Their Majesties the King and Queen and members of the royal family presided over the coronation celebration at the Grand Palace on Tuesday. Thousands of Thais gathered around the Grand Palace to greet Their Majesties. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva led the cabinet ministers to an audience with Their Majesties. His Majesty the King’s investiture was on May 5, 1950. Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of his coronation and grand celebrations are planned.
The royal coronation ceremony is considered the most important for all Thai kings, who are required to perform it in accordance with ancient royal traditions. It symbolizes the proclamation of the people’s consent and confirmation of their faith in their kings, in a solemn and sacred rite performed by learned Brahmins. A king is believed to be a reincarnation of a god, as an occurrence in the human world to dispel sufferings and to bring peace and prosperity to the people in the realm under his protective power.
The coronation ceremony of the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej took place at the royal command on 5 May 1950 in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. On May 4, prior to the coronation ceremony, the gold plate inscribed with His Majesty’s horoscope and the Royal Garuda Seal of the Land was placed on a wheeled royal chariot and brought from the prayer hall of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It would be presented to His Majesty in the coronation ceremony as an insignia of royal honor and authority of the king, who would serve as the main pillar of the nation from that moment on.
On May 5, the Day of Coronation, His Majesty the King took his position on the royal seat in the bathing ceremony. Scented water drawn from five great rivers in India, mixed with water from five major rivers and four ancient ponds in the Thai Kingdom, was poured over the palms of his hands.
His Majesty then changed into official royal dress and took his position on the octagonal seat under the seven-tiered Great White Umbrella of State. Members of Parliament presented ceremonial water in blessing while Brahmins presented consecrated water to His Majesty from all eight directions. The then President of the Senate offered felicitation in Pali, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives made his congratulatory statement in Thai. The Chief Brahmin presented the nine-tiered Great White Umbrella of State. His Majesty then took his position on a noble throne and was presented with the inscribed gold plate, the royal regalia, and the royal weapons. The Brahmin Chief then offered his felicitation in Pali, and His Majesty made the royal proclamation in response in Thai: “We shall reign with righteousness for the benefits and happiness of the Siamese people.”
The Brahmin Chief accepted the royal proclamation in Pali and in Thai. His Majesty thereafter poured the consecrated water and made a solemn wish to perform all royal duties and to reign over the Thai Kingdom.
In the afternoon on the same day, His Majesty granted a general audience for the Cabinet, the diplomatic corps, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and government officials to offer their felicitations.
Source: The Government Public Relations Department
