Royal Ploughing Ceremony kicks off Thailand’s rice planting season
Ancient ritual offers symbolic blessings as farmers nationwide brace for unpredictable monsoon conditions ahead
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony, held at Sanam Luang today, marked the beginning of the rice planting season in Thailand. King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida presided over the annual event.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, members of the Cabinet, and diplomatic representatives were also in attendance. The ceremony, a traditional ritual promoting good fortune and agricultural prosperity, coincides with the sixth lunar month, a time deemed optimal for farming.
Prayoon Insakul, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, served as the Lord of the Plough, while Thirada Wongkudlao and Waraporn Wilaimaat acted as the ladies carrying gold baskets. Chantisara Areesawat and Apichaya Fusang carried silver baskets. The oxen used in the ceremony, Phra Ko Pho and Phra Ko Phiang, were accompanied by reserve oxen Phra Ko Phoem and Phra Ko Phun.
The ceremony began with Prayoon and the ladies processing past the royal pavilion. After paying respects, they moved to the ceremonial field. Officials guided the oxen to the plough, and the Lord of the Plough adorned the oxen and plough, marking the beginning of the ceremonial ploughing.
The ploughing consisted of three rounds clockwise, followed by another three rounds during which five varieties of rice seeds were sown, totalling 4,880 kilogrammes in weight. These varieties included Jasmine Rice 105, RD79, RD85, RD99 (Hom Klong Luang 72), RDJ1 (Wang Thong 72), RD6, and RD24 (Sakon Nakhon 72).
After the seed sowing, the oxen were released, and the Lord of the Plough, along with the ladies, returned to the pavilion. Brahmin priests conducted a fortune-telling ritual using seven items of food: rice, corn, green beans, sesame seeds, liquor, water, and grass. It was observed that the oxen consumed water, grass, and liquor.
This indicated a prediction of adequate water supply and agricultural abundance, with expected improvements in transportation and international trade leading to economic prosperity.
The event concluded with the presentation of awards to outstanding national farmers and agricultural organisations. The Lord of the Plough, accompanied by the procession, moved to the Chitralada Palace demonstration rice field to sow seeds.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn later granted permission for the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to distribute 2,743 kilogrammes of royal rice seeds from the 2023 experimental royal project at Chitralada. These seeds, packaged in plastic, are to be distributed nationwide to farmers and interested citizens as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in agriculture, KhaoSod reported.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
