An exhibition on the royal cremation ceremony will be displayed in the ceremonial grounds around the royal crematorium at Sanam Luang from Thursday until Nov 30, and it is expected to be large enough to accommodate 56,000 people a day, said Maj Gen Santipong Thammapiya, deputy chief of the 1st Army Region.
Large crowds are expected to throng the exhibition highlighting the royal cremation ceremonies of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which officially concluded on Sunday.
After the ceremonies to enshrine the royal relics and royal ashes of the late King were completed over the weekend, His Majesty the King allowed the government to organise a special exhibition to tell the story of the royal cremation ceremonies near the elaborately decorated royal crematorium. Once the exhibition concludes, the crematorium will be removed.
Maj Gen Santipong said visitors to the exhibition will go through security screening similar to that conducted on people entering areas around Sanam Luang to watch the processions and the royal cremation last week.
Screening checkpoints will be set up for the general public at Tha Chang, near the Mother Earth statue. For tourists, security checks will be performed near the Ministry of Defence, and for monks, it will be held outside Thammasat University's Tha Phra Chan campus.
In Sanam Luang, 30 tents will be set up for the exhibition and 4,000 people will be allowed in for each round of the tour, which lasts about 45 minutes. The exhibition will be open every day from 7am-9pm.
During the tour, free snacks and drinking water will be offered to visitors. There will also be performances at the exhibition.
For people who do not wish to enter the exhibition but want to take photos, there will be a dedicated area in front of the royal crematorium. Tourists can take photos and proceed to Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand Palace without having to enter.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has thanked all Thais for their cooperation and help during the year of mourning for King Rama IX and the funeral ceremonies. He particularly thanked the volunteers who helped care for more than 10 million people who visited the Grand Palace to pay their respects to the late King over the past 12 months.
He thanked mourners and all sectors of society who helped ensure the ceremonies went smoothly. He said their efforts were appreciated by His Majesty, who had asked authorities to facilitate people's attendance out of concern for their well-being.
