PHUKET: Dozens of Phuket residents are expected to join the two ceremonies in Phuket on June 11 and witness in person His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana, who will lead both official ceremonies.
Thai nationals greet His Majesty Rama X and Her Majesty Queen Suthida during their visit to London for the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the UK. Photo: Royal Office of Thailand Press Service
Their Majesties will officiate the formal opening of the new Phuket Provincial Hall and lay the foundation stone for the building that will become the Office of the Court of Appeal Region 8 on June 11.
Registration for the general public concluded yesterday (June 1) with dozens of Thais and foreigners signing up at Phuket City Municipality to participate in the ceremonies.
People have been asked to dress appropriately for the occasion, although no official guidelines for the dress code have been posted so far.
Confirmation of Their Majesties performing official duties in Phuket on June 11 came through a post by the Phuket Info Center, operated under the Phuket office of the Ministry of Interior on May 30.
The Royal Household Bureau has not published any details of the visit so far. It is yet to be revealed when His Majesty Maha Vajiralongkorn and Her Majesty Suthida will land in Phuket and what their planned itinerary on the island is.
As initially announced by Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pinsuwan on May 24, the royal visit is to be held on the occasion of Her Majesty’s birthday, which will be celebrated nationwide tomorrow (June 3).
The official events for tomorrow include regular ceremonies to honor Her Majesty Queen Suthida such as:
- An alms offering ceremony at Phuket Provincial Hall at 7.30am.
- A ceremony to pay homage to His Majesty the King and lay the ‘Phan Phum’ (พานพุ่ม) in front of his image at 6pm.
- A candle lighting ceremony to honor the auspicious occasion at the Phuket Government Center Auditorium at 7.19pm.
Coinciding with the royal visit and Her Majesty’s birthday is the major Buddhist holiday Visakha Bucha on Saturday, which itself will invoke a nationwide ban on the sale of alcohol for 24 hours, starting at midnight on Friday night.
As Her Majesty’s birthday and Visakha Bucha are both national public holidays, with the auspicious occasions occurring this Saturday, next Monday (June 5) will be observed as the substitute public holiday.
All government offices, including Immigration, District Offices, and the local Department of Land Transportation office, will be closed on Saturday and next Monday.
