District Chief Phawat Lertmukda
presides over the ceremonies in Sattahip.
Pattaya Mail Team
Eastern Seaboard residents marched, ran, prayed and sang in unison to celebrate
the 86th birthday of HM the King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
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
Sakchai Taengho led a grand merit-making ceremony, offering rice and dried goods
to monks from area temples. Well-wishers signed birthday notes for His Majesty
before singing the royal anthem and “Sadudee Maharaja” pledging allegiance to
Their Majesties.
Later that afternoon Bunrod Sud-im, president of the Pattaya Team Running Club
led more than 100 athletes on a walk-run through Pattaya. Runners began at the
Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya office on Pratamnak Road, trotting up
Second Road, turning left on Central Road and again onto Beach Road. Throughout
the race, which traveled through Walking Street, over the Bali Hai flyover and
to the finish line at the TAT office, runners shouted “long live the king.”
At Royal Garden Plaza, the Lions Club of Pattaya-Taksin organized a merit-making
blood drive to benefit Queen Savang Vadhana Hospital in Sriracha. Lions
President Watcharapol Siwadechathorn and Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya
Director Auttaphol Wannakij said students from Banglamung, Bhodhisamphan and
Pattaya No. 11 schools attended, bringing the total collected to 25,200 cc of
blood.
Chonburi Governor Khomsan Ekachai
leads in giving alms to Buddhist monks.
Central Festival Pattaya Beach organized its own dedication
to HM the King, inviting employees and tourists to light candles and write
well-wishes. The mall offered up traditional dance performances by youths from
Pattaya School No. 3 to entertain those attending.
Tourists also marked His Majesty’s birthday at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, where
a 10-year-old elephant painted a remarkably accurate picture of the king. “Some
people didn’t believe that the picture was painted by an elephant’s trunk, which
made them curious and wanting to see how they are trained,” said park director,
Kampol Tansaja.
About 10,000 people attended the celebrations, which also featured a parade of
15 elephants and one pachyderm laying garlands of flowers on a portrait of the
king. On this Father’s Day, two baby elephants presented flower garlands to
their father.
The Pattaya celebrations came to a finale in the evening with the start of the
annual Father’s Day parade from Royal Garden Plaza to Bali Hai Pier.
Members of the public and organisations line up to place their gold and silver
ornaments at the foot of a large portrait of HM the King as a sign of love and
loyalty to our revered king.
Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome led members of the Pattaya City council and the
gathering in pledging their allegiance and conveying good wishes to HM the King
as candles were lit and the entire crowd united in singing songs of praise to
Their Majesties the King and Queen. Fireworks lit the night sky bring the happy
celebrations to a close.
Tourists marked His Majesty’s
birthday at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, where a 10-year-old elephant painted a
remarkably accurate picture of the king.
In Chonburi, Gov. Khomsan Ekachai presided over the
merit-making ceremony of Phra Phutta Sihing with 108 monks were performing
Dhammachakkapavattana Sutta reading.
More than 2,000 citizens gave alms to 87 monks, representing the start of the
monarch’s 87th year. The governor offered flowers and lit candles as all sang
royal hymns.
Many of the same ceremonies played out across the Eastern Seaboard. In Sattahip,
District Chief Phawat Lertmukda presided over the largest ceremony, complete
with prayers and flower presentations. Nine monks did similar chanting at
Sattahip Police Station.
The Royal Thai Navy attracted 2,000 people to its commemoration, where Vice Adm.
Rernglit Boonsongprasert lit candles, opened the flower cone presentations and
led singing at the Prince Chumphon Garden.
Bunrod Sud-im (right), president of
the Pattaya Running Club leads members to participate in the Walk-Run on
Father’s Day.
Students from Pattaya School No. 9
performed beautiful Thai dances.
Pattaya citizens sing the national
anthem along the Walk-Run route.
A large contingent of staff from the
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya march in the parade.
Sophon Cable TV employees join the
celebrations to honour HM the King.
Foreign tourists get into the act,
waving HM the King’s flags, celebrating Father’s Day on Pattaya Beach Road.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome lights
candles to begin the ceremonies.
Extravagant fireworks brought the
celebrations to a happy end.
Thawit Chaiswangwong, chairman of
the Pattaya city council leads city councilors in placing their auspicious
ornaments.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome leads city
councilors in the candlelight ceremony.
Pratheep Malhotra, MD of Pattaya
Mail Media Group, assisted by two of his sons Dave and Prince, place the gold
and silver ornaments expressing love and loyalty to HM the King.
Wannapha Wannasri (left) from the
Pattaya Education Office and Pratheep Malhotra (right), MD of Pattaya Mail Media
Group, emcee the evening in Thai and English.
Citizens join in the solemn candle
lighting ceremony.
Naval school cadets take part in the
ceremony.
Thousands of local people light
candles in celebration of HM the King’s birthday.
