Why funeral for the late Thai king may not be for tourists; and how you can still pay your respects

The five days of funeral ceremonies this month for Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej will truly be fit for a revered monarch who ruled for 70 years. Ceremonies will draw on Buddhist and Hindu rites dating back hundreds of years and will take place in and around a cluster of temporary wooden structures north of the Grand Palace that architects and artisans have been labouring on for most of this year.

Everything visitors to Thailand during the royal funeral need to know and prepare for

However, visitors to Bangkok from October 25 to 29 should give up any thought of attending the site of ceremonies in person. Especially on October 26, the day of cremation, they instead should be prepared for traffic disruption, closures of public and private venues, and massive crowds in the vicinity of the old royal city.

All the rehearsals and ceremonies this month take place on or near Sanam Luang, the traditional royal cremation grounds. Usually a great open grassy field, it is north of the Grand Palace and extends along the east side of Thammasat and Silpakorn universities.

The centrepiece, still under construction, is the crematorium, an elaborate 50-metre high wooden pavilion representing Mount Meru (or Phra Merumas), a sacred peak for Hindus, Jains and Buddhists and the centre of the spiritual universe.

WATCH what a Thai king’s funeral looked like in 1926: rare film footage of the 1926 funeral of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI, King Bhumibol’s half uncle) shows many elements that will recur at King Bhumibol’s funeral this month, in the same setting.

Aside from rehearsals (one took place on October 12 and there will be two more on October 15 and 17) there will be few opportunities to observe the proceedings. Flash-free photography will be allowed on those days and possibly on October 18 and 21 when King Vajiralongkorn will be present.