His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun has presided over a merit-making ceremony at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall to start Thursday's royal cremation ceremonies for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The King chaired the religious ceremony inside the Grand Palace Thursday morning. It was to allow the royal urn of the late King to be moved to the waiting Royal Chariot of Great Victory, then carried in a gracious royal cremation procession to Sanam Luang.
The Royal Chariot of Great Victory and other chariots are pulled by about 500 soldiers, and bound for the ceremonial ground, where the royal crematorium is located.
Lt Gen Ayuth Aimwong, the director of the Ordnance Directorate, briefed the soldiers preparing for the event on Wednesday. This "historic duty", he said, is for our "beloved father".
Another religious ceremony will be performed after the royal urn is placed at the royal crematorium. The first cremation will be held at 5.30pm, attended by royal family members and other dignitaries, including distinguished guests from other countries. They will lay sandalwood flowers to bid their last farewell to the late King.
The second and last crematorial ceremony will be held at 10pm Thursday in a ceremony presided over by His Majesty the King.
About 100,000 mourners have packed Sanam Luang since Wednesday morning to witness the royal cremation ceremonies and many more were in areas outside the ceremonial ground, including the locations of replicas of the royal crematorium.
In Bangkok and provinces, 85 replicas of the royal crematorium and 878 pavilions have been built for mourners to lay sandalwood flowers to pay their final respects to their beloved King.
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(Video YouTube/ThaiPBS)
