Thai King Misses Royal Barge Procession
Ill-health has forced King Bhumibol to miss today’s Royal Barge Procession along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. The king is said to be making good progress following his recent illness, but wasn’t well enough to attend the ceremony today which marked the end of Buddhist Lent and was held to commemorate the monarch’s forthcoming 80th birthday in December.
The Royal Barge ceremony is a tradition which dates back 700 years. Today’s event was attended by 52 barges and nearly 2,000 oarsmen. Normal river traffic was suspended for the spectacle which was witnessed by thousands of onlookers from the banks of the Chao Phraya River.
(Picture from Thai Photo Blogs)
