FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Grand reception planned for King’s first appearance after coronation

Grand reception planned for King’s first appearance after coronation

Citizens will get the first glimpse of their newly crowned monarch in person on May 6 when His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn grants audience to the public from the balcony of the Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall within the Grand Palace.

Prime Minister’s Office permanent secretary Patcharaporn Inseeyong yesterday invited Thais to don yellow shirts – yellow being the colour associated with Monday, the day of the King’s birth – and gather outside the edifice on Sanamchai Road at 3pm.
May 6 has been declared a public holiday. 
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will be positioned in the main area beneath the balcony with representatives of the Army, Navy and Air Force and will lead the crowd in expressing their best wishes to the King. 
Later, he will grant an audience to foreign diplomats at 5.30pm in the Chakri Maha Prasad Throne Hall.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to be on hand for the historic moment, capping a weekend of coronation ceremonies. 
Forty roads around the Grand Palace will be closed to traffic throughout the coronation events, from Saturday onwards. The Transport Ministry is offering free public buses, trains and ferryboats during the period. 
Also, people visiting Sanam Luang can enjoy free food from Saturday through Monday, courtesy of His Majesty. 
The government will on May 6 be distributing 80,000 boxes of food separately, as well as 300,000 plastic bottles of water and 100,000 commemorative pins, all bearing the date and the royal insignia.
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry will hand out auspicious plants to whoever wants one. 
Patcharaporn said that dusk on that day will bring an elaborate demonstration of affection for the King. 
“At around 7pm a light-and-sound display incorporating a fleet of drones will form words of good wishes to the Chakri Dynasty. Software was used to create the program that will control dozens of drones and it will last for a long time.”
The Culture Ministry yesterday also announced plans to produce 13 keepsake books documenting this coronation and those of the past, in both Thai and English.
“People are invited to share the photos they take this weekend, and the best images selected will be published in these books,” Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat.
Mail your best snaps to [email protected]. Get more details from the ministry hotline, 1765.

Grand reception planned for King’s first appearance after coronation

Songkhla Governor Weeranan Pengchan yesterday plants a |royally-granted “Yellow Star” tree in front of City Hall to mark His Majesty’s coronation on May 4-6. All provincial governors earlier this month obtained the Yellow Star trees, a symbol of the reign of King Rama X, to be planted at provincial halls and important sites.
The Interior Ministry yesterday also ordered the governors of all provinces to plant “Yellow Star” trees, which is the tree of the 10th Reign, doubling as a birthday greeting for His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, the King’s son, who was born on April 29, 2005.

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