Royal Barges
 

In 24 trips to Bangkok, I've never been lucky enough to see this spectacle... until now. The Royal Barge Procession is scheduled for Oct 22, 2011. McBeanie just sent me an email about it. She'll be there, as will rhkkmk's and lucky ME. So many times I've hoped to be able to see this event live. I had given up the idea of seeing it... and then BINGO.. McBeanie's email. Thank you, Sandra!! So looking forward to this.

Is anyone else going to be around then? And I'm wondering where would be a good viewing place for it.

Carol

Really strange that this thread does not appear on the left hand side of the page. Totally missing from the 'top 25 listing!' Not sure why.....

TTT in hopes that it will appear on the left.

Thanks Carol! We are so-o-o-o looking forward to this Procession. Pictures we have seen are spectacular, and we loved our visit to the Royal Barge Museum. We will see you at AS, and we can hopefully coordinate our plans for the 22nd of October.

Anyone, please give us some information on an outstanding viewing spot. This is probably a 'once-in-a-life' event for us.

Thanks in advance

Sandra

I have an answer to my own question now. The hotels are not along the route of the procession.

People are not allowed to be 'higher' than HRH the Crown Prince when he is gliding down the river. People will line the shore, and not be looking down from balconies and bridges, from what I can gather.

So... any ideas for a chance to view the procession?

I expect Hanuman would be the best resource here. I was in Bangkok at the time of a Royal Barge procession, and I remember there were seats you could buy. Of course, the seats were all sold out long before I was there. Another option offered to me was to get lunch reservations at the Supatra River House. You won't get a river view table, but the hostess said it didn't matter because once the barges started sailing everyone was out of their seats to watch anyway.

Kathie, thanks for the tips. And yes, I'm hoping hanuman will pop in here and add to the discussion.

Isn't Haunaman still on safari?

No, lcuy, he's back! Go to the Africa board and read his exciting adventures. His photos are great!

Wow lucky you Carol, I would love to see that.

lcuy, I haven't met Hanuman yet but am sure he is not a Hauna man 8-)

Aloha!

Smeagol, there will be some practice runs of the procession. Maybe you would be lucky enough to see one of those. The 'dress rehearsals' are on Oct 6 and 18. (I arrive on the late flt 18th...drat). But other non-dress-rehearsals will start in the next few weeks.

And yes, hanuman's photography is awesome! If you have not yet looked, you must do so!

ht, give the tita a break. lol.

Very interested to hear more details about this event. There isn't anything on the Thailand Tourism website.

I've been back for 3 days now and have been busy! I've replied to Carol via email but here's my answer for the royal barge procession.

I've only seen it live once and the usual route for the procession is around the Grand Palace, Navy HQ and Wat Arun. The procession doesn't pass any hotel that I recall but it does pass some condos on the river.

There are stands on both side of the river setup by corporate and government sponsors but on the day of the main event it will be very hard for a tourist to get seats IMO. Truthfully it's quite a long procession and with somber classical Thai chants but the barges themselves are spectacular and I believe you can see them tied up during the practice days at the Navy HQ.

If you want to get tickets then try this link, it's from the 2007 procession but they sold tickets then so I figure they will this year as well: http://www.thaiticketmajor.com/perfo...eb2007_eng.php

HT I will be seeing kuranosuke tomorrow and I'll get him to translate " Hauna man". It better be a nice reference!

hanuman... I've just checked my email and there is nothing from you. Are you sure you have the yahoo address? Or maybe there is a delay in it being delivered??

Thank you for your information on the procession. I'm sure it is not going to be an easy task to see it, but I'm going to try my best to be there, somewhere.

Try this website for information www.tatnews.org

It works for me.

Sandra

Carol I just resend the email to you so if you don't get this one then I suggest you check your "spam" box.

Got it, pook. Thanks.

I like the idea of crossing the river on the BTS and then heading north in a tuk tuk/taxi/whatever.

we hope to see some part of this too, but heed pook's words..

HT- You lie, kukae!

Pook- Don't you know you can't believe a word HT writes? Hauna means "smells nice " in Hawaiian. Trust me
>:-)

Thanks for the helpful link Sandra.

pook--watch out those HI people play tricks amongst themselves..

This has been cancelled this year

or post poned????

We are very disapointed that we will miss this event. This will be the 2nd or 3rd time we have missed by a day or more.

Cancelled until next year but there will be some kind of celebration for the king in December. No dates announced yet.

his official birthday is dec 5

There is always some kind of celebration for the king's birthday. We'll be in Bangkok for the celebrations.

It has not been cancelled but rather postponed to a later date. 2 days ago there was a general announcement on TV that the ceremony will be postponed to a later date. Yesterday the government sent a letter to the royal household requesting the ceremony be move to next year and royal household have not reply or given a new date yet.

As of today most of the viewing stands or areas have sandbags flood barrier hurriedly constructed in it's place. The river is also flowing too fast for the royal barges at the moment as well.

The water level will start to drop from today onward so it will depend on the royal household when they will reschedule the event. Could be within this year or early next year but definitely not cancelled.

Here's a link from the National News Bureau of Thailand: http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255410140010

Thanks Pook....Any pull in getting it rescheduled while we are there?

LOL Karen! If the event is held on schedule then the barges will be racing down the river, kind of like the dragon boat races.

so they would need heavy duty motors plus the rowers to get back up the river..

Pook, there is a very 'busy' thread on TA about the flooding. Have you noticed any major problems getting around the city?

No problem at all getting around Bangkok. Just North of Bangkok there are some flooding, the low areas around where I live, but not too bad. Further up North part of the highways, notably route 1, are still flooded so is part of Ayudhaya, Nakorn Sawan and other towns which the CP flow through.

If you are here today you will not be affected with your usual routine :)

Thanks, Pook. Is the standing water receding slowly because of so much of it trying to escape via the sewer lines all at once? I saw pics of standing water along Sukhumvit, in the curb lanes.

And yes, with my usual routine, I'll be fine.

How's Chatuchak?

The flood water around Sukhumvit is from the regular heavy rainfall this time of year and when it rains, it pours! Usually drains away within a couple of hours. The flooding that you see on the news is totally different as that was a result of mismanaged water flow from various dams.

JJ market is fine and vibrant as usual. Dang picked up some Canadian lobsters from Or Tor Kor for me the other day and she said it's not affected by the flooding.

were the lobsters in the flood water or in a tank for sale... i was thinking it would be a long swim from canada to thailand for any lobster...

On that note (lobster), my Canadian friend (Nova Scotia) says that "MAINE lobsters" really come from Canada!

Pook, I've been there for the monsoonal type rains and I've seen that flooding that disappears quickly. Hoping that will be the case once again. Thanks.

Carol...don't even go there about Canadian Lobsters vs Maine. You will start an international confilct. It is a sore subject around these parts. But , boy are they both good!

A posting on TA says that the barges are cancelled until next year. K, tell Bob he has a year to get his strength built up again for rowing!! haha