December 5 activities announced
THAILAND will continue to celebrate the December 5 birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which is also a holiday officials at Government House said yesterday.
Assistant Government Spokesperson Colonel Taksada Sangkhachan said the Bureau of the Royal Household would conduct royal activities, merit-making ceremonies and the granting of rankings to Buddhist monks on the day, as has been done in previous years.
Further details, including whether the day would continue to be celebrated as Father’s Day, will be announced later, Taksada said.
She said further discussions on the issue would take place within the next two weeks.
The birthday of the late King, the father figure of the country, has been celebrated as Father’s Day in Thailand since 1980, and as Thai National Day since 1960.
In 2012, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations also hailed December 5 as World Soil Day in honour of the King’s contributions to agricultural innovations.
Taksada added yesterday that January 2 and 3 would be substitutions for the New Year holidays, in place of December 31 and January 1, which will fall on the weekend.