Thailand begins celebrating King's birthday

BANGKOK, December 1 (TNA) - All areas in Thailand have started organising activities to celebrate His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 87th birthday on December 5, 2014. In Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha's spouse, Naraporn Chan-ocha, led other Cabinet members' spouses to make merits to pay tribute to His Majesty the King at the Rama 9 Temple on Monday morning, when they also planted nine golden shower trees in honour of the beloved Thai monarch, along with joining in preparations for nine boys and four girls to become Buddhist novices and nuns to pay tribute to the revered Thai monarch as well. Permanent Secretary for Education Suthasri Wongsaman, in the meantime, presided over a ceremony to release a caravan of 300 volunteers to do go deeds at five temples in the capital in honour of His Majesty, which is also in line with the government's 12-value policy, aimed to promote and sustain national growth and prosperity. In Prachuap Khiri Khan Province in the Upper Thai South, the Hua Hin Municipality, in which Klai Kangwon Palace is situated, officials were decorating the area with national and His Majesty's flags in honour of His Majesty, including sculptures with millions of light motifs, symbolising His Majesty the King's intelligence, on the main Phet Kasem Road. In Chiang Rai Province in the Thai North, 187 military and police officers, as well as vocational students and local men entered their monkhood in a mass ordination at a local temple to pay tribute to His Majesty the King for the revered Thai monarch's good health and longevity. (TNA)