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Published on September 12, 2007

Their Majesties the King and Queen are scheduled to preside over the inauguration ceremony at the plaza of the Giant Swing in front of City Hall at 5pm.

Chief Royal Brahmin Phrarajakhru Varma Dhepmuni, who supervised the final preparations, said details of the sacred procedures for yesterday and today follow those taken when the Giant Swing was first built during the reign of King Rama I more than 200 years ago.

Today will start with alms-giving for Buddhist monks at 9am, followed by a Brahmin rite, he said.

"The most important part of the ceremony comes when HM the King sprinkles holy water on the two new Giant Swing pillars. This symbolises peaceful living and the well-being of the people," he said.

The timing for the royal ritual to be performed by the King today was not fixed in accordance with any particular religious belief, as His Majesty's presence was more auspicious than any astrological calculation, he said.

After sprinkling holy water on the Giant Swing's new posts, the King will give strips of pink cloth to Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin to tie around them as part of the baptism rite, he added.

Mayuree Sukyingcharoenwong,

The Nation