Thousands gather at Thai embassy to bid farewell to King Bhumibol
The Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore was a sea of black on Thursday, as thousands of people showed up to say goodbye to Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He was cremated in Bangkok on the same day after a year of mourning. Photo: Nuria Ling/TODAY
SINGAPORE — The Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore was a sea of black on Thursday (Oct 26), as thousands of people showed up wearing black attire, to say goodbye to Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He was cremated in Bangkok on the same day after a year of mourning.
Standing with their hands clasped, some wept as they watched a live screening of the cremation ceremony at Sanam Luang, the royal crematorium in Bangkok. A tentage was set up on the embassy grounds along Orchard Road, and hundreds more participants who could not fit under it had to stand elsewhere to observe the ceremony in prayer.
Thailand’s ambassador to Singapore, Mr Thongchai Chasawath, led the proceedings. Speaking to TODAY, he said that the crowd was “larger than expected”.
“Apart from the Thais, even Singaporeans have come to pay their tributes. This is the last day for our people to bid farewell to the beloved king... (The turnout) reflects how important he was to the Thai people and how important the people were to him,” he added.
King Bhumibol, also known as King Rama IX, died last October at the age of 88 after ruling for seven decades. He was the world’s longest-reigning monarch.
Thursday was declared a national holiday in Thailand and the Thai embassy’s office here was closed for the day. At 10am, throngs of mourners were already showing up at the embassy grounds to get a good seat to watch the proceedings beamed on six screens, even though the ceremony would be held in the evening.
By 5pm, about 2,000 visitors had paid their last respects.
Some 300 volunteers, clad in black T-shirts printed with Thai words that read “His Majesty will always be in our hearts”, helped to give out food and drinks to attendees.
They also gave out “flowers” — carved out of sandalwood — to mourners, who then laid them at an altar displaying the late king’s portrait. The altar was adorned with other decorative items and six wreaths of white roses and magnolia.
The displays and flowers were made to replicate those at the ceremony held at the same time in the Thai capital, an information officer at the embassy told TODAY.
The grand funeral ends a year of mourning for a well-loved leader who was revered for helping to lift many in Thailand out of poverty with his philanthropy, and who played a key role in maintaining stability during years of political upheaval.
Mourners interviewed by TODAY called him the “country’s father”.
An arts teacher, 34, who wanted to be known only as Ms Siribanks, said: “Everything he did was for his people and his contributions were from the heart... Many of us see him as our father. We are so heartbroken. Today is a sad day for the Thais... We really want to say, please don’t go.”
She added that the late king was respected as one who did not flaunt his wealth. “He ate the same food as us, he worked hard for Thai people... He cared about us.”
Housewife Songsaard Khamolchanok has regarded King Bhumibol as a paternal figure all her life.
“He had been king since I was born. I’m very upset and it’s so hard to express in words what I’m feeling,” the 43-year-old said, blinking back tears.
Amusement park operator Jirat Watthanachaisang, 41, who is in Singapore on a work trip, said that he regrets not being able to take part in the ceremony in Thailand. “He is gone, but I think we will think about him forever.”
In Thailand, the authorities had prepared for some 250,000 people to attend the lavish funeral in Bangkok. The military government had reportedly set aside 3 billion baht (about S$120 million) for the proceedings, which started on Wednesday and will last five days.
