Area residents prayed, made merit, paraded and lent help to the needy in honor of HM Queen Sirikit as the Eastern Seaboard marked her 79th birthday, national Mother’s Day.
Events began early in the Pattaya area with Banglamung District Chief Chawalit Saeng-Uthai led bureaucrats and merchants in a 7 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.
The largest local celebrations on Mother’s Day are on the streets where people turn out in huge numbers for parades along Pattaya’s beachfront and in Najomtien. However, celebrations were held throughout the Eastern Seaboard to humbly wish HM the Queen a most happy birthday.
Events repeated themselves at 7 p.m. in Pattaya, with Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome this time leading thousands of city workers and residents in a similar flower tray and prayer ceremony. The event was capped with a festive fireworks display.
Echoing HM the Queen’s dedication to environmental conservation, the mayor earlier in the day joined Chamlong Tabsywan, head of the Meditation Association for Moral World Development, at Jittapawan Wittayalai Temple for a ceremony to release 99 cows, buffalos, birds and fish back into the wild.
Banglamung District Chief Chawalit Saeng-Uthai makes an offering to Her Majesty the Queen in honor of her birthday.
The largest celebrations of Mother’s Day, however, came on the streets where people turned out for parades along Pattaya’s beachfront and in Najomtien.
Children from Pattaya’s 11 public schools, businesses, clubs and other groups marched down Beach Road around 5:30 p.m., parading from Royal Garden Plaza to Bali Hai Pier where they waited for the evening’s ceremony to begin.
Adm. Narong Teswisan, Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Fleet, presides over the candle lighting ceremony in Sattahip to bless Her Majesty the Queen.
Down the road at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Thais and foreign tourists watched as 30 elephants marched and laid jasmine garlands at the foot of a painting of HM the Queen. Eight-year-old elephant Yok was made up for the occasion, with “Yok Loves Mom” painted on its trunk.
In Chonburi, Gov. Wichit Chatpaisit was the one leading merit-making donations of dried food to 79 monks at Chonburi Town Hall. The rice and other items donated will be passed on to other monks lying in hospitals in the province, as well as other elderly and poor residents.
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.
Later that day, Wichit led government workers, merchants and residents in a Mother’s Day chant at the Honored Sala of the Muang District. Here attendees also signed blessing cards for HM the Queen and presented flower trays.
The governor then presented 3.06 million baht raised through the National Mother’s Foundation to 127 village charity representatives. Among the donations, 60,999 baht was directed toward creation of a neighborhood learning center in Huakrok in Nongprue’s Moo 6. Another 108 villages received 21,400 baht in funding while a final 19 communities received 34,500 baht.
Kamolthep Malhotra, GM of Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd., represents the entire staff in presenting our best wishes to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
Birthday celebrations also played out in Sattahip, where Adm. Narong Teswisan, commander of the Royal Thai Fleet, led 5,000 military personnel and area residents in a traditional prayer and candle-lighting ceremony at Prince Chumporn Park. Participants sang the royal anthem and set off fireworks to celebrate HM the Queen’s birthday.
Elsewhere, Sattahip District Chief Chaichan Iamcharoen presided over a merit-making ceremony in which dried food was donated to 80 monks form nine area temples at Sattahip District Office.
Chonburi Governor Wichit Chatpaisit leads people in Chonburi in making merit by offering dry food to 80 monks.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome helps people at Wat Jittapawan Wittayalai set free birds to show their loyalty to the Royal Family.
Don’t cry young buffalo, your life is being spared in honor of Her Majesty the Queen.
Pattaya residents young and old take part in the parade down Beach Road.
Approximately 30 elephants from Nong Nooch Garden, including this large pachyderm, present flower gardens to a portrait of HM the Queen on National Mother’s Day.
People sing happy birthday and say prayers during a candlelight ceremony at Bali Hai pier.
