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Published on February 27, 2008

To prepare for the funeral of the Princess, a special glue has been used to decorate the ancient Phra Maha Phichai Ratcharot chariot with coloured glass to prevent damage, while the Royal Household Bureau has assigned artists to draw 13 groups of pictures relating the life and work of the Princess.

Sureerat Wong sa-ngiem, director of the National Archives, said the team to record the Kong-Tek ritual at the Grand Palace's Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall tomorrow and on Friday had contacted the Royal Household Bureau about preparations.

This would be a historic ceremony for Chinese monks and Chinese-Thais to express their loyalty to the beloved Princess, she said.

The team would document the process from beginning to end to be part of the records about the Princess' funeral for Thais to study later.

The National Archives has recorded all the royal funeral preparations since January 2, when the Princess passed away, including the construction of the funeral pyre on Sanam Luang's southern corner and the making of the urn.

The decision on which agency would compile the news articles about the princess' passing and the historic funeral would be determined later.

As for the "folk archive", people are invited to send in photographs of the Princess to the National Archives, which would then make a large collection of them. The names of the givers would also be recognised.

Apinant Posayanont, director of the Modern Arts and Culture Office, told reporters after a meeting for the art project to honour the Princess that the organising committee had chosen 75 artists from seven fields.

This week they would have a complete list of 84 artists to join the project.

The organising committee and the 84 artists are scheduled to pay respects on March 19 to the Princess who is lying in state at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall.

The Royal Household Bureau had divided into 13 themes the pictures to be drawn, including her role as the elder sister of two kings, her life story and her projects. The pictures would be displayed in the Phra Thinang Songtham and Lukkhun pavilions at the funeral.

The Nation