‘No schedule’ for last respects

No decision has been made on when the public will no longer be allowed to pay their respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulaydej, a minister attached to the Office of the Prime Minister said yesterday.

Rejecting reports people will be allowed to pay their respects to the late King only until the end of September to make way for officials to prepare the area for the royal cremation ceremony, Ormsin Chivapruck said the government has not discussed any such schedule.

Some reports quoted deputy Bangkok governor Amnuay Nimmano.

“The reports were not true,” Mr Ormsin said. “The committee in charge of organising the royal cremation ceremony has yet to meet on the matter. And [the meeting’s resolution] might be submitted for royal endorsement,” he said.

The royal cremation ceremonies for the late King are scheduled for Oct 25-29.

The cremation itself will take place on Thursday, Oct 26, which has been declared a public holiday.

The venue is at Sanam Luang, next to the Grand Palace, where the body of the late King currently rests.

Mr Ormsin said people may have misunderstood as he had reported to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha regarding a 4-million-baht budget requested for the purchase of food to be provided to volunteers looking after visitors who come to pay their respects to the late King, and that the budget is expected to last up until Sept 30.