Sanam Luang Lit By 1 Million Candles

Sanam Luang lit by 1 million candles

BANGKOK: -- As dusk fell over the Thai capital this evening, over a million people flocked to the historic Sanam Luang ground to show their devotion to Buddhism.

As the moon rose in the sky, the ground in front of the Grand Palace became lit with over a million candles marking Visakha Bucha day, the day commemorating the Buddha’s birth, death and enlightenment.

The head of the organising committee, Gen. Thongchai Kueasakul, told TNA reporters that around 7,800 people were coming to the ground each hour to take part in the candlelit procession.

Although the organizers put their initial target at 500,000 participants, it is estimated that at least 1.2 million people will have taken part in the ceremony by the end of tonight.

Gen. Thongchai however lamented the relative lack of young people, saying that while around a quarter of those participating were drawn from a younger age group, the organizers hoped to increase this figure to 50 percent next year.

This year Thailand is hosting global events to mark Visakha Bucha day, which has been declared a day of international importance by the United Nations. Activities this year include the presence of 560 forest monks, replica images of important Buddha statues from across the country, and special events designed to make religious teaching fun and interesting for young people.

However, the organizers admit that the scale of the celebrations has enabled a number of organizations to participate despite the fact that they are disseminating ‘incorrect’ versions of the Buddha’s teachings or selling products which have nothing to do with Buddhism.

The Sanam Luang ground has something of a strange reputation in Bangkok. The historic centre of the capital, it is also known as a place where prostitutes ply their trade each evening. Gen. Thongchai insisted that the organizers would allow the prostitutes to participate in the celebration if they were interested, although he stressed that the ground would be shut at midnight each night during the week of celebrations.

--TNA 2005-05-23