BANGKOK'S GRANDEST BARGE PROCESSION ON RIVER OF KINGS

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

THE WORLD'S GREATEST BOAT SHOW OCCURRED ON 9 NOVEMBER 2012 IN BANGKOK ON CHAO PHRAYA, THE RIVER OF KINGS AS A FLOTILLA OF MAGNIFICENT BARGES, THE LAST OF THEIR KIND LEFT IN THE WORLD, SAILED DOWN THE RIVER IN AN AWESOME DISPLAY OF THAI CULTURE AND REVERENCE TO HIS MAJESTY KING BHUMIBOL WHICH LEFT THAIS WEEPING WITH JOY AND SHOUTING 'LONG LIVE THE KING!'

Global travellers seeking to add another masterpiece event their list of lifetime experiences got it on 9 November 2012 when they came to watch the majestic Royal Barge Procession along the Chao Phraya river, The River of Kings.

One of the grandest spectacles in Thailand and indeed, the world, the Royal Barge Procession is an ancient tradition that was revived by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1959. This breathtaking water-borne procession is reserved for nationally auspicious occasions and has been held only 16 times during His Majesty’s reign.

This was the 17th time.

The official name of the event is: The Royal Barge Procession to Present the Royal Kathin Ceremony in a part of The Celebration on the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty the King’s 85th Birthday Anniversary 5th December 2012.

The main procession was held between 15.00-16.00 hrs. on 9 November but full dress rehearsals by the Royal Thai Navy was held on 2 November and 6 November at 1500.

King Bhumibol, the ninth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, founded in 1782, is the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, and has since 1989 been the world’s longest reigning incumbent monarch.

Even I, a tourist and non-Thai citizen, admire His Majesty and Her Majesty as much as I revere my Yang DiPertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong.

 The Procession involved barges carrying the deeply revered Buddha image (Phra Buddha Sihing) and members of the royal family to present offerings of saffron kathin robes, food and other necessities to the monks at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).

Truly a sight to behold, the procession consisted of a flotilla of 52 traditional-style barges arranged in five columns, based on a battle formation from ancient times. This is made up of four major royal barges — Suphannahongse, Narai Song Suban H.M. King Rama IX, Anantanagaraj and Anekchatbhuchongse, ten barges with animal figureheads and 38 smaller vessels. The five-column flotilla stretches 1,280 metres in length and 110 across. A total of 2,200 sailors from various units within the Royal Thai Navy served as oarsmen.

The procession took approximately 55 minutes to make the 4.5 kilometre journey down the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun, covering the section from Thonburi Bridge to Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge. The official ceremony ended at approximately 5.30 pm.

The royal barges of Thailand are the last of their kind in the world. The last time that a royal barge procession was organized was on 05 November 2007 for commemorating His Majesty the King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary.

This year, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over the Royal Barge Procession and Royal Kathin ceremony at Wat Arun on behalf of His Majesty the King.

The Royal Barge Procession Program

15:00 Hrs: The Royal Barges were moored at the Vasukri Royal Landing Pier.

15:10 Hrs: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over the Royal Barge Procession and Royal Kathin Ceremony at Wat Arun on behalf of His Majesty the King. The Crown Prince then boarded the Royal Barge Suphannahong at the Vasukri Royal Landing Pier.

15:40 Hrs: The Royal Barge Procession passed Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall.

16:00 Hrs: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn presented Kathin robes to monks at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).