Magnificent day
December 6, 2007
His Majesty the King together with her Majesty the Queen and His Roayl Higness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn wave to dignitaries form the balcony of the Chakri Mahaprasart Throne Hall. The entire nation celebrated the King's 80th birthday yesterday.
We didn't have to go anywhere yesterday to get a good feeling for the wonderful celebrations that were taking place throughout the city of Bangkok. Naturally, everything was televised and in the evening we were treated to fireworks displays on all sides of our condo. As soon as one finished, another one started in another location. Of course, the centre of attention was the area from Chitralada Palace to the Grand Palace. The story below gives the details.
People wave national flags and royal flags and chant ‘‘Long Live the King’’ as His Majesty’s motorcade passes along Ratchadamnoen avenue. KITJA PICHONROJAREK
Joyous crowds greet King
Hundreds of thousands turned out for His Majesty’s 80th birthday and in his brief address he reiterated that national unity is vital.
His
Majesty the King sits on the balcony of the Chakri Maha Prasart Throne
Hall in the Grand Palace before members of the royal family, senior
government officials and dignitaries who converged to wish him a happy
80th birthday.THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUREAU A sea of yellow greeted His Majesty the King who celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday.
Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers wearing yellow shirts lined the streets from the Chitralada Palace to the Grand Palace from early in the morning in a bid to see the King.
They chanted ‘‘Long Live the King’’ while waving national and yellow royal flags as the royal motorcade slowly passed by. Yellow is the colour associated with Monday, the day of the week when the King was born.
Their Majesties waved to the wellwishers, many of whom wept with joy.
His Majesty the King, who was dressed in full regalia, appeared from the balcony of the Chakri Maha Prasart Throne Hall before members of his family, senior government officials, led by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, heads of the country’s legislative and judicial branches, as well as other dignitaries. Her Majesty the Queen was by his side.
After a 21-gun salute, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, on behalf of the Royal Family, delivered a speech praising the King’s devotion to the country.
His speech was followed by those of Prime Minister Surayud, National Legislative Assembly president Meechai Ruchupan and Supreme Court president Vichai Limwichai.
In his brief address to the crowds, His Majesty the King emphasised unity and responsibility.
‘‘Thailand will achieve stability and peace when all the institutions — which are the pillars of the country — and the Thai people are united and work in support of each other.
‘‘The support of people who are aware of their duty and responsibility and are determined to perform their duty in support of each other is a form of unity, national unity.
‘‘[If] everyone is determined to work in unity, benefits and happiness will befall us and our society as a whole. And our country will maintain normalcy and stability and develop as we wish,’’ the King said.
reiterated – repeated something in order to give it more importance พูดทบทวนหลายครั้ง ย้ำ
vital – very important, necessary or essential สำคัญยิ่ง
balcony – a place where you can stand just outside an upper window ระเบียง ในที่นี้คือ มุกเด็จที่พระที่นั่งจักรีมหาปราสาท
dignitaries – people who have important official positions บุคคลสำคัญ
converged – came from different directions to reach the same point มาชุนนุม มารวมกัน
bid – an attempt ความพยายาม
motorcade – a group of cars traveling with someone very important ขบวนรถ
wept (past form of weep) – cried ร้องไห้
regalia – special clothes that you wear for a ceremony or official occasion ชุดแต่งกายเต็มยศ ชุดพิธีการ
legislative branch – the part of government that makes the laws ฝ่ายนิติบัญญัติ
judicial branch – part of government that interprets the laws through the country’s courts ฝ่ายตุลาการ
21-gun salute – a ceremony in which guns or cannons are fired พิธียิงปืนใหญ่เพื่อเป็นการถวายความเคารพจำนวน 21 นัด
on behalf of – as a representative of ในนามของ
devotion – the process of spending a lot of time or energy on an activity การอุทิศตน
address – a formal speech แถลง ปราศัย หรือกล่าวสุนทรพจน์ ในที่นี้หมายถึง พระราชดำรัสที่มีต่อประชาชนในการออกมหาสมาคม
emphasised – gave particular importance to ให้ความสำคัญต่อ
institutions – imporant traditions on which society is based สถาบัน
pillars – important principles, ideas or beliefs เสาหลัก หลักสำคัญ
will befall us – will happen to us เกิดขึ้นกับพวกเราทุกคน
normalcy – a situation in which everything is normal สถานการณ์ปกติ สภาพปกติ
Sanam Luang and the Grand Palace are aglow with thousands of candles lit in honour of the King. SAROT MEKSOPHAWANNAKUL
In a speech given to soldiers taking part in Trooping of the Colours on Sunday the King called for unity among the armed forces and all Thais, saying that the situation was unstable. He urged them to put national security above all else.
In his traditional annual address on the eve of his 80th birthday at Dusitalai Pavilion on Tuesday, he reiterated the importance of unity among the Thai people to prevent the country from plunging into disaster.
Most
of the crowds yesterday, some of whom arrived as early as 4.30am,
stayed on the streets all day, as the Royal Family travelled twice
between the two palaces, holding a religious ceremony for the
King’s birthday with 81 Buddhist monks at the Grand Palace in
the
afternoon.At night, the crowds squeezed into Sanam Luang, joining their fellows in the provinces in a candlelight ceremony to commemorate His Majesty’s 80th birthday.
The event, chaired by Gen Surayud, was capped off with the singing of Phor Haeng Pandin, a song of praise and salute before a display of fireworks (see photo to the left).
trooping – walking somewhere in a group เดินเป็นกลุ่ม เหล่า ในที่นี้หมายถึงเดินสวนสนาม
unstable – of a situation that changes often and having to deal with a lot of dissatisfaction, protests or violence ที่ไม่สงบนิ่ง หมายถึงสถานการณ์บ้านเมืองที่ยังมีความปั่นป่วน ไม่มีเสถียรภาพ
annual – happening every year ประจำปี
plunging – falling quickly ถลำ ตกต่ำลง เสื่อมลง
disaster – something very bad that happens and causes a lot of damage or kills a lot of people ความหายนะ
commemorate – to show that your remember an important person or event by having a specially ceremony or by creating a special object ระลึก ฉลอง
capped off – ended, especially in an impressive way สิ้นสุดลง
salute – to express praise or respect for a person ถวายความเคารพ ถวายคำนับ