Government invites public to join in event on Dec 5

BANGKOK, Dec 3 (TNA) -- The government is inviting the general public to participate in an event in remembrance of His late Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on December 5, at the Bhumibol 1 Bridge. Deputy Prime Minister Gen Tanasak Patimapragon said that as December 5 is His late Majesty's birthday anniversary, the government is set to organise an activity in remembrance and to honour the beloved monarch. The event would be hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in which the event would be organised through a collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as the people. The Deputy PM said the even would be held at Bhumibol 1 Bridge because it is a symbolic location in which HM King Bhumibol has given great importance to in His bid to relieve transport burden of the people. His late Majesty also used the location to help solve flood problems by to developing Lad Pho Canal, a natural canal, as a shortcut to quickly sluice water out of the Chao Phraya River to the sea in large volume. Gen Tanasak said the event would begin at 5am with an alms giving ceremony of 999 monks in honour of His late Majesty, after which an 89-second moment of silence would be held. The participants would the carry out a mass signing of His late Majesty's Impossible Dream song and the Royal Anthem. The visitors would also be encouraged to write a postcard to express how they would carry out good deeds to honour the revered monarch, in which the postcards would also be sent back to them at home, the deputy premier said. Gen Tanasak further noted that each participant would also receive a small bag of soil taken from all of His late Majesty's project across the nation as a souvenir, as December 5 is also set as the World Soil Day. The Culture Ministry, meanwhile, would also be selling the book which gathered HM King Bhumibol's speeches and guidance. TAT, on the other hand, has asked that the bridge be temporary closed off between 2 am to 10 am on December 5, while also informed that it would be providing parking spaces for participants at the event at the location as well. (END)