Siriraj Hospital prepares Loy Krathong venue for Thai King

BANGKOK, November 28 (TNA)- Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital, in which His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been recuperating, is preparing a venue for His Majesty the King to join in the annual Loy Krathong by floating his kratong, or "loy phra prateep, on Wednesday evening. A space or "plubpla" ground in the compound of the Siamintrathiraj Medical Institute, situated along a bank of the Chao Phraya River inside the hospital where a statue of King Rama V or King Chulalongkorn the Great is located, has been prepared for His Majesty the King to float his krathong, along with other members of the Royal Family. The venue is also a best place for His Majesty the King to view a procession of illuminated boats, jointly organized by public and private agencies, along the Chao Phraya River. People have been travelling to the venue to welcome His Majesty the King and other members of the Royal Family during the event. In other related developments, officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration or BMA were campaigning against the use of fireworks and floating lanterns to prevent fires which could damage houses along river banks. In Hat Yai, Thailand's southern business hub in Songkhla Province, a provincial chief of the Tourism Council Of Thailand, Songkhla's office, Somchart Pimthanapoonporn acknowledged that at least 80 per cent of hotel rooms in Hat Yai have already been booked, a satisfactory figure, although this year's Loy Krathong festival falls on working days, projecting that at least 30 million baht should be spent during the provincial Loy Krathong festivity, amid well-placed security measures. In Chiang Mai Province, Nakhon Chiang Mai Mayor Tassanai Buranupakorn inaugurated the Loy Krathong festival in the traditional Lanna style, called Yee Peng, covering a giant air balloon lanterns competition among temples throughout the northern Thai resort province, featuring a number of well-decorated lanterns. Some of them are as high as a three storey building. This year’s activities during the Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai also include a caravan contest, firework displays in honour of His Majesty the King and the release of special floats, called krathong sai. (TNA)