Thai royal cremation set for six days in November

by John Le Fevre

BANGKOK – Not since the death in 1995 of Her Royal Highness Sangwal Talapad, known affectionately to the Thai people as Somdeth Ya – the Royal Grandmother – has something so deeply affected the Thai people as the death earlier this year of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana.

Born a commoner, the daughter of a poor goldsmith, HRH Sangwal Talapad was orphaned when she was eight years old. At 20 she married a royal prince and gave birth to two sons who became kings.

It’s not surprising that in the 100 days of mourning following her death more than 2.3 million Thai citizens visited the Thai Grand Palace to pay their respects

Born in London on May 6, 1923, Princess Galyani was elevated to Royal Highness after her brother, King Bhumibol Adulyadej ascended the throne in 1946.

Her many charitable works with children, education, public health, rural schools and the poor, earned her immense respect from the Thai people.

The funeral of the late princess will take place between November 14th and 19th at Sanam Luang Park in Bangkok, with a budget of about $US8.8 million being set aside for the ceremony.

The first four days of the ceremony are associated with the cremation, while the latter two with the collection and entombment of the ashes and royal relics.

There will be six grand processions for the four days of the cremation (November 15, 16, 18, and 19) ceremony involving 3,294 soldiers and the three royal chariots.

These magnificent 200-year-old chariots have undergone a full restoration since the death of the princess by a team of Thai artisans skilled in traditional construction techniques.

Two royal palanquins, a type of wheel-less sedan chair known in Thai as Phra Yannamas, and carried by human bearers, will also be used.

The first three processions will take place on Saturday, November 15 when the royal urn, or Kosa in Thai, which has been crafted from three aromatic sandalwood trees, aged 142, 118, and 111 years will be escorted from the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall by 662 soldiers to the Phra Maha Phichai Ratcharot at Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho).

The second procession will move the royal urn on Phra MahaPhichai Ratcharot to the royal crematorium at the Sanam Luang ceremonial site.

Escorted by 1,114 soldiers, it will proceed along Sanam Chai Road, pass Ratchadamnoen Nai Road, and finally turn left to the central road that crosses Sanam Luang.

The third procession, comprising 376 solders, will carry the royal urn by Phra Yannamas Sam Lamkhan to circle counter-clockwise three times around the royal crematorium. Then the royal urn will be moved back to the royal crematorium.

The cremation will then take place on a pyre of traditional Thai style with a design commonly seen in traditional palaces and castles.

The fourth procession, consisting of 822 soldiers, will take place on Sunday, November 16, when the ashes are collected.

It will transfer the royal urn containing the royal relics and ashes from the royal crematorium to the Grand Palace.

The royal relic urn will be placed upon Phra Thinang Rajendhrayan, a royal palanquin, and the royal ashes placed on Phra Wor Siwigagarn, a covered palanquin with two carrying poles.

The fifth procession on Tuesday, November 18, will be joined by 329 soldiers and transfer the royal relics and ashes by PhraThinang Rajendhrayan from Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall to Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, within the Grand Palace compound.

The sixth procession will take place on Wednesday, November 19, when the royal ashes will be transferred from Phra Si Rattana Chedi, a stupa in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, to be placed in a stupa at Wat Ratchabophit Sathitmahasimaram in Bangkok.

A full-dress rehearsal for the royal cremation is scheduled for Sunday, November 2nd, with 2,500 soldiers participating.

For the first three days of the cremation ceremony Thai people will wear mourning black, while entertainment venues throughout the country have been requested to stop their programs, or reduce them in line with the sombre occasion.

While the Thai royal cremation is not being promoted as a tourist event, the pomp, ceremony and pageantry associated with the occasion are sure to make the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, 11 years ago pale into insignificance.

Read John Le Fevre’s full story here
http://photojourn.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/thailands-royal-cremation-set-for-six-days-in-november/