Cremation Ceremony of King Bhumibol Adulyadej; 26 October 2017

[Ephram]

Official cremation start at 5.30 (ceremony start at 4.30) and actual cremation at 10 (start 8.30)

The official cremation is not real, the real cremation is the later one.

And the actual Cremation at 10 is never shown? any particular reason for it?

Why did King Mahavajiralongkorn and his family leave early?

 

[An Ard Ri]

Here are some photos from the funeral procession

PPE Agency

 

[wyevale]

The cremation is [over]due, but instead there is some sort of televised Concert going on.

It appears [from the few comments in English next to the live feed] that the ACTUAL Cremation will not be shown.

Can anyone confirm ?

 

[Spheno]

And the actual Cremation at 10 is never shown? any particular reason for it?

Why did King Mahavajiralongkorn and his family leave early?

Richard Barrow‏ @RichardBarrow 3h3 hours ago 8pm HM King Vajiralongkorn now leaving the Royal Crematorium. He will be back for the actual cremation at 10pm. This one is more personal.

https://twitter.com/x/status/923537589298069504

 

[Spheno]

The cremation is [over]due, but instead there is some sort of televised Concert going on.

It appears [from the few comments in English next to the live feed] that the ACTUAL Cremation will not be shown.

Can anyone confirm ?

Richard Barrow‏ @RichardBarrow 7m7 minutes ago Thai media reporting that there will be NO live coverage of the cremation tonight. Next live coverage is at 7am tomorrow #KingBhumibol

Richard Barrow‏ @RichardBarrow 1m1 minute ago
Lots of Thais disappointed and confused about what’s going on. Like the media, they were expecting to be able to watch the actual cremation.

 

[Spheno]

Richard Barrow‏@RichardBarrow 3h3 hours ago HM King Vajiralongkorn & members of the Thai royal family line up to say thank you & goodbye to foreign royals & dignitaries #KingBhumibol


**Pic1** **Pic2** **Pic3**


Europian royal ladies wear long black dresses!

 

[wyevale]

What a swizz !

All those HOURS of building anticipation and then NOTHING !

EPIC fail, and anti-climax..

 

[polyesco]

thank you all for the links. what a ceremony!

pictures of CP Frederik arriving to Thailand
http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/images/news3_other-20171026-200704-0.jpg
http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/images/news3_other-20171026-200704-1.jpg

all arrivals can be seen here
Top Stories - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

video of Maxima and other royals paying their respects

https://www.svenskdam.se/2017/10/drottning-silvia-hedrar-thailandska-kungen/

three heirs from Denmark, Norway and Luxembourg
https://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/frederik-joachim-700x395.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2017/10/26/13/wire-1602134-1509020691-337_634x350.jpg

more royals
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNDoOg1U8AAcDLI.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNDuwL9UQAE1bm0.jpg
http://imageupper.com/s11/1/6/A1509034774313571_1.jpg

Frederik and the king of Thailand
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNEQ2rqVAAEt2eZ.jpg

https://twitter.com/x/status/923537945360863233

 

[Spheno]

Richard Barrow‏ @RichardBarrow 2 minutes ago 11:30pm A government spokesman has said that the cremation has already taken place

 

[Jeannedeorleans]

A let down but understandable with the queen being sick.

 

[Spheno]

Richard Barrow‏ @RichardBarrow 51s52 seconds ago The next live broadcast will be at 7am on Friday for the collecting of the Royal Relics & Royal Ashes. This will be followed by a procession

 

[maria-olivia]

I have a question about the white uniform of the Royals. Some Houses have others not. Is it more important than the black Uniform.
It is worn as well for Weddings as for Funerals ?

 

[Spheno]

I have a question about the white uniform of the Royals. Some Houses have others not. Is it more important than the black Uniform.
It is worn as well for Weddings as for Funerals ?

Many uniforms have summer (white) version. Obviously Royals wore summer version of their uniforms in Thailand.

 

[wyevale]

queen being sick.

Queen Sirikit has been unwell [and invisible] for YEARS. Is that the reason the authorities have given for depriving the Thai people [and the World] the apotheosis of these impressive farewells ?

And with it, a distinct lack of 'closure'...

 

[LadyFinn]

Queens Silvia, Maxima, Mathilde and Sofia.

 

[Mbruno]

thank you all for the links. what a ceremony!

pictures of CP Frederik arriving to Thailand
http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/images/news3_other-20171026-200704-0.jpg
http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/images/news3_other-20171026-200704-1.jpg

all arrivals can be seen here
Top Stories - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

video of Maxima and other royals paying their respects

https://www.svenskdam.se/2017/10/drottning-silvia-hedrar-thailandska-kungen/

three heirs from Denmark, Norway and Luxembourg
https://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/frederik-joachim-700x395.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2017/10/26/13/wire-1602134-1509020691-337_634x350.jpg

more royals
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNDoOg1U8AAcDLI.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNDuwL9UQAE1bm0.jpg
http://imageupper.com/s11/1/6/A1509034774313571_1.jpg

Frederik and the king of Thailand
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNEQ2rqVAAEt2eZ.jpg

A funeral ceremony in a completely foreign culture (in this case, a Buddhist one) must be very tricky to attend for someone brought up in a western Christian culture. Luckily for the European royals, they must have been extensively briefed by their respective foreign ministries and courts on what to do or not to do in such circumstances.

 

[Mbruno]

Queen Sirikit has been unwell [and invisible] for YEARS. Is that the reason the authorities have given for depriving the Thai people [and the World] the apotheosis of these impressive farewells ?

And with it, a distinct lack of 'closure'...

The actual burial of European kings and queens is not normally televised, is it ? The public normally only gets to see a funeral mass (or service in a Protestant country), while the burial itself is attended by family members only. So it doesn't surprise me that the cremation properly was not broadcast. It would be actually rather morbid if it were.

 

[Jeannedeorleans]

The actual burial of European kings and queens is not normally televised, is it ? The public normally only gets to see a funeral mass (or service in a Protestant country), while the burial itself is attended by family members only. So it doesn't surprise me that the cremation properly was not broadcast. It would be actually rather morbid if it were.

It has always been broadcasted though, this is the first time it isn't. We even saw that officers had to sprinkle water to control a flame for his mother (it was heavier than expected, we changed to electric furnace after her.)

 

[wartenberg7]

I have a question about the white uniform of the Royals. Some Houses have others not. Is it more important than the black Uniform.
It is worn as well for Weddings as for Funerals ?

White uniforms are often worn in tropical, or warmer, southern countries. It is not more or less "important" as the darker ones. At the wedding of the former King and Queen of Greece in Athens almost every male wore a white uniform.
It is not only worn for weddings or funerals, but for every state occasion when a uniform is required. The late Thai King was, of course, head of the thai armed forces. So it is only natural that uniforms are worn for his funeral.

 

[maria-olivia]

Thanks Wartenberg ans Spheno !

 

[Al_bina]

Thanks for the updates and links!
The ceremony was elaborate. Thailand did an amazing job managing the event. It was nice to see Princess Zara Salim accompanying her husband.

 

[Princess Larisa]

Queen Sirikit has been unwell [and invisible] for YEARS. Is that the reason the authorities have given for depriving the Thai people [and the World] the apotheosis of these impressive farewells ?

And with it, a distinct lack of 'closure'...

I’m confused what you’re complaining about. When have you seen the actual interment or cremation of the coffin for a European royal funeral? All we see is the procession and the church service. Exactly what we saw in Thailand.

 

[Somebody]

I guess people are surprised about this last minute change without notice. The country has been building up to this moment for over a year and previously it was always televised... See Jeannedeorleans' comment.

It has always been broadcasted though, this is the first time it isn't. We even saw that officers had to sprinkle water to control a flame for his mother (it was heavier than expected, we changed to electric furnace after her.)

So, suddenly deciding not to show the cremation of the king of decades that almost all Thai grew up with when for example the cremation of his sister a few years ago was shown, is at least confusing and unexpected and requires an explanation to the people of Thailand.

 

[Appleich]

Everybody wants to be there at the crematorium but they phisically cannot. Therefore, televised broadcast has always been a channel, a tool that help them feel phisically represented there at the ceremony site. The sudden change (or maybe planned) of last night's broadcast, of course, upset and dissappointed so many. New king, new custom, new rule, that's all I can say.

Here's a live broadcast of collection ceremony of the late king's cremains and relics back to the grand palace and royal monasteries:

 

[Ephram]

Excuse my ignorance - but what are the Royal Relics? Are they the bones of His Late Majesty?

 

[Countessmeout]

I am a tad confused. I recall asking earlier in the thread about the cremation. I found it surprising that there was a public cremation (all respect to another culture just surprise). I was told that the actual cremation was done privately of course. So I am confused why people are so upset that this time it is not being broadcasted?

 

[Osipi]

I'm just guessing but I would imagine that, like in all cultures, there are things that are done that are symbolic. In the western world, at an internment, for some it is customary for the mourners at the grave site to personally toss in a handful of dirt. Perhaps excluding the Thai people from the normally televised part of the cremation ceremonies are along the same lines. It was missing and people noticed?

Just thoughts.

 

[Somebody]

I am a tad confused. I recall asking earlier in the thread about the cremation. I found it surprising that there was a public cremation (all respect to another culture just surprise). I was told that the actual cremation was done privately of course. So I am confused why people are so upset that this time it is not being broadcasted?

Did you also check the post right after that, which showed the non-private cremation of the king's mother?

I don't really understand why they showed it in the past but if all the Thai were preparing for this and anticipating this moment (for over a year) and only at the time of the cremation found out they couldn't witness it, that suggests at least a lack of communication.

 

[Appleich]

Excuse my ignorance - but what are the Royal Relics? Are they the bones of His Late Majesty?

Yes, relics are referred to bones (พระบรมอัฐิ; Phra Borromma Atthi) and cremains are refferred to ashes (พระบรมสรีรางคาร; Phra Borromma Sarirangkan) left from the cremation.

As Khun Somebody said, we've anticipated that part of the whole ceremony for months and this used to be publicly broadcasted live from 'inside' the crematorium. Actual cremation ceremony is probably the most important part of the whole funeral as it truly is a symbol of final farewell, a divine departure of the late king to heaven.

Video of actual cremation ceremony of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana in 2009
Video of actual cremation ceremony of HRH Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda in 2012

 

[Ephram]

Yes, relics are referred to bones (พระบรมอัฐิ; Phra Borromma Atthi) and cremains are refferred to ashes (พระบรมสรีรางคาร; Phra Borromma Sarirangkan) left from the cremation.
[/URL]

Thank you, Appleich. Now I understand the Royal Relics they put inside the six golden urns later placed on the top of the Royal Platform in the Dusit Maha Prasad are indeed His Late Majesty's bones. I am not familiar with Thai tradition.