King’s holidays to remain

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that the government would retain holidays related to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, while the Cabinet approved activities for next Tuesday to express loyalty to the late monarch on the occasion of his 89th birthday on December 5.
The calendar would have to be adjusted after the new reign commences, officials said, adding that the Royal Household Bureau would take care of the details. 
However, holidays linked to the late King Rama IX will remain, although with some name changes, because of His Majesty’s profound influence on Thailand, the PM said. 
Officials were discussing the matter and everything was proceeding in steps, so the public should remain calm, Prayut said.
He added that he would wait for an appropriate time after the royal funeral to humbly offer His Majesty the posthumous title of “Bhumibol Maharaj”, or “Bhumibol the Great”. 
People should not move too fast on such matters to raise public awareness or collect donations, he said. 
Steps such as building a monument or offering a designation to the late monarch would require the Cabinet’s approval and the Royal Household Bureau’s endorsement. 
The Cabinet is now working to ensure order in the country and the faithful observation of traditional rituals, the prime minister said. 
He added that he would follow the King’s guidance and example as best as he could because he was impressed by His Majesty’s great contributions to the country during his reign. 
The government would also apply the King’s policies in administering the country, such as implementing sustainable agriculture promotion measures, he said, adding that included ceasing rice paddy cultivation in unsuitable areas so farmers could shift to other crops and not be a burden on the government.
Athisit Chainuwat, deputy government spokesman, said the Cabinet had approved three categories of activities to be held on Tuesday to celebrate His Majesty’s 89th birthday: physical, verbal and mental activities.
Physical activities included cleaning temples, visiting sick people, reading to the blind and hosting exhibitions; verbal activities included taking an oath of loyalty, performing good deeds and singing the Royal Anthem in front of the King’s portrait; and mental activities included meditating and praying. 
The main oath-taking event will be led by Prayut at Government House, while others will take place at Bangkok schools at 8am on Tuesday and in the provinces at public plazas overseen by villages, tambon or districts. 
The Foreign Ministry will host similar activities on Sunday for the public’s convenience, Athisit added. 
The World Health Organisation’s office in Thailand yesterday posted an eight-and-a-half-minute, English-Thai video on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/|WHOThailand praising His Majesty’s contributions to public health and his inspiration for the organisation and world leaders, as such activities reflected the principle of “good health for all people”.
Chaiyos Imsuwan, deputy permanent secretary of the Education Ministry, said he had proposed organising a celebration of the 61st National Teachers’ Day next year to honour His Majesty as “the teacher of teachers” and commissioning a special Thai poem written in the Chan form. 
Education Minister Dapong Rattanasuwan had agreed in principle to the proposal, assigning the Teachers Council of Thailand to work with agencies and find an expert in the Chan form of poetry, he said. 
The Outstanding Teachers’ Awards this year will apply the usual criteria as well as honour teachers that excel in putting His Majesty’s teachings into practice, such as those that he demonstrated in programmes under the Distance Learning Foundation of Thailand. 
Awards criteria would be discussed next month, he added.