PICS: Sea of black as thousands flock to Thai king's funeral

Published Oct 26, 2017

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Bangkok - Hundreds of thousands of

black-clad mourners crowded Bangkok's historic quarter on

Thursday as the cremation of the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej

officially began with Buddhist religious rites and ceremonial

candle-lighting by saffron-robed monks.

Many of those lining the Thai capital's streets had slept

overnight on pavements near the Grand Palace to capture vantage

spots for the funeral procession that wended past buildings

draped in yellow marigolds.

"This is the last goodbye," said one tearful visitor,

Pimsupak Suthin, 42, who travelled from the northern province of

Nan to attend the function. "I really love and miss him. It is

very difficult to describe."

King Bhumibol, also known as King Rama IX, died last October

aged 88 after ruling for seven decades. He played a pivotal role

in maintaining stability during years of political upheaval and

rapid development.

At the start of the ceremony, officials dressed in blue and

orange removed a symbolic golden urn from the Dusit Maha Prasart

Throne Hall and carried it through the streets to a 50-metre-high royal crematorium in a nearby square.

The king's body was moved to the cremation area on Wednesday

night from the palace, where it had been lying in state since

his death.

New King Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over religious

chanting in the afternoon prior to the cremation at the royal

crematorium, which features nine spires to mark the reign of his

father, the ninth member of Thailand's Chakri Dynasty.

One of the late king's daughters, Princess Maha Chakri

Sirindhorn, lit candles inside the crematorium.

Thailand's supreme patriarch, Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong, led

the religious ceremony, urging Thais to follow Buddhist

teachings and "look beyond sadness".

Royals from Bhutan, Britain, Japan, Lesotho, the

Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden, among others, attended

the funeral ceremony on Thursday.

Officials in charge of the ceremony said about 110,000

people had gathered near the cremation area, with 200,000 more

nearby.

The realisation of the king's departure was now sinking in,

said funeral ceremony volunteer Petchpailin Jaidee, 60.

"The cremation makes it real," she added. "I feel like he is

truly gone, and it feels like the sky is falling."

A sum of $90 million has been set aside for the funeral, the

likes of which has never been seen in Thailand, officials have

said, even though King Bhumibol was portrayed as a frugal man

despite being one of the world's wealthiest monarchs.

Elsewhere in the Thai capital and around the country, 85

smaller replicas of the royal crematorium and more than 870

pavilions were built for mourners to lay sandalwood flowers and

pay their final respects.

Sites to offer sandalwood flowers were also set up in 94

countries to give overseas Thais a chance to say good-bye.

Many onlookers were visibly moved as dozens of men in

ancient red garb pulled the golden chariot carrying the royal

urn.

Others clutched black and white pictures of the late king

and several prostrated themselves as the urn passed by.

"I was very fortunate to have been born under the reign of

King Rama IX," said Piyamat Potsopho, 38, adding that she had

waited for the funeral procession since Wednesday night.

In Nonthaburi province north of Bangkok, a long queue of

black-clad mourners waited to place sandalwood flowers in a mark

of respect, as volunteers handed out food.

Analysts say the king's death has left a large vacuum in the

Thai psyche.

Thailand has observed a year of mourning and radio and

television stations have played songs dedicated to the monarch

almost non-stop. The songs urge Thais to follow in "father's

footsteps".

King Bhumibol is often referred to as "father" by Thais and

is credited with reviving the popularity of the monarchy.

Days of heavy rain failed to deter mourners, many of whom

pitched tents to secure the best access to the funeral.

Many businesses around the Southeast Asian nation were shut,

while Bangkok's old quarter was draped in garlands of flowers.

Some government buildings placed potted marigolds around the

portraits of the king.

King Bhumibol was born on a Monday, a day that Thais

associate with the colour yellow.

Reuters

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