People across the Eastern Seaboard performed good deeds to honor HM the King for his first birthday as our King.
Banglamung District Chief Naris Niramaiwong kicked off the celebrations early July 28, leading the public in offering alms and necessities to monks in the name of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, who turned 65 that day.
In the afternoon, Naris handed out King Rama X shirts to the public for the occasion.
Pattaya Mayor Anan Charoenchasri, meanwhile, joined city council members at Cholkanyanukul School for a five-religion ceremony offering prayers for the good health and long life for the monarch, who ascended to the throne last year after reigning as crown prince since 1972.
On Walking Street, workers from the Environment Department joined business owners and residents to “do good” by cleaning up the nightlife strip and collecting rubbish.
Around Banglamung, Nong Plalai Mayor Pinno Homklan also handed out the shirts, which were distributed by the Royal Household Bureau to districts around the country. Sub-district administrators joined the public in making merit and conducting community activities together to show unity and loyalty.
In Huay Yai, the sub-district office gave out free drinking water to residents. Staff from the Provincial Waterworks Authority also asked locals about any water supply issues while urging them to conserve.
Chonburi Gov. Pakarathorn Thienchai also helped hand out 10,000 of the black polo shirts at a ceremony where thousands of people lined up at the provincial hall to sign a birthday wishes book for His Majesty.
The shirts say, in Thai, “He will be in Thai people’s hearts forever” on the front. A picture drawn by HM the King is featured on the back, along with the caption, “Royalty given, Oct. 13, 2016”, the official date that King Rama X ascended to the throne after the death of his father, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Elsewhere in Chonburi, the Department of Public Works, and Town and Country Planning held a tree-planting activity for HM the King’s birthday on July 25.
Public Works Director-General Monton Sudprasert presided over the planting of mangroves at the Bangsai Sub-district office.
The merit-making was to show that King Vajiralongkorn is following his father’s tradition of working to preserve the environment.
Another nod toward that tradition came in Sattahip where the navy’s Sea Turtle Conservation Center released juvenile turtles and other sea creatures into Sattahip Bay for the Royal Birthday.
Vice Adm. Sucheip Wangmaitree joined more than 1,500 military and private-sector personnel in releasing 1,066 green turtles and 66,000 other fish and marine animals.
The vice admiral himself also released a rescued 20-year-old female green turtle and 7-year-old male green turtle.
Navy cadets, meanwhile, made merit in the monarch’s name by giving alms to 66 monks at Sattahip’s Naval Rating School.
