“I’m a nobody and I received such invaluable gifts – gifts that make me feel like he’s always with us,” Sirirat Naowarat, 59, said yesterday after she laid prostrate to show her utmost respect before the body of the much-revered His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej inside the hall.
The monarch passed away peacefully at the age of 89 on October 13.
More than a million people have reportedly flocked to the grounds in front of the Grand Palace, with over 100,000 people entering the Throne Hall.
Sirirat, a 59-year-old seller from Lop Buri, said she was overwhelmed by the “meaningful” tokens – a picture of the Royal Urn and a tiny bag of rice with a label reading “Por Pieng” (sufficiency) – that she received after paying respects inside the Grand Palace.
The gifts have been distributed to the mourners who have been paying homage to the monarch at Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall since Saturday.
Hundreds of thousands of people have travelled from their upcountry hometowns. Despite the exhausting trips, they say that when they received the gifts, their minds and bodies are relieved.
“I feel blessed to have this precious chance. The gifts are like holy water that soothes my mind and relieves the pain from the loss of him,” Sirirat said tearfully, adding that she would enshrine and worship the gifts, as she regarded them as auspicious.
“I will plant these seeds,” said Thongbai Wanlert, 59 a farmer from Si Sa Ket.
She wants to grow the Por Pieing rice separately to get more out of it. She said she would harvest the “auspicious” rice and keep it for a while before planting it along with normal rice in her paddy field as she believes the “holy” rice would help make her paddy field abundant.
Some people carry “memorabilia” on their own on their difficult and trying voyages.
Jamrat Biengthaisong, 51, and Sompong Nathanom, 49, undertook a weeklong trek.
Jamrat spent eight days walking over 380 kilometres from Kamphaeng Phet and Sompong seven days. Both took pictures of the King along on their journey.
They said they walked despite possible dangers along the way because they wanted to pay tribute to the revered monarch.
“I hung the King’s picture on my neck throughout my walk. It’s like he’s beside me as always,” Sompong said.
“I carried the national flag and the King’s portrait, which the headman of my village gave me when I told him I would walk to Sanam Luang,” Jamrat said. “Despite my painful feet, it’s worth coming here to express my condolences to the King.”
Besides gifts, outside the Grand Palace refreshments were graciously provided by the Royal Family, including a popular booth giving out fried chicken and sticky rice set up by Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsavali.
With 1,000 kilograms of chicken per day, it can feed up to 7,000 people, according to a source of the Princess Pa Foundation.
Long queues formed in front of the booth all day long. Those who tried the fried chicken expressed delight and thankfulness.
“I’m grateful to HRH Princess Soamsavali and all members of the Royal Family who care and make us both physically and mentally full.
“We are so lucky to have the food from her,” said Taratarat Klinjeerasiri, 48.