Heartfelt goodbyes

This evening more than 100 monks will offer prayers at Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in a ceremony attended by His Majesty the King on the eve of his elder sister's royal cremation.

His Majesty's beloved sibling, HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, passed away at the age of 84 on January 2.

People across the country are now preparing to bid her a final farewell. Tomorrow, millions of Thais will don black out of their love and respect for the late Princess.

Grandeur at Sanam Luang

The exquisite royal crematorium stands surrounded by colourful flowerbeds at one end of Sanam Luang. His Majesty will place a sandalwood bundle there tomorrow in preparation for the cremation ceremony, which begins at 10pm.

Waiting to receive the late Princess' ashes is an elaborate gold urn decorated with jewels.

More than a thousand members of media organisations from around the world will cover the ceremony.

"The ceremony will be broadcast to 171 countries," says Ratanaburi Atisab, director general of the Public Relation Department. A dozen grandstands have been erected for photographers alone.

Mourners can place paperflower tributes tomorrow at designated spots around Sanam Luang and temples across the country.

High arts

Sanam Luang will also be the stage for marathon performances of traditional epics, running from 7pm tomorrow to the early morning of Sunday.

And from Tuesday to November 30, it will host an exhibition of photographs and art that charts the life of the Princess.