Thai King Celebrated with Royal Barge Procession

Thousands gathered along Bangkok's Chao Phraya River to celebrate King Maha Vajiralongkorn's 72nd birthday with a royal barge procession featuring 52 ornately decorated boats and over 2,200 oarsmen. The event, which included a presentation of traditional Kathin robes to Buddhist monks at Wat Arun, marked a significant cultural occasion as the king rode the historic 'Golden Swan' barge. The procession covered a distance of 4.2 kilometers and was accompanied by live boat songs, attracting spectators who arrived hours early to secure prime viewing spots. This procession is a rare spectacle, with only a handful held in recent decades, reviving a tradition dating back to Thailand's Ayutthaya period. The event reflected the importance of royal celebrations in Thai culture, especially following the king's coronation in 2019. Despite past criticisms faced by the monarchy, the ceremony drew enthusiastic support from the public, highlighting the continued reverence for royal customs in Thailand.