Thais continue to pay their respects to the late King

Thais from across the country have traveled to pay obeisance at the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall, where the late King is lying in state. Government officials and volunteers continue to accommodate mourners and advise on proper conduct and dress code. 

Visitors have expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to pay their final respects. Despite traveling from remote provinces and waiting in line for hours, many mourners said they were not tired or discouraged, but instead felt empowered by their gratitude for the late King. 

On February 20th, the Ministry of Interior facilitated buses traveling from the provinces of Loei, Nakhon Sawan and Nakhon Nayok, carrying a combined 1,500 visitors to the Grand Palace. All who visit the throne hall are given a photo of King Bhumibol Adulyadej as a memento of their visit. As they exit the Deva Phirom Gate, mourners are met with vendors selling greeting cards with drawings by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun. Proceeds from the greeting card sales will be donated to relief efforts in the southern region. 

Bureau of the Royal Household has reported that 4.57 million people have come to pay their respects since the palace doors opened to mourners 109 days ago. People can also visit the Yen Sira Phro Phra Bori Ban exhibition at Sanam Luang, which opens daily from 7:00am - 7:00pm. 

As for the construction of the royal funeral pyre, The Fine Arts Department has laid the foundations and steel frames for the surrounding structure to prepare for the project’s inauguration ceremony on February 27th. Artists have made a wooden and paper model of the funeral pyre to be used as a construction reference, in addition to the computer-generated model.