Bangkok: The Parliament held a ceremony to celebrate its 93rd anniversary. 'Mongkol' gave blessings to parliament personnel to be safe from all dangers and to do things that are beneficial to the people. Mr. Mongkol Surassajja, President of the Senate and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, presided over the ceremony to mark the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the Parliament, which was attended by MPs, Senators, and parliament officials, such as Mr. Pichet Chueamuangphan, First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Boonsong Noisophon, Second Deputy Speaker of the Senate, and Police Lieutenant Aphat Sukhanan, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives, and Mrs. Pannita Sathantraiphop, Secretary-General of the Senate.
According to Thai News Agency, when the chairman of the ceremony arrived, he offered a garland and lit incense sticks and candles at the Phra Siam Devadhiraj Shrine and the shrine of the grandparents of the parliament. Then, he performed a ceremony to worship the spirits of the former kings at the statue of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) at the Parliament Museum. The chairman poured holy water, anointed the garland, and scattered flowers around the statue before walking to the altar of the replica of the King Rama V, lit incense sticks and candles, opened the flower tray, and bowed before lighting incense sticks and candles to pay homage to the offerings, inserted 1 incense stick into the offerings, and scattered flowers.
As the chairman of the ceremony delivered the royal anthem and blessed the civil servants, officials and personnel of the parliament to be free from all dangers, receive prosperity in their careers, and whatever they do that is beneficial to the people, may they be successful and experience peace forever, Mr. Chatchai Pin-ngen, Chief Brahmin Astrologer of the Royal Household Bureau, then performed the worship ceremony and read the worship verses.
The chairman of the ceremony bid farewell to the offerings and went to the front of the altar to pay respect to the replica of the statue of King Rama V and the royal monument of King Prajadhipok, and presented a wreath of respect. Then Mr. Mongkol presided over the religious ceremony, inviting 10 monks from Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit to chant Buddhist prayers and offer lunch to the monks.