KUPASONLINE.COM —Each kingdom around the world has unique traditions that go back hundreds of years. This tradition has begun to be abandoned in modern times, but not a few are still carrying out various kinds of this hereditary tradition. One of them is the Kingdom of Thailand.
In Thailand, there are several traditions that are quite unique. Starting from collecting holy water to bathe the king before the coronation, to the palace staff sitting on the floor because they cannot be in a higher position than the king.
In full, here are the unique traditions of the Kingdom of Thailand that the WOMAN successful coil summarized from various sources.
1. Holy water taken from 100 springs, used by the king for bathing
Before the official coronation of the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, palace officials collected water from 100 springs all over Thailand. The water must be taken between 11.52am and 12.38pm as it is considered an auspicious time in Thai astrology.
The water is then blessed in Buddhist ceremonies at major temples before being combined in a combined ceremony at Wat Suthat, one of Bangkok’s oldest temples. The consecrated water is used in two rituals at the Grand Palace.
The first is used to ‘purify’ the king by gently pouring it on the king’s body before being officially crowned. The second, the holy water is used to give blessings to King Vajiralongkor who is wearing a regal robe and sits on the throne. There were eight people who poured the holy water into the hands of the king, including his younger sister, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and several court scholars.
Reportedly, collecting holy water is based on Brahmin traditions that have been carried out for centuries.
2. Royal attributes that have existed since the time of Rama I were made entirely of gold
During the inauguration of the King of Thailand, there will be several attributes that must be used and must be near the king. All of these attributes are made entirely of gold and were created during the reigns of Kings Rama I and Rama IV. During the coronation of the king at the beginning of his reign, this attribute will be removed from the Bangkok Grand Palace Museum for the use of the king.
This attribute is Phra Maha Swetachatra or umbrella. Currently there are seven umbrellas placed in various palaces. Apart from that, there is also the Phra Maha Phijay Mongkut crown which can only be worn by kings, the Phra Saengkharga Jay Sri sword which represents Thailand’s military power, the Chalong Phra Bada (official shoes made of gold) and the Walawijani (fan made of gold and a white elephant’s tail). ).
Not only that, there are also Phra Khattiya Rajuprapoke or equipment specially used for the king’s personal use. It consists of a jar to put water, betel nut which is placed in a special container, libation and a container to put it. These objects were always placed on either side of the king’s throne during royal ceremonies.
3. Holding a ‘congratulations’ at the residence of the King of Thailand by bringing a cat and a rooster
After the coronation ceremony, the elected King of Thailand will perform a ‘congratulations’ at the Grand Palace which is now his residence. It is private and attended only by the royal family.
The royal family will bring a white cat and rooster which is considered as a symbol to fight evil spirits. Quoting the Bangkok Post, in Thai tradition, when someone moves to a new house, they must raise a cat so that the house is blessed and protected from the temptations of spirits. Apart from that, the king was also presented with a golden key as a symbol of his ownership of the palace he lived in.
4. Apart from the King of Thailand, all members of the royal family must sit on the floor
According to Thai Royal tradition, the royal leader is considered as someone with the highest degree whose position is below God. Therefore, a Thai King must be in a higher position than anyone else during state events or when giving speeches.
Thus, other royal families, including the king’s children and royal staff had to sit on the floor and walk on all fours so as not to show their feet in front of the king. This is considered a sign of respect for the royal leader.
Meanwhile, if there are members of the royal family who have activities outside the palace, they will have the honor to sit on a bench or sofa. While the other person he met had to sit on the floor. For example, King Vajiralongkorn’s daughter, Princess Sirivannavari, was caught on camera taking pictures sitting on a sofa, while her relatives and friends posed sitting on the floor.
5. There is a law that prohibits Thai people from insulting the king
In Thailand, there is a majesty law that prohibits its people from criticizing and insulting the king, queen, royal heir or guardian. yes. This law has considerable legal force, because if found guilty of insulting the king, the perpetrator will face up to 15 years in prison for one offence.
However, the law has been criticized for being a political tool, as anyone can report suspected wrongdoing to the police. Law enforcement is also considered not transparent and inconsistent.(*)
