Bangkok mourns His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej
A unique mourning ceremony for the late King, who passed away on 13 October aged 88, was held this week at Bangkok’s Royal Palace in Bangkok. Elephants are revered as noble animals in Thailand, and the late King was a great animal lover- his dog accompanied him everywhere, even to official functions. Since his passing, thousands of Thais and visitors per day from all around the world have visited the Royal Palace to pay their own respects to the revered monarch.
But today brought a very different group of mourners- a specially trained cohort of 200 mahouts with their specially trained Royal Elephants and their mahouts, who came to pay their own extraordinary tribute.
The late monarch had a special love for the Royal Elephants, who led a spectacular mourning ceremony Tuesday morning. The eleven caparisoned elephants from Ayuthaya, accompanied by two hundred mahouts, paid their last respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Grand Palace on Tuesday morning.
Procession of Royal Elephants and mahouts set out from the Territorial Defence Command to the Manee Nopparat Gate of the Grand Palace to pay their respects to the late King.
We share some stunning images of the mighty animals in formation before the Royal Palace. When the 200 mahouts, along with thousands of mourners sang the Royal anthem, even these giant animals were silent, seeming to understand the solemnity of the occasion, and mourning too, for he was perhaps their King too.
White with powder, the animals, together with their mahouts observed a moment of silence in front of the Grand Palace. The elephants then knelt before a portrait of the late King as their keepers sang the Royal Anthem (Sansoen Phra Barami). Mourners joined in singing the anthem in tribute to the beloved monarch.
The mahouts and the elephants then paid respects to the Pink Elephant Statue at Sanam Luang and gave a synchronized performance for mourners waiting to enter the Palace.
Elephants and mahouts from Ayutthaya arrive at the Territorial Defence Command on Tuesday morning.
Laithonglean Meephan, owner of the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal, said the animals were trained to perform in honour of the late King. All mahouts appreciated the late King Bhumibol’s generosity and support for Thailand’s elephants.
Photos by Krit Phromsakla Na Sakolnakorn and TAT photographers
