Funeral events for Supreme Patriarch

The public can also observe a 1,383-strong 456-metre-long funeral procession, beautifully decorated according to Thai tradition, to bring the late highly revered monk’s body to the Royal Crematorium at Wat Thepsirintharawas on Wednesday. About 4,000 people are expected to attend the event.

The Office of Performing Arts will present a royal Khon performance in front of the crematorium on that day also.

Former PM’s Office permanent secretary Thongthong Jantharangsu explained that tradition required a procession made up of three parts. The first was a leading parade of military officers from three armed forces. The officers will march slowly to the tune of Paya Sok, which was modified from a Thai traditional song to marching band song by HRH Prince Paribatra Sukhumbhand, the Prince of Nakhon Sawan.

The second part will be a flag-carrying honour parade of people dressed like Thai traditional angels, marching to the tune of traditional musical instruments such as victory drums and conch shell horns. They will walk ahead of a leading royal chariot, which will be |followed by the royal chariot that contains His Holiness’s body in a mortuary urn and then a parade of honour items. 

The third section will feature the priest’s rank items and his relatives and disciples.

Members of the public members have been invited to wear mourning clothes from tomorrow for six days (Dec 15-20). Those wishing to offer “Dokmai Chan” wood flowers for cremation can place them at Wat Bovoranives Vihara and Wat Thepsirintharawas. 

Both areas will feature a highly decorated Dokmai Chan-collecting arch by the Fine Arts Department. People can place the Dokmai Chan at spots set by 46 Bangkok district offices, while 874 districts nationwide will also set up such places to gather Dokmai Chan.

The Fine Arts Department has also designed tailpots in two patterns to present to senior monks who attend the funeral; one featuring the late patriarch’s initials under the three-tier royal white umbrella will be made in 50 tailpots for senior Thai monks. Another20 tailpots, slightly different in shape, will be for Chinese and Vietnamese monks.

For the general public, the department has produced 3.65 million souvenir bookmarks, in 16 patterns. These have already been sent to all |districts offices in Bangkok and 76 provinces.

This afternoon, Wat Bovoranives will host a charity event attended by at least 400 monks from around the country, as well as Thai monk envoys to 13 nations, abbot assistant Phra Theppariyitiwimol said. 

For the souvenirs for His Holiness’s funeral, Wat Bovoranives has prepared a talipot fan and a sack for senior monks who attend today’s charity event, Wat Bovoranives abbot assistant Phra Soponkhanaporn said. 

Souvenir coins depicting a portrait of His Holiness were also made by the Fine Arts Department’s Office of Traditional Arts. The Treasury Department got permission for 300,000 coins to be sold nationwide, the monk said. Earnings, after deducting of expenses, would go to the temple to fund the Somdet Phra Sangharaj Wat Bovoranives Vihara Foundation.

Some 100,000 copies of funeral souvenir booklets about His Holiness’s life have been printed to hand out to guests who attend the funeral on Wednesday. Another 200,000 copies of a photo compilation edition will be handed out on the same day to people placing Dokmai Chan at designated spots nationwide, abbot assistant Phra Sakayawongwisut said. 

HM the King has had a 1.25-metre-tall statue of His Holiness made. It will be enshrined at the temple’s 100th year anniversary pavilion.