Their Majesties the King and Queen presided over the Royal Ploughing Ceremony in Sanam Luang yesterday in which it was predicted there would be an abundance of both food and water for this year's farming season.
During the ceremony, which marked the beginning of the rice cultivation season, Their Majesties were accompanied by Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha.
Anant Suwanarat, permanent secretary for agriculture and cooperatives, acted as the Phraya Raek Na or the Lord of the Plough.
He was joined by officials as consecrated women carried gold and silver baskets filled with royally sponsored rice seeds that the Lord of the Plough had sowed.
In the ceremony, the Lord of the Plough picked a piece of folded cloth with a length of five kueb (about 125 centimetres) which led to the prediction of sufficient water and abundant rice yields.
Meanwhile, the sacred oxen which also take part in the rites chose to eat rice, grass, and drink water, which is another indication there will be an abundance of both food and water.
The menu of items for the animals to choose from traditionally consists of paddy or corn, water, grass, mung beans, sesame seeds and liquor and the predictions are based on their decision.
Also, during the ceremony, His Majesty the King presented awards to outstanding farmers and excellent agricultural institutions and cooperatives.
Both farmers and people from the across provinces in the country had gathered in Sanam Luang to welcome the royals and collect rice seeds sowed there for good luck.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the country, farmers showed their faith during the Royal Ploughing Ceremony by sowing rice seeds immediately after seeing the Lord of the Plough doing the same in Sanam Luang.
The farmers believe that by sowing seeds in the exact same auspicious timing, their crop and rice yields will be bountiful.
