Elaborate funeral begins for King Bhumibol

Mourners dressed entirely in black have waited to enter the historic royal quarter of Thailand’s capital.

BANGKOK » Thailand on Wednesday began an elaborate five-day funeral for King Bhumibol Adulyadej with his son, the new monarch, performing Buddhist merit-making rites in preparation for moving Bhumibol’s remains to a spectacular golden crematorium.

Thousands of mourners dressed entirely in black have endured tropical heat during the day and torrential rains at night as they waited to enter the historic royal quarter of Thailand’s capital to bid farewell to a monarch celebrated as a unifying symbol throughout his seven-decade reign.

The rites in the ornate throne hall of Dusit palace, where Bhumibol’s remains have been kept for the past year, began the series of ceremonies and processions that include his cremation on Thursday evening within a golden edifice representing mystical Mount Meru, where Buddhist and Hindu gods are believed to dwell.

About 250,000 people are expected to line the streets of Bangkok’s royal quarter to witness elaborate gilded processions that will be broadcast live.

As orange-robed monks chanted and officials in crisp white uniforms looked on, King Maha Vajiralongkorn knelt beneath a ninetiered golden umbrella. The ceremony was preparation for the moving of an urn representing Bhumibol’s remains to the crematorium built over the past year.