Coronation Day Will be Celebrated in Grandeur

The Pattaya Times congratulates His Majesty the King on the auspicious occasion of the celebration on May 5th as His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was crowned as Rama IX, the 9th king of the Chakri dynasty, on 5th May 1950. In the present reign, Coronation Day is observed by a series of religious rites lasting for three days.
     On the first day, the 3rd of May, there is a Buddhist ceremony at Amarindra Vinichai Hall in the Grand Palace dedicated to the ancestors of the Chakri House, in which scriptures are chanted and a sermon is delivered by a high monk.

On the second day, the ceremony consists of two parts - a Brahmanic one and a Buddhist one.

The third day is Coronation Day. A feast is given to Buddhist monks and the king is dressed in full regalia. At noon, the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy each fire a salute of 21 guns. Later this day decorations are bestowed on officials and civilians who have done meritorious services to the state and society.

Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul has ordered provincial governors nationwide to organize grand celebrations in honor of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej upon the Coronation Day on May 5.

Speaking in a video conference on Wednesday, April 25, the minister elaborated that HM the King has been upholding the Dasavidha-Rajadhamma, or the Tenfold Code of Moralities of the Ruler, with his wisdom and abilities throughout more than 60 years on the throne.

Mr Chavarat hence gave a guideline to all provincial governors that the celebrative events must be held in grandeur with the inclusion of parades by the monarchy protection volunteers in every province.

The minister also announced that he would attend the events in the central provinces of Pathumthani and Samut Prakan.

Mr Chavarat then asked government officials, monarchy protection volunteers and all Thai people to attend the event to express their readiness to protect, respect and safeguard the royal family.

May 5th is the annual celebration of the much loved King Rama IX becoming officially crowned King of Thailand in 1949. He is the longest ruling monarch on Earth and has achieved remarkable success in instilling community development programs which has benefited the people of Thailand, and elsewhere, enormously. He is loved by the people of the nation and has the utmost respect from everyone in Thailand. The celebration of his crowning is a much revered and important point in the Thai calendar.

His work is not limited to Thailand but has implications for people in need all over the globe. In May 2006, UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, presented the United Nations’ first and only Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award to the King for his magnificent charitable and inspiring work.