Sandalwood flower ashes floated in sea, rivers

BANGKOK, Oct 28 (TNA) -- Ashes of the sandalwood flowers cremated at replicas of the Royal Crematorium nationwide are floated in local waterways after the Royal Cremation of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej Thursday night. Millions of Thai people laid sandalwood flowers at eighty five to-scale replicas of the Royal Crematorium built at designated locations and smaller replicas in their localities on Thursday. The sandalwood flowers were symbolically cremated around the time of the actual cremation. Sandalwood flowers have been used for cremation of deceased Thais for centuries as it is believed that the fragrance of the wood will lead souls of the deceased to heaven. After being collected from replicas of the Royal Crematorium, the ashes were released in to major waterways in ceremonies led by senior officials. In Phayao, the ashes were floated in Kwan Phayao lake. Part of the remains will be kept in urns for people to pay respects to. Merit-making ceremonies were incorporated in the rituals at all locations to honor the revered monarch. In Phuket, a receptacle and bags containing ashes of sandalwood flowers for the late king was carried by the Navy vessel His Thai Majesty’s Ship (HTMS) Narathiwat to be floated near Phromthep cape in the Andaman Sea. The floating ceremony was carried out in honour of the late King. In the central province of Nakhon Nayok, the cremation flowers were burnt at a royal crematorium replica and local officials floated the ashes at Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam, the late King’s royally initiated irrigation project. He gave the name of the dam in June 2006. In Lop Buri, the province floated the sandalwood ashes in the Pasak Jolasid dam, one of the late King’s project. The dam was named by the late King and local people call the dam “The father’s dam”. In the eastern province of Chanthaburi, the ceremony was held to carry the ashes of the cremation flowers to be floated in the Gulf of Thailand by the Navy combatant ship. Officials observed the moment of silence for 89 seconds, representing the age of the late King at 89 years. In Samut Prakan, the ashes was floated at the Klong Lat Pho floodgate project, where the late King in Nov 24, 2010 travelled to open the gate and the Bhumibol Bridge 1 and Bhumibol Bridge 2, the late King's initiative to help ease traffic problems. In the northeastern province of Sisaket, nine bags of cremation flower ashes were taken by a boated for floating in the Mun River as the crowd gathered to pay tribute to the beloved king. In the northern province of Chiang Rai, officials floated cremation flower ashes in the Mekogn River. The boat, carrying the ashes left the pier at the Golden Triangle, where the borders of three countries - Laos, Myanmar and Thailand - meet. Months earlier, volunteers made the delicate sandalwood flowers in the shapes of seven different flowers such as rose and orchid. They were given to mourners for laying inside the crematorium replicas. (TNA)