Thailand prepares for a King’s $90 million cremation ceremony
THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Hannah Beech
BANGKOK — Capping a year of national mourning, Thailand will cremate its celebrated King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Thursday evening, in a $90 million ceremony that symbolizes both the bountiful devotion of his subjects and the earthly abundance of what many consider the world’s wealthiest monarchy. The cremation, which will begin at 10 p.m. in central Bangkok, is considered the concluding chapter in a journey that will return the divine monarch to the mystical Mount Meru, the heavenly heart of the Buddhist and Hindu realm. [More]
By Hannah Beech
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| Mourners who spent the night waiting to attend the cremation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok. Credit Adam Dean for The New York Times |