[61], In early August, plans were finalized to open the cremation site for public and tourist visitation after the cremation ceremonies. Thai King's former mistress vanishes after public stripping of royal title. The king became constitutional monarch when his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, died in October 2016 after 70 years on the throne. [60] While social media live reports are prohibited for the TV networks (which broadcast the bilingual coverage of the events via the state Television Pool of Thailand and was aired via satellite and streamed worldwide online in both English and Thai via the official funeral webpage, the RTA Thai Global Network, NBT World and the YouTube channel of Thai PBS, the first time this has ever been done), people will still post live feeds but with difficulty and the national and international press have been given a special media center at the Thammasat University. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It could be months before the late king's cremation. Video, Christmas celebrations to go ahead in Bethlehem, Covid-19: St Pancras crowds 'totally irresponsible', Covid: Nations impose UK travel bans over new variant, Miss France runner-up April Benayoum targeted by anti-Semitic tweets, US cyber-attack: Around 50 firms 'genuinely impacted' by massive breach, Germany and Finland bring home women from Islamic State camps, Covid-19: Dover port halts traffic to France for 48 hours, Vanessa Bryant, her mother's lawsuit and the value of childcare, Covid vaccine: 'Disappearing' needles and other rumours debunked, Cardinal Pell says his conservative views drove public against him, 'Gone, but not forgotten': Social media pays tribute. King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand died at the age of 88 on 13 October 2016, after a long illness. He had been ill for a long time and died on Thursday. [7][8], On 14 October 2016, the body of the late king was carried by an autocade from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace. A rare release of official palace photos of the Thai King’s royal consort have caused a flurry of online attention, causing the royal palace website to crash, according to reports. They have a point. The Kong Tek ceremony was a Buddhist religious ceremony unique to the Chinese wherein the deceased, together with his personal effects and clothing, was transferred ceremonially to the next life, with special prayers and chants sung by monks. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the office of King Vajiralongkorn had asked for several changes to clauses related to royal power in the draft constitution, a rare intervention by a reigning Thai monarch. On 14 October 2016, the body of the late king was carried by an autocade from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace. 'No time to waste': Biden unveils climate team, Why 'disappearing' vaccine needles aren't a scam. [84][85] Similar incidents happened on the following day in Phang Nga Province. [6], The king died at Siriraj Hospital on 13 October 2016 at 15:52 local time. The event was unprecedented since it was the first time such a ritual was held for any member of the Thai royal family in an official capacity. Buddhist monks then said prayers over the king's remains. [76][77][78] The mourning period prompted concerns from Thailand's tourism industry, which felt that the mood of the country, as well as the cancelled events, would reduce interest in visiting Thailand. [10], The king's body lay in state in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall of the Grand Palace for a period of one year, with daily rites for a period of 100 days. In the weeks after the shooting, the government began to discover compelling evidence that Rama VIII had not committed suicide as they had assumed. A year-long period of mourning was subsequently announced. France, Germany and Ireland are among those suspending flights from the UK from midnight. The 67-year-old King reportedly booked the top hotel in Bavaria with the permission from the local district council as cases of COVID-19 soared across the world. [33], The public square Sanam Luang used as the cremation ground, where the construction of an elaborate, temporary crematorium was started in early 2017 and took only 8 months to complete. Though a constitutional monarch with limited official powers, many Thais looked to King Bhumibol to intervene in times of high tension. Tomorrow, after all, Thailand is closed for mourning, and I have a … Asia. Bhumibol, then an 18-year-old prince, was named king 12 hours later following an extraordinary legislative session. King Maha Vajiralongkorn has reportedly gone into self-isolation in a luxury Bavarian hotel with 20 of his concubines ... who was a former acting commander of Royal Thai Aide-de-Camp Department. The Thai King Is Dead, Long Live the Thai King . [59] The Ministry of Public Health was expected to deploy huge numbers of medical personnel to serve the public and foreign visitors during these days and provide medical assistance. I fear, because I don't know what will come next.". [44] The department issued a job hiring call in the middle of January 2017 for prospective workers in the Sanam Luang royal crematorium complex and for the needed chariot repair and upgrading works. Thai king self-isolates in luxury hotel with harem of 20 women. 17:31: Ceremonial first lighting of the funeral pyre and final honours by the 3rd Battalion. 25 Oct, 2019 09:18 PM 4 minutes to read. After the death of King Bhumibol, political activity was paused during a period of mourning that ended in 2017. [53] For the royal puppet show, it was the first ever to feature a woman performer in keeping with the modern age - Ancharika Noosingha, 43 years old, who was the first female royal puppeteer in history, keeping a historic tradition from the Ayutthaya period. Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn has dismissed Sineenat Bilaskalayani, born Niramon Aunprom and also known as Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, as his official concubine – a title she was granted in a rare ceremony earlier this year.The 34-year-old consort was stripped of her title “Chao Khun Phra” as well as all military ranks and decorations for “disloyalty to the king” and “acting against the appointment of the … [86], On 28 November, the director of a public school in Ranong Province was removed from office for not wearing mourning black on her first day at work. Spilt coverage across all channels and online: Musical concert and ballet: NBT and NBT World, Channel 7, Channel 8, Mono TV, One Channel, GMM25 and Bright TV, 17:00: Final service of merit before the royal relics and ashes and dinner, Sunday, 29 October - Official final day of the mourning period, 11:35: Ceremony of interment of the royal relics to the Heavenly Abode Room, Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall of the Grand Palace, Gen (Rtd) Prayut Chan-o-cha, RTA, the Prime Minister of Thailand and representatives of the national royal funeral committee and Gen Thanchaiyan Srisuwan, RTA, the Chief of Defence Forces, Standard bearer of the Royal Flag of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), The Triple-Poled Royal Funeral Palanquin Carriage (, Royal pages and assistants to the Royal Family, 1st Massed military bands of the 1st Division, King's Guard, First Army, RTA, Band of the 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, King's Own Bodyguard, Band of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, King's Own Bodyguard, Band of the 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard, Regimental Band of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, Prakhom band from the Bureau of the Royal Household and 4 Court Brahmins from Devasathan Temple, The Supreme Patriarch's Minor Royal Carriage (Ratcharoth Noi) carrying the designated representative of Ariyavongsagatanana IX, the, Gen (Rtd) Prayut Chan-o-cha, RTA, the Prime Minister of Thailand and representatives of the national royal funeral committee, and Gen Thanchaiyan Srisuwan, RTA, the Chief of Defence Forces, The Grand Royal Funeral Carriage/Royal Great Victory Carriage (, Chirayu Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Family and Household of Thailand, 2nd Massed military bands of the 1st Division, King's Guard, First Army, RTA, Representatives of schools and business establishments with royal patronage and of the late King's royal projects, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, King's Own Bodyguard, 5th Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard, This page was last edited on 3 December 2020, at 17:14. 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