Crowds flock to Ayutthaya for a glimpse of the Monarch
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Thousands of people flocked to Ayutthaya's Thung Makham Yong early this morning in an attempt to claim a spot from where they would be catch a glimpse of HM the King who is scheduled to visit to the province in the afternoon.
Preparations were completed for various activities including an evening light and sound show, a folk boat procession and elephant parades organised by local residents.
Police and other authorities are applying strict security to manage the huge crowd gathering in the province, particularly at the historic Thung Makham Yong.
The King will visit Thung Makham Yong in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, the location of the “monkey cheek” water retention area, a royal project designed to retain and divert floodwater and home to the monument of Queen Srisuriyothai of Ayutthaya.
The monarch harvested rice from a royal experimental rice field in Thung Makham Yong on May 14, 1996.
Thung Makham Yong is in tambon Ban Mai, Mueang district, Ayutthaya province. The area is of much significance not only because His Majesty visited it in 1996 but because it was here that Queen Suriyothai of the Ayutthaya Period fought bravely against an invading army and sacrificed her life defending the Kingdom.
His Majesty has planned the visit to Makham Yong because he wishes to supervise one of his royally initiated projects there.
The trip will be the Monarch’s first long distance trip outside Bangkok since he was admitted to Siriraj Hospital on September 19, 2009 with fever, lung inflammation and fatigue.
HM the King has recovered but has remained in hospital ever since, both for physical therapy and nourishment to regain his strength.
