We still have our beloved King by our side'

By THE NATION

 

 

TODAY MARKS the first anniversary of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s passing and a reminder for Thais of the special place he has in their hearts.

 

Many may view him still as the father of the country and the nation’s guiding light. 

 

Sitting on the throne since 1946, the late King reigned over Thailand with remarkable devotion to his people until his passing on October 13 last year. 

 

For 12 months already, people have mourned his departure. 

 

 

People break into tears at Siriraj Hospital on October 13 last year after hearing the official announcement about the passing of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 

 

More than 12 million mourners have prostrated themselves before his Royal Urn inside the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall despite the heat, the rain and the long queues. 

 

Others paid homage to the much-admired monarch at other designated venues and events in his honour across the nation.

 

“I have attended more than 100 exhibitions about our beloved King during the past 12 months,” said Natthanan Ussaneemas, a company employee. “I have also joined many sandalwood-flower making sessions.” 

 

The flowers will be used for the Royal Cremation Ceremonies and related rituals, to be held between October 25 and 29. 

 

As Natthanan recounted the many activities in which she had participated, it became clear to her that the late King had truly lived the oath of his ascension to the throne: “We shall rule with righteousness for the benefits and happiness of Siamese [Thai] people”. 

 

 “He’s our guiding light,” Natthanan said. “He has done a lot for Thailand and Thai people. By embracing his teachings and following in his footsteps, we still have our beloved King by our side. This way, he remains with us forever.” 

 

She is among millions of Thais who have found a way to cope with the much-revered King’s death. 

 

Narongrit Maisak, who works for a company in Nonthaburi, said the former King’s passing was a massive loss to Thais given his benevolence and contributions to the country. 

 

“Even after one year, it’s not easy to accept what happened,” he said. “I promise to myself that in remembrance of the much-beloved king, his picture will always hang high at my home and I will follow his teachings. I will follow in his footsteps.” 

 

 

Kanjana Klong-anan, a senior executive at Siam Commercial Bank and a recipient of King Bhumibol’s scholarship, said she cried the hardest in her life on October 13 last year upon learning about the King’s passing. 

 

She admitted she still felt sad despite the passage of time. But having looked up to the late King all her life, she thought her role model would be unhappy if his people were just buried in grief. “I believe all of us had better focus on doing our duty well and embracing His Majesty’s teachings. That must be what His Majesty would want to see, I think,” Kanjana said. 

 

The successful working woman has pledged to share her knowledge with others in the hope of creating opportunities for them.

 

“I intend to be a giver,” Kanjana said, following in the footstep of the late King’s many acts of giving.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30329152

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-13

Offering to monks on anniversary of King’s death

By The Nation

 

 

Members of the public attend a morning alms offering ceremony on Friday to 199 monks from 14 temples at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital to mark the first anniversary of the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

 

People also stood still with their heads bowed in front of the late monarch's portrait for 89 seconds in the hospital's grounds around the Prince Mahidol Memorial Statue, as part of an event called “Sirakran Phra Bhubalnawamin” to mark the anniversary of the day His Majesty King Rama IX passed away at the hospital. 

 

 

Part of the dried-food offerings to the monks will be sent to Border Patrol Police (BPP) Schools in tribute to the late monarch's example of helping others.

 

Hospital executives and personnel also joined in decorating the hospital grounds with marigolds, whose colour yellow represents Monday, the late monarch's birthday.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30329180

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-13

PM leads tribute on anniversary of King’s death

By The Nation

 

 

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday morning led Cabinet members and their spouses in giving alms to 89 Buddhist monks at Government House to mark the first anniversary of the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

 

Various state agencies nationwide also held similar merit-making events in tribute to the late monarch, including those under the banner of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF). 

 

 

To mark the anniversary of the day His Majesty King Rama IX passed away, RTAF deputy commander-in-chief General Hassapong Yuwanawattanaha presided over a ceremony at the armed forces’ headquarters in Bangkok to give alms to 89 monks and to make merit for the late monarch. 

 

For the Royal Thai Navy, chief-of-staff Adm Luechai Ruddit presided over an alms-giving ritual to 199 monks and a release of 889 birds and 18,889 fish. The navy will also host an event on Friday evening at the Navy Conference Hall's Thassanapirom Plaza, where an exhibition and a concert of songs composed by the late monarch would be held. Then at 7.19pm, a candlelight ceremony would begin followed by the participants' joining in standing still for 89 seconds in memory of the late King.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30329181

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-13

Thai monks receive alms to mark a year since death of King Bhumibol

 

The Royal Crematorium site for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej is seen near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand October 12, 2017. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand on Friday held a nationwide Buddhist almsgiving ceremony to mark the passage of a year since the death of its revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a father figure to the nation during a reign that spanned seven decades.

 

As many as 199 Buddhist monks in orange robes participated in the event at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, the capital, where the king spent most of his twilight years being treated for various ailments before his death last year on Oct. 13.

 

The monks filed past hundreds of Thais clad in mourning black, receiving packages of biscuits and bottled water, among other items, in large brass alms bowls, as a way of amassing merit for the "people's king", who helped shape the Southeast Asian nation in the decades after World War Two.

 

"We'll remember his goodness and follow his every footstep," said one of the mourners, Laksana Lueprasert, 65, her voice breaking as she said the feeling of loss would never fade from her heart.

 

"He is gone, but we still keep him in our thoughts to this day," said Manee Chawalitnate, 58.

 

At Bangkok's Government House, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha led government officials and media in a similar ceremony that observed 89 seconds of silence, to mark the king's age if he had lived until his birthday on Dec. 5.

 

Rows of monks prayed amid portraits of the king bordered with yellow marigold flowers. The nationwide ceremony precedes a royal cremation function on Oct. 26 at the Grand Palace, where Thais will bid the king a final farewell.

 

Though steeped in ancient traditions, the funeral, which will run five days, will allow greater participation by the public than those of previous kings.

 

Artisans have spent 10 months working in Bangkok's ancient quarter to build an elaborate cremation site fashioned after a vision of heaven.

 

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, or Rama X, succeeded his father and has overseen sweeping changes to the royal household, including the running of palace finances.

 

(Reporting by Juarawee Kittisilpa and Aukkarapon Niyomyat; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Clarence Fernandez)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-13