Shiny Boat Parade
Centuries old and reserved for major royal and religious occasions, the Royal Barge Procession remains a living expression of Thailand’s royal heritage. The tradition brings together ceremonial protocol, naval skill and intricate craftsmanship preserved across generations, and continues to hold an important place in the Kingdom’s royal ceremonial heritage. The Royal Kathin Ceremony is an annual Buddhist merit-making tradition following the end of Buddhist Lent, when robes and other offerings are presented to monks. When performed by the monarch, it becomes a Royal Kathin Ceremony. For the Procession, 52 royal barges will be manned by 2,200 Royal Thai Navy personnel and arranged in five columns and three lines, forming a procession approximately 4200 feet long and 300 feet wide.
More than 2,000 oarsmen have spent months preparing for a centuries-old Thai royal tradition that will fill Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River with a fleet of intricately decorated barges on Friday. Buddhists offer kathin robes to monks who have remained in their monasteries throughout the three-month retreat in the rainy season. The fleet, consisting of a total of 52 barges, will take King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Queen Suthida and members of the royal family to the Wat Arun Ratchawararam temple. The 2,200 oarsmen from the Royal Thai Navy started their training in June, learning how to row the barges in unison at a navy dockyard before rehearsing in the river in late July.
The rowers must master not only the precise movements required to maintain the fleet formation of five columns and three lines, but also the traditional boat songs performed during the procession. The songs help coordinate the rowing while portraying Thailand’s cultural tradition. Thailand’s Fine Arts Department has been restoring the wooden barges while preserving their traditional artistic details. The vessels have also undergone safety inspections and decorative work in preparation for the event. The fleet includes four principal royal barges distinguished by their elaborate designs and decorations. One features the head of the golden mythical swan on its prow, while others feature the multi-headed Naga, a mythical serpent, or depict the Hindu deity Narayana riding on a mythical bird-like creature.
Getting that formation river-ready takes months. In March, 162 personnel from 35 naval units began training as instructors, including 58 barge captains and 104 helmsmen, before returning to their units to train the rest of the oarsmen. Practice starts on land, moves to individual boat handling and culminates in full-formation drills on the water – the better part of a year’s preparation. Revived in 1959 after a hiatus, it has appeared only on select occasions since, including coronations, major royal birthdays and other significant events. That rarity is precisely why crowds line the Chao Phraya whenever one is announced.
Get your best clothes on
A kid walks out in a Tortoise costume.
Mother: “Why are you wearing that costume?”
Kid: “I’m going to that costume party.”
Mother: “Isn’t that next year?”
Kid: “Yeah, but I’m a Tortoise.”
What is the Cuban national anthem?’ ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat!”
3 celebrities are going to a costume party. They decided to have musician themed costumes.
Tom Cruise says, “I’ll be Mozart.”
Robert Downey Jr. day’s “I’ll be Beethoven.”
Arnold Swarznegger says, “I’ll be Bach.”
What does a surfer wear during a formal party?
A wetsuit.
November 6th Birthdays
1972 – Rebcca Romijn, 1996 – Katy LeClerk, 1946 – Sally Field, 1988 – Emma Stone
1854 – John Philip Sousa, 1979 – Lamar Odom, 1970 – Ethan Hawke, 1918 – Adolph Sax