Bangkok: Songkhla residents walked 400 kilometers to pay their respects to the royal urn of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, at Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace.
According to Thai News Agency, this morning, at Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace, the Bureau of the Royal Household opened its doors for the public to pay their respects before the royal urn of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Bureau of the Royal Household officials were on hand to facilitate the procession, ensuring order and respect for Her Majesty. The procession was divided into four time slots: 8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., 12:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., 5:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and 7:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
For those who pay their respects to the royal urn, they will receive a royal photograph, which they will hold dear and will forever treasure as a memory and a reminder of His Majesty’s great kindness. Additionally, there is a commemorative photo spot in front of the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall.
Throughout the morning at Sanam Luang, people from all over the country continued to arrive to register and pay their respects to the royal remains. Many came as families, groups, or individuals. They all dressed in elegant black. Some even brought portraits of the King to express their gratitude and loyalty.
One of the people who came to pay their respects to the royal urn recounted that she had been walking from Songkhla Province since November 2nd, walking approximately 20 kilometers per day. She was buoyed by the generosity of people along the way, who offered food and lodging. Until reaching Surat Thani Province, highway police officers facilitated their transfer to Bangkok. She tearfully stated that she intended to pay her respects to the royal urn at least once, to express her loyalty and deepest gratitude for His Majesty’s graciousness.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) revealed that yesterday, the first day the public was allowed to pay their respects to the royal urn, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., a total of 8,370 people paid their respects.