Funeral for a Father.
Photos, video and text by Joshua Paul
Video for Vice News Tonight (HBO)
On October 26, 2017, the Thai people gathered outside the Grand Palace to bid farewell to their beloved father, the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It was a sad day for the nation of over 68 million people.
According to an AFP report, almost 200,000 Thais attended the lavish 90 million dollars funeral procession which was packed with ancient rituals, grand processions and Buddhist rites.
King Bhumibol was 88 when he passed away last year. He was cremated this year on October 26 in a four-day royal cremation ceremony, on a royal pyre within a cremation complex constructed out of golden pavilions in front of Bangkok's Grand Palace.
Thailand observed a year of mourning for King Bhumibol, who was regarded as a pillar of stability during his seven-decade reign which witnessed political upheavals and rapid economic development.
October 26, 2017 was a day to remember; a memory that will remain in each and every Thai's heart.