Army Fires Royal Salute for Late Queen Mother on Day of Royal Bathing Rites
BANGKOK, Oct 26 (TNA) - The Royal Thai Army on Sunday fired a Royal Salute in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother during the solemn royal bathing ceremony, following her passing.
The gesture, performed in accordance with the highest royal tradition, took place at the Sanam Luang ceremonial ground as the late Queen Mother's royal remains were moved to the Grand Palace.
His Majesty the King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Her Majesty the Queen Suthida presided over the royal bathing rite at Phiman Rattaya Throne Hall at 5:00 p.m. local time. The ceremony culminated with the enshrinement of the royal urn—the Great Golden Urn beneath the Nine-Tiered White Umbrella of State at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall, surrounded by high-ranking royal regalia.
The Royal Salute was executed by the Army's 1st Artillery Regiment, 1st Field Artillery Battalion, King's Guard, using four 75mm field guns positioned at Sanam Luang. The guns fired 25 rounds over 25 minutes—one round per minute—starting at 5:42 p.m. as the royal bathing rite began and concluding at 6:07 p.m. once the royal urn was successfully mounted.
Earlier, the royal procession carrying Queen Sirikit's remains traveled from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital to the Grand Palace, where large crowds of mourners dressed in black gathered to pay their respects to the late Queen Mother.
