Queen's birthday

"Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday on August 12 is a public holiday, celebrated nationwide as Mother's Day. Individual people and organizations raise flags and portraits of Her Majesty in Bangkok and all over the kingdom.

Born M.R. Sirikit Kitiyakara in 1932, Her Majesty the Queen has captured the hearts of the Thai people through her devotion to improving the welfare and well-being of her subjects. The Queen is perhaps best known for her efforts in reviving many of Thailand's folk arts and crafts. Her Majesty's SUPPORT Foundation (Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques) has expanded progressively since its establishment in 1976 to include craft shops in the city and popular tourist areas, and two Thai Folk Arts and Crafts Training Centers at Chitralada Villa and at Bangsai in Ayutthaya.

On Her Majesty's birthday, one of the best places to join in the celebrations is on Bangkok's Ratchadamnoen Avenue and the areas around the Grand Palace, which are festooned with colorful lights, flowers and portraits for this special occasion."

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The entire City is preparing for the Queen's 6th cycle birthday celebration. A cycle is 12 years, so she is 72 years old. Thai's celebrate her birthday every year. I'm not sure if this was a special one but the preparations are definitely large and elaborate. Throughout the city large and small posters are dotted here and there, decorated with ribbons, flags and Thai style flowers and glittering objects. The Thais' revere their Buddha, their Royal family and from what I can see, food. I'm not sure which is the most important, it seems to depend on where, when and what they are doing.

The Queen is known for supporting the poorest of the poor by visiting outlying villages and bringing to attention the arts and crafts they make to support themselves. She also as set up lots of special support services and associations to promote the Thai culture and to keep the old arts and crafts like Thai silk making, ship building and other traditioanlc rafts alive. Looking at her life story she has had a charmed life and seems to try and give back something of her good fortune to the less fortunate of her people.

For a few days before the offical celbrations, the local Royal Park dispenses free food to locals. The day of the celebrations the lines were long around the food stalls. But the people were not pushing or shoving or in bad humour about having to wait. Typically for Thai's they waited patiently and with decorum.



Jeff and I were very lucky throughout the afternoon and evening and good spots for seeing almost everything that happened. When the Queen and King's calavacade swept down the street towards the Royal Palace we were right in a good spot to see them in the car, a mild yellow Mercedes. After all the dignatories had arrived at the Royal Palace, the Parade with marching bands, groups of associations and army and navy brigades began.




Again we were extremely lucky to get a spot right at the railings to take photos as the various groups passed by. Each seemed to get more specatcular in color coordination and vividness.



Bright red uniforms topped with purple plums atop their hats. Followed by nearly flourescent green and pink uniforms of other associations.







Once the Parade was over the crowds made for the park where sound stages with glittering lights had been set up. Or mostly set up anyway. Not knowing what was up for show, we waited for the stage act to start. It took close to an hour, during which it drizzled bits and pieces. Some smart vendors had figured out that large sheets of mylar wrapping paper worked really well as seating mats and were hawking them for 10 baht apiece and were making a killing. And with the rain they doubled their sales as people bought a second sheet to cover them from the rain. That's entrepreneurship for you.



The stagehands were completing the setup by unfurling flags and large video screens on either side of the stage. After sound and lighting test, the show finally got underway. Or I should say the speeches got underway. The stages were for speeches, not for music acts or show. Mind you they did sing the national anthem and other lovely Thai songs, but no bands or musical acts.

But the wait was worth it as after the speeches the fireworks started. First off were the ones from what appeared to be the middle of the field in the Park. Then the second set started just about next door to where we were, or so it felt. I had never been so close to fireworks before and it was just awesome. Jeff did the photo work for these. Finally the third set started over the Rama VIII bridge down at the river. Over all it was a great chance to see the Queen, see the celebrations for her birthday and enjoy the evening with the Thai people.