Many royal families and distinguished representatives from 42 countries are on a visit to Thailand to attend the Royal Cremation Ceremony for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

 

Royals and foreign dignitaries from 42 countries who have attended the Royal Cremation Ceremony on 26 October 2017 are as follows:

 

1. H.M. King Letsie III and H.M. Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso from the Kingdom of Lesotho;

2. H.M. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and H.M. Queen Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck from the Kingdom of Bhutan;

3. H.M. King Tupou VI and H.M. Queen Nanasipau’u from the Kingdom of Tonga;

4. President U Htin Kyaw and his spouse Mrs. Su Su Lwin from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar;

5. President Bounnhang Vorachith and his spouse Mrs. Khammueng Vorachith from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic;

6. President Halimah Yacob and her spouse Mr. Mohamed Abdullah Alhabsee from the Republic of Singapore;

7. H.M. Queen Silvia from the Kingdom of Sweden;

8. H.M. Queen Maxima from the Kingdom of the Netherlands;

9. H.M. Queen Mathilde from the Kingdom of Belgium;

10. H.M. Queen Sofia, the former Queen of Spain from the Kingdom of Spain;

11. H.E. General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove from the Commonwealth of Australia;

12. The Right Honourable Madame Julie Payette from Canada;

13. Former President Megawati Soekarnoputri from the Republic of Indonesia;

14. Former President Joseph Deiss from the Swiss Confederation;

15. Former President Christian Wulff from the Federal Republic of Germany;

16. H.R.H. Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa from the Kingdom of Bahrain;

17. H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik from the Kingdom of Denmark;

18. H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon Magnus from the Kingdom of Norway;

19. Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg;

20. H.R.H. the Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah and H.R.H. Tuanku Zara Salim the Raja Permaisuri of Perak Darul Ridzuan from Malaysia;

21. H.R.H. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

22. H.I.H. Prince Akishino and H.I.H. Princess Akishino from Japan;

23. H.H. Prince Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani from the State of Qatar;

24. H.R.H. Princess Margaretha from the Principality of Liechtenstein;

25. Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

26. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen from the Kingdom of Cambodia;

27. Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini from the Kingdom of Swaziland;

28. Former Prime Minister James Bolger from New Zealand;

29. Former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and his spouse Mrs. Brigitte Ayrault from the French Republic;

30. Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli from the People’s Republic of China;

31. Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Iบik from the Republic of Turkey;

32. Deputy House Speaker Pak Joo-sun from the Republic of Korea;

33. Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Olga Epifanova from the Russian Federation;

34. Prime Minister’s Office Minister Hon. Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng from Negara Brunei Darussalam;

35. Defense Secretary James M. Mattis from the United States of America;

36. Foreign Minister Alan Peter S. Cayetano and his spouse Mrs. Maria Laarni Cayetano from the Republic of the Philippines;

37. Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana and his spouse Mrs. Stella Marapana from the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka;

38. Defense Minister Bhimsen Das Pradhan and his spouse Mrs. Bidya Banmali Pradhan from the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal;

39. Federal Minister for Power Division Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;

40. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Sahriar Alam from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh;

41. Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar from the Republic of India;

42. H.E. Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro from the Holy See.

 

These foreign royals and dignitaries were invited to sit at the Royal Merit-Making Pavilion, or Phra Thinang Song Tham, at Sanam Luang ceremonial ground before offering sandalwood flowers to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Royal Crematorium.

 

The Royal Merit-Making Pavilion is a hall located to the west of the Royal Crematorium. This pavilion is the site where His Majesty the King takes his seat to listen to prayers and where he performs merit-making ceremonies.

 

There is space for members of the Royal Family, the Privy Council, the Cabinet, military and civilian senior officials, and members of parliament, the diplomatic corps and representatives of various religions in Thailand, as well as high-ranking courtiers.

 

The Royal Merit-Making Pavilion for the Royal Cremation of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is 44.5 meters wide, 15.5 meters long, and 22 meters high. It is the largest ever built for the Royal Cremation Ceremony in Thai history. The walls inside the Royal Merit-Making Pavilion consist of paintings depicting royally initiated projects in all regions of Thailand.