Ayutthaya elephants to pay respects to late monarch

AYUTTHAYA, Nov 4 (TNA) – The Ayutthaya Elephant kraal train ten elephants in a rehearsal to pay respects to His Majesty late King Bhumibol Adulyadej outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Itthinun Khaolamai, manager of Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal said the rehearsal will be performed everyday until Nov 8 when the ten elephants will travel to the Grand Palace. Plai Wang, a male elephant will lead the procession, carrying the picture of the first white elephant of King Bhumibol, named Phra Sawet Adulyadej Phahon. According to the schedule, next Tuesday, elephants together with 200 keepers will leave Ayutthaya by trucks at 4 pm. They are set to arrive by 6 am at the Territorial Defence Command where pachyderms will be dressed up in black like war elephants. The elephant procession will kick off at 09.09 and will pass the Defense Ministry to the Grand Palace’s Wiset Chaisri gate. The elephants will observe a moment of silence and prostrate themselves to pay tribute the late monarch before they will be transported back to Ayutthaya. Itthinun said all elephants performed before the late King on several occasions including the royal historic visit to the Thung Makham Yong field in Ayutthaya in 2012. (TNA)