BANGKOK — Funerary rites for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol began Friday afternoon with Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn leading his royal cortege from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace, where he will lie in state for the months to come.
Tens of thousands of mourners were lining along the route that will take King Bhumibol’s body from the hospital where he died Thursday to the Grand Palace. The monarch passed away at the age of 88.
The procession will be broadcast live on national television.
According to the schedule released by the Royal Household Bureau, the motorcade carrying King Bhumibol’s body will leave Siriraj Hospital at around 4.15pm. It is expected to arrive at the Grand Palace about 15 minutes later.
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn will preside over a funeral bath ceremony at the Grand Palace at about 5pm. The bath is an elaborate ancient ceremony in which the prince pours perfumed water over parts of King Bhumibol’s body, combs his hair and lights incense and candles.
Over the following months, the late king will remain at the Grand Palace where monks will recite prayers for him day and night. The palace has not released a schedule for further funerary rites beyond Friday’s ceremonies.
BANGKOK — In the thousands, they squatted Friday on plastic sheets that offered no protection from the searing asphalt and steamed under plastic umbrellas.
Thais from across the realm crowded near the Grand Palace along the route where they would see pass, perhaps for the first time, the man whose image was everywhere all their lives.
With the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Thursday initiating a year of mourning, every person along Ratchadamnoen Avenue was dressed in black, white or a uniform. Some wept; others sat listlessly with wet eyes. Almost all clutched portraits of the only king they have ever known.
They waited for his royal procession to pass after it left Siriraj Hospital on its way to Wat Phra Kaew, where funerary rites would be performed later this afternoon.
Laksami Sinpraset, 60, traveled alone from Chai Nat province as soon as she heard the news Thursday. She went straight to the palace Friday morning
Laksami Sinpraset
“The feeling is completely indescribable. I can’t compare it with anything I’ve ever felt in my entire life,” Laksami said.
She choked up and shut her eyes for a moment before continuing.
“Let’s not talk about the future today,” she said, gesturing shakily toward the black bag packed with her clothes. “I can keep staying here.”
Jidapa “Maprang” Junsun, 43, is a street cook near the palace in the Tha Prachan area along the river. She was frying up noodles she gave to mourners without charge.
Jidapa “Maprang” Junsun (right)
“I want to do good deeds for our father,” she said before getting emotional and turning away from a steaming pan full of mama pad. “He’s not here anymore. I need to keep doing good deeds for him.”
Since 10:30am, Maprang and a group of students from the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University have cooked up huge batches of fried mama noodles and Hale’s Blue Boy red drinks to give to mourners.
“Usually, I go to every single event about the King and the Queen. I will continue to go to every single event about them, I can promise you that,” she said. “I made my boyfriend stop working to come help me. My daughter’s left hand is disabled, and I want merit [from helping out here today] to affect her too.”
Tongmun Dontianpuang, 63, is a homemaker from western metro Bangkok who arrived to the palace at 9am with her family.
Tongmun Dontianpuang
“I haven’t eaten. I cried and prayed all night for him,” Tongmun said. “Still, I think the country will continue to be in good hands. The prime minister is a good leader, like the King.”
Supasit Chinvinijkul, 23, was there with friends.
Supasit Chinvinijkul
“Since I found out yesterday through the official announcement, I’ve cried countless times. I haven’t slept at all and came there this morning with my classmates for him.”
A number of foreign nationals were also present to witness the historic moment.
“I have never seen so many people moved and mourning on this scale. I want to share in this emotional moment with Thai people,” said 33-year-old Stanislas Détroyat, a French engineer. “For them the King was truly a historical character and personage of the Thai people.”
Stanislas Détroyat
Laksita “Ping” Suwachupetnoi, 8, was sitting in the sun next to her mother and sister.
“I came today to send the King. I usually see him on the TV and big signs. I cried last night until my eyes were puffy.”
Laksita “Ping” Suwachupetnoi (left)
The procession was to leave Siriraj Hospital with his majesty’s body at 1pm and arrive to the Grand Palace in time for 5pm funerary rites.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej, seated center, and his family members, from left: Princess Somsavali, Princess Ubolratana, Princess Chulabhorn, Princess Siribhachudabhorn, Royal Consort Princess Srirasm, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, Princess Sirindhorn; after addressing the crowd from a balcony of the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall on his 85th birthday in 2012 in Bangkok. Photo: Wason Wanichakorn / Associated Press
A look at the most prominent members of the Thai royal family:
King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Photo: Associated Press
The world’s longest-reigning monarch, who died Thursday at age 88, was revered by his subjects as a demigod and father figure. He held no formal political power but was seen as an anchor of stability who has stepped to the forefront at crucial moments of Thai history. He was 18 when he was named king in 1946, and married Sirikit Kitiyakara, a beautiful Thai aristocrat he met initially in Paris, in 1950.
Queen Sirikit
Photo: Sakchai Lalit / Associated Press
The 84-year-old queen charmed world leaders in her youth and earned the loyalty of her subjects from decades of work on behalf of the rural poor and the environment. Older Thais think fondly of the fairy-tale romance that led to the royal marriage in 1950. The ailing queen has been rarely seen in recent years. In a rare statement on her health in May 2016, the Royal Household Bureau said she has “insufficient blood in the brain,” a condition that she had at least since 2012.
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
Photo: Sakchai Lalit / Associated Press
The 64-year-old designated heir to the throne is the king and queen’s second child and only son. Vajiralongkorn went to England for secondary schooling before graduating from the Australian Military College in Duntroon in 1976. The crown prince notched more than 3,000 hours in jet fighters after military training courses in the United States. He is qualified in a wide range of aircraft ranging from helicopters to commercial passenger planes. He has held high ranks in the Thai army, navy and air force.
The most beloved royal after her father, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is commonly referred to as “Pra Thep” — or “Princess Angel” — an abbreviated version of her ceremonial title. The king and queen’s third child has a down-to-earth reputation despite her royal status. When taking field trips to rural Thailand, the princess is often spotted with a camera around her neck, scribbling in a notebook, in much the same way the king did in his younger, more active years. Sirindhorn has never married and does not have children.
The eldest child of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit was born on April 5, 1951, in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the young king was studying at the time. She was raised in Thailand and engaged in several activities that the king enjoyed, including sailing. The father and daughter won a gold medal in a sailing competition at the Southeast Asian Games in 1967. Ubolratana graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1973 with a biochemistry degree. She married an American, Peter Ladd Jensen, and as a result was stripped of her royal title under palace law. They had three children but later divorced, and Ubolratana returned to Thailand and took part in royal duties. Her son, Poom Jensen, was lost in the 2004 tsunami. Her two daughters live in the U.S. The princess spearheaded an anti-drug campaign among Thai youth and hosts a TV talk show, giving advice to teenagers.
The king and queen’s youngest child was born July 4, 1957, in Bangkok. She has supported a variety of scientific work in the country and was awarded an Einstein Medal from UNESCO in 1986 for her efforts in promoting science. She has worked as a veterinarian at a university animal hospital. She had two daughters with an air force officer before they divorced in 1996. Princess Chulabhorn likes to play the guzheng, or Chinese zither, and is a fan of Chinese culture.
Princess Bajrakitiyabha
Photo: Mahmoud / Wikimedia Commons
The first grandchild of the king and the queen, Princess Bajrakitiyabha or “Ong Pa” was born to Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and his first wife and cousin Princess Soamsawali on December 7, 1978. She went to Thammasat University in Bangkok, where she studied law, and received a doctoral degree at Cornell University in the U.S. She was appointed goodwill ambassador for U.N. women in 2008 and named the Thai ambassador to Austria in 2012. She later returned home to become a public prosecutor. Among other charity projects, the princess focused on working against violence against women and initiated a project that aims at improving the conditions for female inmates and their children in correctional facilities.
Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana
Photo: Seaman Tatiana Avery / Wikimedia Commons
Born in 1987, Princess Sirivannavari is the youngest of five children born to the crown prince and his second wife. The princess’s four brothers all migrated to the United States with their mother and do not have royal titles. Sirivanavari has interests in sports and fashion. She represented Thailand in badminton and equestrian events at regional sports competitions. She also studied fashion and textiles at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at Chulalongkorn University and studied couture at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. She has shown catwalk collections in Paris and Bangkok and has her own fashion clothing line “Sirivannavari.” She is a regular at the Paris Fashion Week.
Note: Portions of these profiles have been redacted due to the present sensitive climate and draconian lese majeste law.
Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda, in yellow, meets with the junta leaders at his residence Dec. 30 in Bangkok.
BANGKOK — The Kingdom of Thailand began Friday without a King due to Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn’s decision to delay taking the throne as the designated heir of King Bhumibol.
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn said he would take the role of monarch when he was ready, after mourning his father, who died Thursday. Legal experts said the unexpected turn of events could have far-reaching legal ramifications and means that a former prime minister who heads the King’s Privy Council, now acts as regent for the empty throne.
“Right now we have no king,” Peerasak Porjit, vice president of the National Legislative Assembly, said by telephone Friday. “So, all of the royal duties of a king must be done through the regent.”
According to the constitution, in the event a designated heir apparent has not assumed the throne, the head of the privy council – a set of personal advisors to the king – must be made regent, which is 96-year-old Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda.
Peerasak confirmed Prem is now regent in accordance with the constitution.
‘Not Rama X Yet’
The sudden lack of a king in Thailand came as a surprise because the royal succession had been expected to go smoothly. Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn had been heir apparent under the late King Bhumibol since his royal appointment in 1972. There was no other heir.
When King Bhumibol, or Rama IX, died at Siriraj Hospital on Thursday at 88, the government summoned the interim parliament for a meeting to formally proclaim Vajiralongkorn as Rama X. The meeting was set at 9pm.
The constitution also requires the cabinet order the legislative body send its chairman to the Crown Prince and ceremoniously “invite” him to take the mantle as designated by his father. The chairman, Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, was then required to inform the parliament of the Crown Prince’s decision, so lawmakers could endorse him as the new monarch.
But junta chairman Prayuth Chan-och later told reporters that Prince Vajiralongkorn was not ready, as he prefered to grieve for his father first.
“As for the … succession, he wishes to wait until the appropriate time,” Gen. Prayuth said.
Because of the Crown Prince’s decision, Pornpetch did not invite Vajiralongkorn to take up the throne, and the parliament was adjourned without proclaiming Vajiralongkorn as King Rama X.
“He’s not Rama X yet,” Peerasak said, adding that he retains the title of Crown Prince.
Some succession law experts have expressed puzzlement at the news and warned the situation could prove legally problematic.
Thammasat University law processor Kittisak Prokati said interim parliament chairman Pornpetch was clearly required by Section 23 of the constitution to invite Vajiralongkorn, yet he did not do so Thursday night.
“It means the parliament chairman must be held accountable for not performing his duty as described in Section 23,” Kittisak said. “Because he did not invite the Crown Prince, we have a huge case of confusion here, because this case could have been decided by Section 23.”
This story was originally censored on the instruction of Khaosod English’s parent organization. It has since been republished with some details omitted.
BANGKOK— In the wake of His Majesty King Bhumibol’s death Oct. 13, the authorities have called for 30 days without entertainment.
Although officials have said venues can host entertainment events behind closed doors, many are voluntarily refraining for now. Most events have been canceled, and some venues are closed until further notice. Others will remain open as usual, only canceling special events.
What does this mean for people living in the capital? What will be open? What will be closed? We’re continuing to put together what we know to expect so far. Check back for updates and as a general rule: Call ahead first.
Restaurants and Cafes
Most restaurants and cafes will open as usual, but patrons should check with any planned venue as some have announced they will close.
Movies
All movie theaters are operating normally but are not showing certain films such as comedies.
Alcohol
Alcohol is being sold during the usual hours of 11am-2pm, from 5pm-midnight.
Clubs
Some nightlife venues have gone dark, some not. Again, best to check ahead. Beam in Thonglor and Silom’s Whiteline announced they were closed until further notice. Glow Nightclub said it has suspended all events.
Apart from some censorship of foreign media, television is broadcasting normally except many channels have pulled entertainment programs from their schedule.
Concerts
Scorpions’ 50th Anniversary World Tour set for Oct. 26 has been canceled. Full refunds are available at Thai Ticket Major until Oct. 30.
Korean concerts and fan meetings this month have been canceled including: Big Bang on Oct. 29-30, JYP on Nov. 5-6 and FT Island on Nov. 12.
The just-announced Gun N’ Roses concert for Feb. 28 is still on schedule. The organizer will announce on its page if that changes.
Bryan Adams’ concert on Jan. 14 has been postponed until further notice.
Festivals
Wonderfruithas rescheduled its four-day festival in December to Feb. 16-19, with most of the programming remaining intact.
The 14th World Film Festival of Bangkok set for November has been postponed to January.
Over 60 stage plays this year were called off with the annual performing arts festival. The Bangkok Theatre Festival posted Friday evening that refunds would be given.
The Urban Music Festival collab between Studio Lam, Trasher, Dudesweet and Tempo on Nov. 12 was canceled.
The Bangkok Gourmet Festival, set to be held at Royal Paragon Hall on Nov. 4-6, is postponed indefinitely.
Chiang Mai’s Yi Peng Festival, the annual sky lantern festival has been canceled for Nov. 6-15.
The Fullmoon Party on Koh Phangan set for Nov. 14, has been rescheduled for Nov. 15.
Bangkok Marathon set for Nov. 20 has been postponed to early 2017. The dates are yet to be specified.
Government services
The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew have re-opened as of Nov. 1. Members of the public can sign messages of condolences for the late King at the Sahathai Samakom Pavilion, located in the Grand Palace, 8:30am to 4pm daily.
Immigration Bureau: All branches open as usual
Schools and universities are open without change to examination schedules.
Theatre
Rachadalai Theatre has canceled all October performances of “Lordlai Mangkorn The Musical,” and will start its performance on Nov. 17 to Dec. 18. Tickets can be changed without fee at the theatre and Thai Ticket Major.
A notice on Thursday on Thai television channel True. Image: Ouvirak / Twitter
BANGKOK — An order to effectively take over all broadcast content for 30 days to mourn the passing of HM the King was eased Friday morning after broadcasters reached agreement with junta representatives, though an international rights organization urged the regime not to crackdown on the media.
Soon after the death of King Bhumibol was announced Thursday night, all television channels including foreign networks such as the BBC were replaced with government-produced footage eulogizing the king. However the plan to do so for a month was revoked today, a government spokesman said.
“The programming will return to normal this evening after the broadcast of the procession of the royal coffin,” Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.
Lt. Gen. Sansern said there would still be rules in force, such as no broadcasting of entertainment programs such as game shows and soap operas. The National Broadcasting Telecommunications Commission would issue the details, he said.
The military regime initially said the mandate all television content be replaced with state-provided programming would end at midnight.
Teerat Ratanasevi, a TV host at Voice TV, announced on Facebook that the meeting concluded by 11am with the government giving in after a phone call from junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha to allow for a return to normal broadcasting.
Social Media Regulations?
Another order by the government was to ban domestic media outlets from using Facebook Live, presumably for coverage of today’s royal succession to bring King Bhumibol to Wat Phra Kaew. It was unclear how long the ban would be in effect.
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders issued a statement last night urging the junta, known formally as the National Council for Peace and Order, not to restrict reporting by local and international journalists covering events or crackdown on internet users making critical comments.
“We caution Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha against using lese majeste charges to silence either journalists or members of the public, who are the ones most affected by the king’s death,” wrote Benamin Ismail, head of the group’s Asia Pacific office.
Ismail wrote that despite the uncertainties Thailand faced, it was “essential that the media and social networks discuss all political issues including the monarchy and the current political regime.”
In Thailand, the lese majeste law, which punishes criticism of the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison, has grown to effectively prohibit general discussion of the institution.. More than 60 people are currently being prosecuted on charges of violating the law.
BANGKOK — Hundreds of people slept overnight in the streets of the capital to have a spot from which to bid farewell to King Bhumibol Adulyadej as he is brought from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace.
The royal procession will depart from the west side of Siriraj Hospital at 1pm before turning north onto Arun Amarin Road. From Arun Amarin Junction, it will head east on Somdet Phra Pink Klao Road and over the Chao Phraya River to the Sanam Luang. There it will proceed south onto Ratchadamnoen Nai Road alongside the royal park, following it around to go past the visitors entrance to the Grand Palace before turning south onto Maha Rat Road and entering the palace from the western gate.
There, the funeral bathing ceremony will be led by Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn starting at 5pm.
Hundreds gathered in front of the palace before dawn this morning, where starting at 8:30am members of the public were allowed inside to make ceremonial offerings before a portrait of His Majesty at the Sahathai Samakhom Hall.
Public access to make water offerings will end at noon.
People slept overnight for a chance to view the royal procession bringing His Majesty King Bhumibol to the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
Asian elephant Guida walks Wednesday into her new living space, the first elephant sanctuary in Latin America in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil. Photo: Eraldo Peres / Associated Press
CHAPADA DOS GUIMARAES, Brazil — Maia grunts and nervously moves her huge body back and forth while being released from a transport container to a new home. Here, there are no gawking crowds for the Asian elephant that has spent her life in captivity. There are no blows from bull hooks, no one demanding tricks like people did when she was in the circus.
Instead, the first elephant sanctuary in Latin America, on about 2,800 acres in the western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, will allow Maia and Guida, another Asian elephant that arrived this week, to simply roam. The two, along with possibly dozens more elephants in the future, will get veterinary care as they live out their lives in forested areas, pasture lands with hills, large boulders, streams and springs.
“Societies around the world are starting to become more aware of the trauma we have caused these animals” in captivity, said Scott Blais, an American who drew on his experience co-founding a similar sanctuary in Tennessee in 1995 to help get this one off the ground. “We need to build solutions. It’s not enough to simply say they need a different life.”
Children from the Rio da Casca community react to seeing an elephant for the first time, as they watch the convoy transporting Asian elephants Maia and Guida to their new home in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil. Photo: Eraldo Peres / Associated Press
For Blais and his wife, getting to this point was a long road. After years of planning, they moved to Brazil more than two years ago. Latin America’s most populous nation, with a land mass larger than the continental United States, was chosen for many reasons: the variety of real estate available, a team of like-minded people already in the country and an urgent need to take in elephants from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Venezuela. Sanctuary officials estimate there are more than 50elephants in South America that are similar to Maia and Guida: in the last phase of their lives and in need of a home as zoos consolidate and more jurisdictions, including many Brazilian states, prohibit the use of animals in circuses.
Maia and Guida, both over 40 and unable to perform, spent several years languishing on a farm about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) away in the state of Minas Gerais. Not long after both had been released, Guida approached Maia and the two embraced with their trunks.
Blais, CEO of U.S.-based Global Sanctuary for Elephants, and local partners set out to create the sanctuary on a piece of donated land in the northern part of Mato Grosso, a state known for varied vegetation and a tropical climate that includes summer rains and dry winters. But the absence of deeds for all the land, a problem in rural areas of Brazil, made creating the sanctuary there impossible. So the search continued, finally ending with the purchase of land in the state’s southern part for roughly USD$1 million to be paid over five years.
As at other sanctuaries, cameras will allow people from children to scientists to observe the animals while letting them live in peace.
“These days, it’s absurd to have elephants in captivity,” said Junia Machado, president of Brazil Elephant Sanctuary, a local group driving the project. “Having cameras makes it easier to get information about them. We hope this project inspires other sanctuaries.”
Figuring out what to do with aging elephants has become increasingly difficult as their natural habitats come under attack on the two continents they come from. In Asia, the biggest threat is dwindling land. The animals are often illegally hunted for their ivory tusks in Africa, where a large-scale survey dubbed the Great Elephant Census found an alarming 30 percent drop in elephant populations between 2007 and 2014.
Elephant experts say the animals would not survive if they were simply returned to the wild after living in captivity. The gap is slowly being filled by a handful of sanctuaries in countries like the United States, Thailand and Malaysia.
Living in a sanctuary can make a big difference for the highly intelligent animals that have a wide range of personalities.
Blais told of Sissy, an elephant brought to the Tennessee sanctuary in 2000. Sissy had been labeled a killer after a zookeeper tending to her died from crushed ribs in 1997. She was also labeled as autistic and anti-social, and appeared so traumatized that caregivers were not sure she would last long. Sixteen years later, she still lives at the sanctuary, and is thriving.
“We saw that all the things she was labeled with were not her at all,” said Blais. “She evolved into one of the most sensitive, complex beings that I’ve ever witnessed.”
Story: Peter Prengaman, Mario Lobao; additional reporting Eraldo Peres
BANGKOK — Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn said Thursday night he does not yet wish to be named the next King of Thailand, as he continues to grieve for the death of his father, the late King Bhumibol, according to junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Prayuth spoke to the media at the same time the interim parliament opened a special session, initially intended to proclaim the 64-year-old prince as King Rama X, succeeding his father, Rama IX. The Crown Prince will take the throne when he’s ready, the general said.
“He already accepted his appointment as a royal heir, but he requested time to deal with his grief and express his sadness alongside the people across the nation at this time,” Gen. Prayuth said at 9:40pm after a joint meeting between the government and the legislature. “As for the … succession, he wishes to wait until the appropriate time.”
Shortly after King Bhumibol died at Siriraj Hospital, the National Legislative Assembly alerted the media that it will convene a special session at 9pm to formally endorse His Royal Highness Vajiralongkorn as the country’s new Head of State.
The session went ahead as scheduled but consisted solely of nine minutes of silence observed for the late king, surprising many viewers at home.
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn has been the Heir Apparent to his father since 1972, but the constitution permits him to take the throne whenever he wishes to, while the parliament can merely “request” that he honor his father’s bestowment.
It is unclear when the Crown Prince will make that decision. The parliament will reconvene to endorse a new king “after royal ceremonies are over.” Interim parliament chairman Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said at the end of the session.
The government has previously announced a period of national mourning to last one year.
BANGKOK — Hours after the death of His Majesty the King Bhumibol was announced Thursday evening, many despairing Thais remained at Siriraj Hospital to mourn.
Many held out hope of a miracle involving world’s longest reigning monarch, who was idolized by many as a father and role model. Scores of people offered their last thoughts and prayed for him, while others sang outside the hospital where Bhumibol spent most of the last seven years.
I believe in miracles. I shout so that both the King and the angel of death will hear me and let him come back to us. He wants to be with us. He said he would stay until he was 120 years old.
– Sukrit Thanaboonsombat, 46
I no longer want to do anything else in my life. I didn’t prepare for this. He wasn’t even 90 years old. I will sit right here until he walks down.
– Malee Siriphan, 51
I still don’t know what to do next. I heard rumors, but I didn’t believe them. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t handle it, and I don’t think anyone can.
– Thanitsorn Juntim, 56
I’d die for him. If you asked me. The devil is mean. He couldn’t have waited another two months for his birthday? You can go ask the other millions people out there, who like me would die for him too.
– Winai Somcheentet, 55
I’m waiting for a miracle.
– Kanha Chumchaiyaphruek, 56
I can’t see anything, but I just want to sit here for a while. I just love him so much. The King is our father, is our everything. I knew this would happen someday, but I didn’t expect it to be this fast. – Ploynapas Uthaijam, 32
