Typhoon forces rescheduling of Tokyo event to honour King Bhumibol

Typhoon forces rescheduling of Tokyo event to honour King Bhumibol

Tourists warned of gusty winds, heavy storms

A Singaporean receives help from a Hamamatsu railway station staff member, next to a travel warning sign regarding Typhoon Hagibis and possible train cancellations or suspensions. Hamamatsu is located southwest of Tokyo. (Reuters photo)
A Singaporean receives help from a Hamamatsu railway station staff member, next to a travel warning sign regarding Typhoon Hagibis and possible train cancellations or suspensions. Hamamatsu is located southwest of Tokyo. (Reuters photo)

The Thai embassy in Japan has moved forward an event to mark the passing of King Bhumibol to avoid possible disruptions by a typhoon to make landfall in the country this weekend.

The embassy on Thursday announced on the Facebook account the rescheduled event held for the late King to Friday from Sunday as Tokyo and nearby areas will be hit by Typhoon Hagibis from Saturday to Monday.

It will host a religious ceremony for the late King on Friday morning starting at 9am.

King Bhumibol passed away on Oct 13, 2016. The day he died is a national holiday as all Thais across the country and in other countries will hold religious ceremonies to honour him.

The embassy also warned Thais living in the Japanese capital and tourists to visit Tokyo to stay alert on possible strong winds and torrential rains from the typhoon. Thais living along the path of the storm are also advised to stock some necessities, it added.

Hagibis is feared to make a landing on the Japanese archipelago between Saturday and Sunday. It was travelling northward, around 490 kilometres south-southwest of Chichijima Island in the Pacific off Tokyo at a speed of 20 km/h as of 9am (7am Thailand time) on Thursday with winds up to to 270 km/ph.

Japan is planning to suspend many train services in the Tokyo metropolitan area this weekend due to the powerful typhoon, company officials said on Thursday.

Bullet train services to and from Tokyo operated by JR East, as the company is widely known, are likely to be affected.

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