Despite difficulty, some people have been willing to undertake long treks because they feel strongly connected and grateful to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej for his royal initiatives.
Chui Kaewjanta, 65, from Chiang Rai, the northernmost province, said: “I could not stay in my house any longer. My heart has flown to Bangkok already since I learnt of this tragic loss. I have no money and had to borrow from my neighbours because I wanted to come here. I miss my King.”
Chui, joined by her husband, spoke while having a meal in the sun on the open field of Sanam Luang in front of the Grand Palace. The couple arrived in Bangkok at 4am – dawn yesterday – after a 10-hour bus journey.
Chui said she intends to go to the Grand Palace to pay respect to His Majesty, who died last Thursday, despite not being able to afford the cost of travelling here.
The couple asked their daughter, who lives in Bangkok, to buy them bus tickets. Chui also borrowed pocket money from her neighbour, as she plans to stay for five days. They will sleep at her daughter’s rented apartment and come to Sanam Luang from 8am to 9pm every day.
Chui recalled the King’s royal projects in Chiang Rai, including a tea plantation which helped her family and thousands of households in the province to stand on their own feet economically.
“I have planted tea to make a living. The King has taken care of us. And in the winter, Chiang Rai was very cold, he also provided blankets to us,” she replied with tearful eyes.
Chui said she did not want to eat anything and could not sleep well following the King’s passing.
“If it was not him, who else could do everything for Thai people like him?” she said before asking to stop because of her overwhelming emotion.
Thousands gathered around Sanam Luang, all dressed in black and mourning the King. Most live in Bangkok. But some were from areas far off, people who brought a backpack and luggage and lay on the royal lawn, like Kraiwut Krajornpob from Khon Kaen, in the Northeast.
Kraiwut, 42, who is a mechanic, sat alone in a tent set up on a footpath by Sanam Luang with a portrait of the King in one hand. His other hand held a handkerchief to wipe tears from his eyes as he looked toward the Grand Palace, where the King’s body now rests.
“It’s the great loss. Our father did lots of things for our well-being. Regardless of race, religion, and social status, he loved his children [Thai people] equally,” he said.
“The drought crisis in Isaan [the Northeast] has been alleviated because of his initiatives to build dams and reservoirs. Our region can farm because of his intelligence.”
He travelled to Bangkok with a friend, who came to have his old car repaired. After the seven-hour drive, he separated with his friend and just came to the Grand Palace to pay tribute to the King.
Kraiwut has slept at Sanam Luang since he arrived on Sunday night. He bought black shirts and necessities from nearby shops, as he had not prepared clothes for a trip made at short notice.
He said he would stay at Sanam Luang for another three to four days and return with his wife and children.
“This time I did not bring my family here as it was urgent and I did not want them to face difficulties. I don’t know where to sleep and where to take a bath. Perhaps, we will rent a room for a week to stay in Bangkok next time in order to pay respect to our King here.”
He said he was shocked when he heard the King had passed away.
“The King died on Thursday and I learnt about it on Friday evening. I had not watched TV as I had been working in a rice field to fix a tractor. When I finished my work and came to a market, I wondered why people were all dressed in black. I asked my friends and their answer shocked me,” he said.
Chalong Padpien, a 50-year-old employee from Ubon Ratchathani, said the King’s goodness and benevolence were such that he felt compelled to come – to help send him to Heaven.
“I took a free train which took 14 hours to reach Bangkok. We are willing to come despite it being a long distance to come. Our father [the King] never complained and he went everywhere across our country including the rural areas,” said Chalong, who arrived in the morning yesterday. He and his wife said they would sleep over at Sanam Luang, as they could not afford a room at a hotel and wanted to stay close to the King.
“I have signed the condolence book in the Grand Palace’s Sala Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion. The moment I saw his portrait was indescribable.
“I feel I have to do my best every day for my society, by following his teaching.”