Were white birds seen in Sanam Luang mystical – or just lost?

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Were white birds seen in Sanam Luang mystical – or just lost?

By The Nation

 

 

THE SOCIAL networks were abuzz over the appearance of a flock of white birds over Sanam Luang at roughly the same time as His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s cremation was taking place on Thursday night.

 

Speculation that the birds’ appearance constituted a supernatural phenomenon was rife, but there were also more mundane explanations.

 

The bird species, even their size, remains unclear, though they appeared to be white – but they definitely were not doves of the sort ritually released on ceremonious occasions. Theerapat Prayurasiddhi, a former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who once led the Royal Forest Department, said he was just about to leave the grounds when he noticed the flock flying over the Royal Crematorium.

 

 

He thought they might be herons, while admitting that it would be unusual for herons to fly at night. Many social networkers sought out more colourful theories. 

 

Assistant professor Pipad Krajaejun of Thammasat University’s Liberal Arts faculty noted that creation myths around the world assign birds the role of deities’ messengers, while they’re also associated with the soul’s journey after death. 

 

“There are no references to birds being freed as part of royal funerals or ordinary people’s funerals in Thailand, and anyway it would be impossible to control their direction,” he said. He pointed out that, since the sky is regarded as Heaven, the bird is the obvious animal to accompany a human soul there. “You can see patterns of flying birds depicted on the mahoratuk drum used in royal processions 2,500 years ago. It’s debatable what kind of bird it is, but the hong [swan] has special significance Asia as a celestial creature. In royal funerals you hear the traditional song ‘Piphat Nang Hong’.” 

 

Eyewitness Theerapat was guessing herons because of the high altitude they reached and the slow speed of flight. Herons that live around Bangkok often nest around the ponds at Dusit Zoo, near Chitralada Palace, he said. “It doesn’t make sense to think of the birds at Sanam Luang as being supernatural. Nevertheless, it reminded me of how kind His Majesty always was to both people and animals. 

 

“I had the chance to attend upon His Majesty on January 9, 2014, to report about the reason wild gaur were dying in Gui Buri National Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan. That evening, we saw a flock of white herons returning to their nests. 

 

“His Majesty gave us much important advice about conserving natural resources – take care of the water, forests and animals – and pass on our knowledge to young people. ‘Help people,’ he said, before leaving for Klai Kang Won Palace. 

 

“Since then, in following His Majesty’s initiatives, more than 100,000 people have visited Chang Hua Man, the royal agricultural project in Phetchaburi, where farmers learn how to improve their water resources and grow vetiver grass to prevent soil erosion.” 

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/kingdomgrieves/30330264

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-28