PHOTOS: The Nation

Perfect weather greeted the royal barge procession for HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn for the celebration of his coronation yesterday. Thousands gathered along the shores in sic specially constructed grandstands to view the rare spectacle of the Royal Barges, crewed by Thais in full regalia, plying the waters of the Chao Phraya. Millions more watched the live coverage.

HM the King, accompanied by HM the Queen, started the procession at Wasukri pier at 4pm. They disembarked at Ratchaworadit pier and proceeded to the Grand Palace. The procession of barges was about 1.2 kilometres long, and 100 metres wide as it made its way down the river.

HM the King then rode in the royal palanquin in the small royal land procession on Maha Rat Road. The procession travelled to the Grand Palace through Vises Jayasri Gate. Meanwhile, Her Majesty Queen Suthida also participated in the land procession participating in the King’s Guard. After arriving at the Grand Palace, His Majesty changed his royal attire and robe and then returned to Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall by car.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana, and His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti were travelling on the royal barge Suphannahong, considered the most gracious and beautiful barge in the collection.

Suphannahong was crewed by 50 oarsmen with two steersmen, two officers, one standard bearer, one signalman, seven Royal Chatra bearers and one lead ‘chanter’ to sing the traditional boat song with the oarsmen chanting in unison.

Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati and Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya were onboard the royal barge Anekkachatphutchong.

The royal officials invited Phra Buddha Patima Chaiwat, a Buddha image from the reign of King Rama IX, to be enshrined in the middle of the barge, a tiered roofed shrine on the royal barge Anantanakkharat.

The royal barge procession departed Wasukri Pier to Ratchaworadit Pier where the land procession to be held.

SOURCE: The Nation

PHOTO: His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

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PHOTO: Daily News

“At the appeal hearing yesterday, the defendants had their convictions quashed after the court doubted testimony from one of the victims.”

A foreign man employed as a nightclub manager in Bangkok’s notorious party zone at Nana has been acquitted of charges of human trafficking and acquiring women for prostitution. ThaiVisa reports that Michael Pearl, a 47 year old Sudanese-Australian who also owned the Dream Disco on the fourth floor of the Zenith Hotel in Soi Nana, was cleared of all charges, along with four other defendants in the case.

The acquittal comes after Pearl was sentenced last year, along with the other four, to between 16 and 19 years’ imprisonment on charges of trafficking four women from Morocco between 2016 and 2017 for the purposes of prostitution.

During court proceedings at the time, it was claimed that Pearl had lured the women with false promises of dream jobs as well-paid waitresses. Instead, they had their passports confiscated and were put to work as prostitutes. Pearl was eventually arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport in August 2017 as he tried to escape the country.

The convictions of all defendants have now been overturned after an appeal court raised doubts over the testimony of one of the victims. At a hearing at Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday, the court said there was no evidence to suggest the woman’s passport had been confiscated as she claimed, and that it appeared the victims were free to come and go from their employment, which contradicted their version of events.

The court also pointed out that none of the women had sought help from the police at any stage and that one of them had managed to take a trip to Phuket at the time she maintains she was being held against her will.

Based on these findings, the defendants were cleared of all charges.

SOURCE: Thai Visa | Daily News

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Here’s a link to the official Facebook page including a livestream…

And a link to the official YouTube livestream as well…

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