Cremation of Thailand’s late King to be held on Oct. 26

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BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej will be cremated this October as part of a five-day funeral ceremony, a government spokesman said Tuesday.

An artist sculpts deities and creatures from ancient Indian epics to decorate the royal crematorium for the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Office of Traditional Arts in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand, Thursday, April 20, 2017.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
An artist sculpts deities and creatures from ancient Indian epics to decorate the royal crematorium for the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Office of Traditional Arts in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand, Thursday, April 20, 2017.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Sansern Kaewkumnerd told reporters that Buddhist funeral rites will be held from Oct. 25-29. The cremation will take place on Oct. 26, which will be a public holiday.

A huge crematorium is being erected at Sanam Luang, a large field close to the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Thailand’s military government has allocated 1 billion baht ($28.6 million) for the funeral of Bhumibol, who died on Oct. 13 last year at age 88 after seven decades on the throne.

King Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, Bhumibol’s only son, will preside over the cremation.

More than 6 million people have paid their respects to the late king’s remains at the Grand Palace, according to the Royal Household Bureau.

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