BMA organizes New Year celebration activities

BANGKOK, December 27 (TNA) - The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will organize New Year celebration activities, in which people from all walks of life are welcome to participate, in order to bring about good luck to them in the coming year and to promote the Thai culture. Bangkok Governor Police General Asawin Kwanmuang told a press conference on December 26 that the New Year activities will be held at the main plaza in front of the BMA Headquarters during December 31, 2017-January 1, 2018. The Bangkok governor said the activities include cultural shows, displays and sales of food and community products from all the capital's 50 districts and a New Year countdown event, as well as a mass alms offering event and a one-day group tour service to nine Buddhist temples in the city for people to pay respect to the Buddha images and to do their merits. For the New Year countdown event, the governor revealed that it will include the mass New Year prayers countdown at 7:30pm and 10pm, the first phase of which is aimed mainly to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of late His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the second phase of which is aimed to pay tribute to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun and all members of the Royal Family. Besides, BMA will organize a motor parade of the Buddha image, named Phra Buddha Nawaratchaabopitr, surrounded by fresh flowers from the City Hall to Tri Phet Road, the Bangkok Memorial Bridge, Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue and back to the BMA Headquarters for people living along the route to pay respect on December 31 during 9-11:30am. According to the Bangkok governor, there will also be a mass alms offering to 166 Buddhist monks on January 1 at 7am. The Bangkok governor stated that BMA is, meanwhile, organizing a one-day group tour service to nine temples in the capital during December 26-29 for people in each day to pay respect to the Buddha images and to do their merits on the auspicious occasion of the New Year celebrations. (TNA)