Prayers, parades mark HM Queen Sirikit’s 81st birthday

August 14, 2013

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A sea of blue, illuminated by the soft glow of yellow candles, forms in front of the stage at Bali Hai pier to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on her 81st birthday. People throughout the Kingdom turned out in droves to honor this most remarkable lady on Motherfs Day, August 12.

Eastern Seaboard residents prayed, made merit, paraded and helped the needy in honor of HM Queen Sirikit as the area marked her 81st birthday.

National Mother’s Day events began early with Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho leading Chonburi MPs, politicians and residents in a 7 a.m. merit-making ceremony. They gave dried food and rice to 82 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.

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.

The largest celebrations, however, came on the streets where people turned out for parades along Pattaya’s beachfront and in Chonburi.

Chonburi Governor Khomsan Ekachai leads citizens in offering alms to 82 monks as a royal dedication on Mother’s Day.

Children from Pattaya’s 11 public schools, businesses, clubs and other groups decked out in blue shirts 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.

In Chonburi, Gov. Khomsan Ekachai and Culture Minister Sonthaya Kunplome were the ones leading merit-making donations of dried food to 82 monks. 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.

Maimuang, one of the smart elephants of Nong Nooch Pattaya, presents a jasmine garland to a HM the Queen Sirikit image.

Later that day, the governor’s wife, Busarawadee Ekachai, in her role as head of the Chonburi Red Cross with Deputy Gov. Pongsak Preechawit and Chonburi PAO President Wittaya Kunplome, hosted a blood drive for National Blood Center Region 3 in honor of HM the Queen’s birthday.

Birthday celebrations also played out in Sattahip, where Vice Adm. Chainarong Charoenrak led 2,000 military personnel, area residents and representatives of 70 civic organizations in a traditional prayer and candle-lighting ceremony at Prince Chumporn Park. Participants sang the royal anthem and set off fireworks to celebrate the queen’s birthday.

Wittaya Kunplome (center), president of Chonburi PAO, and Busarawadee Ekachai, from Chonburi’s Red Cross, visit with citizens donating blood on Mother’s Day in Chonburi.

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.

Down the road at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Thais and foreign tourists watched as General Manager Phattanan Khantisukh laid jasmine garlands at the foot of a painting of the queen. Elephants paraded, dancers danced and pachyderms Baitoey and Phangyok penned “Love is Mother” in the sand with their trunks.

Tawit Chaiswangwong (4th left), chairman of Pattaya’s city council, leads administrators in HM the Queen 81st birthday parade, with (L to R) Manoj Nongyai, Pattaya city council’s deputy chairman, Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon, Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn, and Sanit Bunmachai, Pattaya city council’s deputy chairman.