Thailand prepares for diamond jubilee celebration
Friday, 18 Nov 2005 10:04
Bangkok will play host to events under the Grand Invitation
Thailand will be hosting a series of events next year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Thai king's accession to the throne.
Music, cultural, and sports events will be held throughout 2006 to celebrate the diamond jubilee anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Jazz festivals are expected to feature prominently in the celebrations, as His Majesty is apparently a great lover of jazz.
Visitors to Thailand will also get the opportunity to witness the Royal Barge Procession, Royal Procession and Trooping of the Colours.
The events are being co-ordinated by the Thai government under the banner "Thailand Grand Invitation".
Thailand takes its monarchy very seriously and the king is revered throughout the country.
The country is home to a number of luxurious palaces, the most famous being the decorative Grand Palace in the Thai capital of Bangkok, where visitors have to cover up before entering.
Having come to the throne in 1946, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is already the world's longest reigning monarch.