With the royal funeral for King Bhumibol Adulyadej less than three months away, skilled craftspeople are hard at work on the royal crematorium. Here's an update on their progress.
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Preparing for the final farewell
Pichaya Svasti
As part of the royal funeral series, we look at the progress in the royal crematorium construction for the late King Bhumibol and talk to the skilled craftspeople decorating the structure
As the royal funeral for King Bhumibol Adulyadej is less than three months away, craftsmen and officials responsible for building and decorating the royal crematorium rarely have a rest day. Hard at work, their skillful hands and trained eyes focus on the minute details of the decorative art pieces for the final farewell.
Among the experts, about 10 officials of the Office of Traditional Art's painting section as well as some 100 volunteers have been beautifying more than 500 large-scale sculptures of gods, angels and mythical creatures, as well as 90 small stucco statues. Their workshop is at the Hall of Sculpture near Sanam Luang.
"This year, our work has improved from the last time we had a royal funeral. The colours are better matched and applied," said Surathkij Pheeraphongsil, a specialist who is in charge of painting sculptures for the royal crematorium. "The officials closely supervise the work of the volunteers who are determined to strictly follow all the requirements."
According to him, the fibreglass sculptures of 400 deities and angels and 100 mythical Himaphan Forest animals were shaped and moulded by the office's sculptors while the 90 small stucco statues were created by a group of Phetchaburi craftsmen. The former have been painted with oil paints and the latter by 60 shades of acrylics.
The use of stucco statues from Phetchaburi is similar to the royal funeral of Princess Bejraratana Rajasuda, but the sizes are bigger this time because the royal crematorium and compound are larger.
The statues will be installed in pairs. For example, a large horse sculpture and smaller stucco horse will be placed together and there will be water flowing from their mouths. In the middle will be the sculptures of Himaphan Forest animals.
Prasopsuk Ratmai, head of sculpture at the Office of Traditional Art, supervises his unit in creating sculptures for decorating the royal crematorium, including Hindu gods Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Indra, the standing and sitting angels, the Garuda and auspicious animals. The principle of work is to highlight the outstanding quality of art in the reign of King Bhumibol -- the quality of being realistic, natural and reflecting Thai aesthetics.
Before the painting process, the sculptures were shaped and moulded. Sombat Thanatkij, a sculptor, said some of the office's artists worked on the statues at their headquarters in Nakhon Pathom, while some other sculptors and outsourced workers made moulds and created fibreglass sculptures in a temporary workshop at Sanam Luang. The moulding took three days for each sculpture.
His team moulded most of the sculptures, including the Hindu deities, 32 sitting angels and eight standing angels, while Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Poh Chang Campus created the sculptures of 10 types of elephant.
Currently at the Hall of Sculpture, the 10 officials and 30 of the volunteers paint the statues every day from 9am-9pm. Their work will be completed before the end of September.
You can read the full, much longer, story here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/social-and-lifestyle/1305795/preparing-for-the-final-farewell
