Stepping to heaven

Following the collection of the ashes on Sunday, Their Majesties the King and the Queen yesterday evening presided over a meritmaking ceremony for HRH the late Princess Galyani Vadhana at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the grounds of the Grand Palace.

Other Royal Family members taking part in the cere¬mony included HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana, the Crown Prince's royal consort HRH Princess Srirasmi, HRH Princess Somsavali, HRH Princess Bajra Kitiyabha, HRH Princess Siribha Chudhabhorn and HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana.

The Royal Family donated robes and palmfrond fans printed with the emblem of the Princess to monks for use in meritmaking ceremonies.

Relics enshrined

Today, after another meritmaking ceremony at around 10.30am at the hall, a royal procession will transfer the urn containing the relics of the Princess to the palace's Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, where it will be enshrined.

The day after, the ashes will be moved from the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to their final resting place at Rajabopit Temple's Rangsi Vadhana Memorial.

Garden of memories

The temple's assistant, Phra Dhamma Vorametee, said yesterday that the preparation of the Memorial grounds was 90 per cent completed.

"We are applying the finishing touches to the 84 varieties of trees and flowers that will complete the landscaping. Most of them are blue, the Princess's favourite colour," he said.

After efforts by the Bureau of the Royal Household to track them down, Thammasat University is to announce Assist Prof Amporn Pattanaamorn from Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University as one of seven persons pictured in the photographs with the Princess that adorned the funeral pyre.