During a break in the rain, the clouds parted,
giving way to beautiful performances under the starry sky.
Pattaya Mail Team
Mother Nature rained on their parade, but Pattaya
residents still found ways to wish HM the Queen a happy birthday on national
Mother’s Day.
Even as bands, school kids and volunteers assembled on
Beach Road, the skies ripped open and poured for nearly two hours, forcing
cancellation of the parade. Merrymakers made due inside Royal Garden Plaza,
where marching bands played for marchers carrying signs and flowers.
During a break in the rain,
the clouds parted, giving way to beautiful performances under the starry
sky.
The day started sunny enough when Banglamung District
Chief Chawalit Sang-Uthai led bureaucrats and merchants in a 6:30 a.m.
merit-making ceremony. They gave dried food and rice to 80 monks then laid
the traditional Buddhist tray of flowers, candles and incense in front her
painting, signing their names to a blessings card to offer their best well
wishes and prayers to the queen.
Residents offer lunch to more
than 50 monks at Jittapawan Temple.
Once skies began to clear, events repeated themselves at
7 p.m. in Pattaya, with Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome leading thousands of city
workers and residents in a similar flower tray and prayer ceremony. The
event was capped with a festive fireworks display.
At the Sheraton Pattaya Resort, General Manager Michael
Delargy led the flower offering in front of an image of HM the Queen while
General Manager Saran Tantichamnan did the same at Central Festival Pattaya
Beach.
A day before the birthday celebration, on August 11 at
Jittapawan Temple, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome presided over a ceremony to give
a stay of execution to local livestock in the honor of HM the Queen’s
dedication to environmental conservation.
As many as 10,000 animals, including cows, fish, eels,
turtles, clams and birds were saved from slaughter by 300 or so citizens who
had donated cash to return them to nature. The 30 heads of cattle were given
to poor farmers to help on their farms.
People earn merit by showering
flowers over bird cages to spare their lives.
Before ceremony began in the afternoon, local folks
offering lunch to Provost Sangkharaj Pongsak Wuttiyano, director of
Jittapawan College, and over 50 monks. Afterwards, local children paid
respects to their mothers, wai-ing at their mother’s feet, promising to be
good for the remainder of the year.
Later in the day on August 11 at Central Festival Pattaya
Beach, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome presented Mother of the Year awards to 80
chosen women to commemorate HM the Queen’s 80th birthday. The theme of the
event was “Love Mom…Angel for Children”. The outstanding mothers were
selected from 38 Pattaya communities.
Cultural Minister Sukumol
Kunplome (seated) opens the ceremony in front of Banglamung City Hall,
wishing HM the Queen a happy 80th birthday, August 12.
Children pay respects to
their mothers by bowing at their mother’s feet and promising to be good for
the remainder of the year.
Students from Pattaya School
No. 9 perform for their mothers at Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
Older students from Pattaya
School #9 perform ancient Thai dance for the Mothers of the Year ceremony at
Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
It becomes quite emotional
when children rush into their mother’s arms.
Sonthaya Kunplome (left),
former minister of tourism and sports, along with his wife, Cultural
Minister Sukumol Kunplome (2nd left), offer alms to young monks in front of
Banglamung City Hall.
Sheraton Pattaya General
Manager Michael Delargy presides over the cone flower opening ceremony and
laying of a paanpum in front of HM the Queen’s image on Mother’s Day.
A young boy ‘wais’ his
grandmother after his parents had already presented jasmine flowers, one of
the activities in the Love to 80 Outstanding Mothers in Pattaya celebration
at Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
Some of the outstanding
mothers awarded certificates from the mayor at Central Festival Pattaya
Beach.
A monsoon flooded Beach Road
making it impossible to form and march in a parade.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
leads Pattaya administrators and local citizens in a candlelight ceremony in
honor of HM the Queen.
Top police officials present
their paanpums in front of HM the Queen’s image.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, on
behalf of everyone in Pattaya’s government, makes an offering of flowers to
Her Majesty the Queen’s portrait at Bali Hai.
Looking towards the heavens,
singing happy birthday
to HM the Queen at Bali Hai.
The few, the brave, the
Pattaya Mail team, at least some of us, were out there showing our devotion
to our beloved Queen, Mother of the Thai nation.
Despite the rain, People sing
happy birthday and say prayers during the candlelight ceremony at Bali Hai
pier.
When the rain finally let up,
for the brave who showed their devotion by enduring the mini-monsoon, it was
time to pose for commemorative photos.
Even heavy rain couldn’t keep
her subjects from presenting flower arrangements to HM the Queen on her 80th
birthday.
