The People of Thailand say their farewells to Princess Galyani Vadhana

Thousands of Thais clad in black gathered around Sanam Luang to welcome and pay respect as Their Majesties the King and the Queen presided at the Friday evening merit-making ceremony at Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall for HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana on the first day of the six-day funeral ceremony.

HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of His Majesty the King, passed away on January 2.

It is the first full royal funeral in Thailand since 1996, a potentially unifying moment at a time of deep political strife and anti-government protests in the Buddhist kingdom.

"I want to express my loyalty to her and the monarchy and I do it with my heart. I am appreciate that most Thais are wearing black today to mourn her," said Watchara Somsean, 39, a black-clad food vendor in Bangkok.

Bangkok's normally vibrant streets were muted Friday, with most people on the futuristic Skytrain system wearing black shirts or jackets, while flags flew at half mast for the princess.

The government has asked television and radio stations to keep programming "appropriate" while all Thais have been asked to wear black for the first three days of the ceremony.

"If someone passes away you should wear black or white but we prefer black ... because white to many means wedding," an official from the Government Public Relations Department told AFP.

At least 1.5 million people have paid their respects to the late Princess's embalmed remains, which have lain in state at the Grand Palace's Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall since her death from cancer, the Royal Household Bureau said.

The 10-month period between her death and the funeral was to make preparations for the building of the huge gilded crematorium and for the procession that will take her remains there.

An official 15-day mourning period followed her death in January, although royal palace employees stayed in mourning 100 days after her death.

"I am Thai and must show respect to her. It's also our tradition," said government official Kachorchan Kakhao, 51. "I feel grateful to see Thais are wearing black everywhere -- in the bus, traders."

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Being that this is the first royal funeral since '96, the country seems to unite in honor of the Princess. I think this is really nice because many different kinds of people loved their Princess, and it shows that their tradition of honoring an important person in their society still holds strong. They can put aside the problems for a few days to show respect and say their farewells to the Princess.

Posted By:
Amanda B