Army recruits royal chariot pullers before rehearsal in May

BANGKOK, March 30 (TNA) – The Army is recruiting military personnel to pull the 14-tonne royal chariot, carrying the royal urn of His late Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej during the cremation ceremony, set to be held in October. Lt Gen Arwut Aimwong, Chief of the Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department chaired the selection of the chariot pullers on Thursday. More than 500 commissioned, non-commissioned officers and workers from units under the department applied for the honorable jobs, which require physically fit staff, aged under 48 years old. The process to recruit 435 personnel will be completed before the rehearsal in May, he said. Meanwhile, the restoration of the royal chariot and royal palanquins has so far been 80 per cent completed. Pulled by hundreds of men, the royal chariot will carry the ornate urn containing King Bhumibol Adulyadej's body from the Grand Palace to the royal cremation at the nearby Sanam Luang ground. (TNA)