Thailand: thousands to attend extravagant cremation for King Bhumibol
23 October 2017
Thailand is finishing preparations for an elaborate cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, part of a five-day ceremony marking the end of a year of mourning that has engulfed the nation.

For weeks, local newspapers have run front-page stories on the tiniest details of the ceremony, a sign of national reverence and obsession towards a man who became known as the “father of all Thais”. Many considered the king, whose seven-decade rule made him the world’s longest-serving monarch, to be a demigod.

The country’s top artisans have completed a 10-month project to build a vast golden crematorium, a nine-spired structure that aims to depict the afterlife. The 50-metre, three-tiered structure represents Mount Meru, the centre of the Hindu and Buddhist universe where it is believed Thai royals return after death. It has been adorned with images from mythology and the life of the king, including a pair of statues of his favourite dogs.

Thousands of volunteers, musicians and performers will be involved in the ceremony, while close to 80,000 security personnel will be deployed. A quarter of a million people are expected to descend on Bangkok...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... rematorium

Some information in case you were thinking of trying to attend the King's cremation in Bangkok on Thursday, 26 October.

Camps set up already to ensure best spot for royal cremation
Dedicated mourners have already started setting up mini camps in order to ensure they get prime spot for the royal cremation in a few days time.

AT KING’S URGING, OFFICIALS SET ASIDE NEW AREAS TO ACCOMMODATE A TOTAL OF 60,000 PEOPLE

AS MANY people have already camped out near Sanam Luang in the hope of getting a place in the prime viewing zones for this week’s Royal Cremation, authorities have acted on the advice of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn and opened up further zones for the general public.

The new areas will be along the roads on three sides of the Grand Palace wall, which cover 9,420 square metres and should be able to seat about 18,840 people. Space will still be limited, though, and together with the existing prime zones, they should be able to accommodate just 60,000 mourners.

Given the overwhelming loyalty HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej has commanded, it is likely that only people who arrive very early will find a space close to the ceremonies, which will run from tomorrow until Sunday. The actual cremation will take place on Thursday. Starting from 10pm today, officials will clear areas near the ceremonial grounds in Sanam Luang, including the prime zones. During this process, these areas will be off-limits to the public until they are reopened at 5am tomorrow...
Pattayaonenews

A lot of details about the cremation of the King, see: http://www.atimes.com/article/otherworl ... thai-king/

It sure takes a LOOOOOOONG time to say "Good bye" to a king in Thailand!

Isn't that a precaution/tradition to prevent sudden uprisings, etc?

In case you couldn't make the ceremony today:

As usual, excellent reporting by the Daily Mail:


Thailand's colourful new King brought 'his mistress AND his former air stewardess wife' to his father's lavish cremation ceremony with both marching in bearskin hats

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ation.html

For many men, the idea of their wife and their mistress being within 100 miles of each other is enough to bring them out in a cold sweat.
But King Maha Vajiralongkorn decided he wanted both of the special women in his life by his side as Bangkok paid tribute to King Bhuminbol, during a mass ceremony today.

And as his wife Suthida Tidjai marched alongside him in the procession, followed by his alleged lover Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi, it appeared his ascension to the throne would not be curbing his old habits.
Both women were wearing full military dress during the tribute today, as the Thai capital was brought to a standstill to pay respects to their longest reigning monarch.

Gotta love the Daily Mail's patronising moralising ' curbing his old habits'.

The hypocrisy, really.