Public officials, led by
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, light candles and sign the national anthem at Bali
Hail.
Phasakorn Channgam
Yellow shirts, candles and song were the order of the day as thousands
of Eastern Seaboard residents turned out to celebrate the 85th birthday of
HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great.
From Banglamung to Sattahip, celebrants marked Thailand’s national Father’s
Day Dec. 5 with 21-gun salutes, parades and Buddhist offerings.
Festivities got underway early at the Banglamung District Office where Chief
Chawalit Saeng-Uthai led a grand merit-making ceremony, offering rice and
dried goods to 86 monks from area temples. Well-wishers signed birthday
notes for His Majesty before singing “Sansern Phra Baramee” (Glorious King)
and “Sadudee Maharaja” (Praise for the King and Queen).
Monks praying and soldiers firing a rifle salute closed the ceremony.
Pattaya’s main celebration came to life late in the afternoon as thousands
of Thais and foreigners adorned in yellow shirts joined a festive parade
from Royal Garden Plaza to Bali Hai Pier.
They carried offerings to the city’s waterfront celebration opened by Mayor
Itthiphol Kunplome, who praised HM the King before leading a candle-lighting
ceremony and filmed the singing of “Sufficient Pattaya,” a hymn penned by Ad
Carabao in honor of HM the King’s sufficiency economy philosophy. Grand
fireworks followed.
In Sattahip, a similar merit-making for 86 monks took place with district
officials and Royal Thai Navy personnel at Sattahip City Hall. Mayor Phawat
Lertmukda led the flower-and-incense ceremony, paying respect to portraits
of the king and leading the crowd in song.
Nine monks chanted for blessings and glory while naval officers fired off
their own 21-gun salute.
A young elephant presents a
garland to father elephant at Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens.
Banglamung Mayor Chaowalit
Saeng-Uthai, with Pattaya administrators and government officers pay their
respects at Banglamung City Hall.
Father’s Day begins in
Sattahip with people making merit.
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
features Thai cultural dance performances on Father Day.
Police fire a 21 gun salute in
honor of His Majesty the King.
Pattaya’s Tailor Society
marches down Walking Street on Father’s Day to honor HM the King.
The fun run attracts interest
from tourists on both sides of the road.
Sattahip prison inmates are
allowed out of their cells for a short time to pay respect to their fathers.
Bangkok Hospital
Pattaya nurses represent their hospital and their profession well.
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
elephants hold signs announcing the ‘85th Birthday Long Live the King’.
Elephants maneuvered
themselves into number 9, the number of the current Chakri Dynasty.
Pattaya School No. 7 students
are having a great time while running past Walking Street heading towards
Bali Hai during the Father’s Day run.
Students from Pattaya School
No. 7 smile before going for a run dedicated to HM the King.
Father and children pose for
photos on Father’s Day.
Wannapa Wannasri (left) and
Pratheep Malhotra (right) emcee the evening events in Thai and English.
Sattahip youngsters watch in
amazement as turtles hatch, followed later by releasing 86 turtles into the
sea.
Young soldiers march towards
Bali Hai in the Father’s Day parade.
Elfi Seitz represents Pattaya
Mail Publishing Co. Ltd., to present silver and golden panpum (flower cones)
on Father’s Day.
Fireworks add excitement to
the candle lighting ceremony at Bali Hai.
Hundreds of people line the
front of the Bali Hai stage to take part in the candle lighting ceremony.
Fireworks light up the night
sky behind the Pattaya City sign at Bali Hai.