siri Phong Road (Bamrung Muang-Unakan); Unakan Road (Siri Phong-Charoen Krung; Burapha Road (Charoen Krung-Phahurat; Phahurat Road (Ban Mo-Chakkraphet); and Soi Phra Phithak (Atsadang-Ban Mo).
Parking is not allowed along a section of Chakkrapet Road from the foot of Memorial Bridge to Charoen Rat Bridge. On Thursday, a section of Kamphaeng Phet 6 Road from Ngamwongwan Road to Wat Samian Naree is closed to inbound and outbound traffic.
NEARLY THERE: HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn takes part in the rehearsal of the royal funeral processions.
QUICK MARCH: Royal Guards march along the procession route from the Grand Palace to Sanam Luang.
FIRED UP: a gun salute is fired as the rehearsal of the royal funeral processions proceed.
ON THE MOVE: The royal funeral processions move into Sanam Luang.
FEELING THE HEAT: A soldier's face is covered with sweat as he stands guard.