Mass merit makings, prayers held in honour of Thai King, Queen

BANGKOK, June 9 (TNA) - Mass merit makings and prayers are organised nationwide and in Thai communities worldwide on June 9 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throrn and the 84th birthday anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on August 12. In Bangkok, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha and his spouse, Naraporn Chan-ocha, led Cabinet members and their spouses and people from all walks of life, including members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), military and police leaders, members of independent organisations, civil servants and the general public, all donned in yellow, to offer alms to 770 Buddhist monks on early Thursday morning to pay tribute to Their Majesties the King and Queen on the twin royally-auspicious occasions in front of the Grand Palace. Ten senior Buddhist monks, along with 770 new monks who were recently ordained to pay tribute to Their Majesties the King and Queen, then chanted prayers inside the chapel of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha inside the Grand Palace. At Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital, where Their Majesties the King and Queen have stayed, yellow-clad people from all walks of life, namely medical and nursing personnel, also crowded for a mass alms offering ceremony to 99 Buddhist monks, organised by Siriraj Hospital's Faculty of Medicine, on early Thursday morning to pay tribute to Their Majesties the King and Queen. The activity, held at the hospital's main plaza, was presided over by President of Siriraj Hospital's Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Prasit Wattanapa to show public loyalty to the revered Thai King and Queen. Similar ceremonies were held at Buddhist Thai temples in all other areas nationwide and at overseas Buddhist temples located in Thai communities worldwide. Other religions also performed their religious ceremonies to join the grand celebrations on the twin royally-auspicious occasions. Born in Cambridge, the US Massachusetts State, His Majesty the King is now the world's longest reigning monarch and beloved by his subjects. Meanwhile, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) suggested the public not to throng banks' branches to exchange for the commemorative 70-baht banknote, as the specially-issued bill will also be available after June 9. (TNA)