Preparations conducted for Thailand's royal barge procession for King Rama X

BANGKOK, July 5 (TNA) - The Royal Thai Navy, in cooperation with other relevant agencies, is conducting preparations for a royal barge procession of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the first of its kind in the country's present King Rama X reign, set to be held on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok on October 24, 2019. Thai Navy Chief Admiral Luechai Ruddit, in his capacity as the head of a sub-committee on the preparations, told journalists on Friday that the Royal Thai Navy has been assigned by the government to work together with the Royal Thai Police, the Marine Department, the Fine Arts Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to carry out the upcoming royal activity. The navy chief said that the preparations include 10 rehearsals of the royal barge procession as of July 8, two of them are virtual ones, from Tha Wasukri Pier in Samsen area to the Temple of the Dawn in Bangkok Yai area. Besides, a deity worship ceremony for 14 barges will be held at the National Museum in the capital on July 11. According to the Thai navy commander-in-chief, a total of 2,200 navy officers will play the role of oarsmen in the 52-barge royal procession, in which Their Majesties the King and Queen, will be aboard the leading barge, the Suphannahonga Royal Barge, to offer Kathin robes to Buddhist monks at the Temple of the Dawn, after this year's three-month Buddhist Lent period in mid-October. The upcoming royal barge ceremony will be the last activity of the Royal Coronation ceremonies of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, or King Rama X, most of them were held during May 4-6. (TNA)