The royal funeral processions which form the heart of the royal cremation ceremony will be joined by thousands of state and palace officials who are assigned different tasks.
There are bearers and pullers of royal chariots and palanquins.
There are signallers and markers giving signals to guide the movement of the royal chariots and palanquins.
Phusamala bearers
And there are bearers of royal items after the royal cremation known as phusamala. These officials attend to the royal funeral urn, the royal urn carrying royal relics and the royal container carrying the royal ashes after the cremation ceremony.
From left Dr Pradit Panchavinnin, director of Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital, and Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital. Both medical doctors will be on the Phra Maha Pichai Rajarot (Royal Chariot of Great Victory) to carry the royal urn during the royal cremation ceremony. His Majesty the King requested both doctors perform this duty after they provided medical treatment for the late monarch during his final days. Chariot photo by Patipat Janthong
His Majesty the King has asked Prof Dr Pradit Panchavinnin, director of Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital (SiPH) and Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, to perform this duty.
Both doctors will be on the Phra Maha Pichai Rajarot to carry the royal urn during the royal cremation ceremony.
The doctors will attend to the royal relics which are to be carried on the Rajendrayan Busabok Palanquin and to the royal ashes which are to be taken on the Minor Rajendrayan Busabok Palanquin.
Both are among the Siriraj staff and royal medical team who cared for the late King during his stay at the hospital.
Dr Pradit, a cardiac specialist, served as a royal physician for the late King since 1995. He was the late King's regular wheelchair attendant when the late monarch stayed at Siriraj Hospital.
According to Dr Pradit, serving the late King was the highest honour and the doctor considers himself most blessed.
Dr Prasit was also part of the team caring for the late King during his stay at the hospital.
Looking at both his hands, he said yesterday, "These two hands represent the hands of 68 million Thai subjects who feel gratitude for the late King's contribution to the country and we will commit to do good deeds endlessly to pay tribute to the late King."
Lead monk on chariot
Besides courtiers and officials, the royal funeral procession for the late King will also include a senior monk who will recite phra abhidharma as the procession proceeds to the royal crematorium at Sanam Luang.
His Majesty the King has bestowed the duty to Somdet Phra Wannarat, the abbot of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, where the late King stayed for 15 days after being ordained as a monk in 1956.
The late monarch was ordained on Oct 22 that year in the hall of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha when he was aged 30. He was given the name Bhumibalo Bhikkhu and went on to stay at Wat Bowonniwet Vihara for 15 days.
Somdet Phra Wannarat, 81, will be seated on a chariot reciting phra abhidharma ahead of the royal chariot carrying the royal urn.
The senior monk has assumed this duty twice in the royal cremation ceremony of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana in 2008, when he was Phra Phrommuni, and in the royal cremation ceremony of Her Royal Highness Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda, the only child of King Rama VI, in 2012.
Big gun salutes
As well as the people playing special roles during the ceremony, on the royal cremation day on Thursday, artillery will also play a role in honouring the late King.
The 1st Field Artillery Regiment, King's Guard, will fire a 21-gun salute as a military honour at 4.30 pm.
The troops will also fire single gun salutes every minute until the royal cremation ceremony ends.
Four 75 mm Bofors, manufactured in Sweden, will be deployed. The artillery is reserved for a royal salutes only.
