Phuket ready to celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s birthday, Mother’s Day

PHUKET: A host of special ceremonies will be held throughout Phuket tomorrow to honor and celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s 82nd birthday, as well as to celebrate Mother’s Day.

All government offices will be closed, and activities on the island will be followed by a candlelight ceremony at about 7pm.

A selection of the events to be held in Phuket are as follows:

Phuket Town
6:30am – Breakfast blessing ceremony by 83 monks at 72nd Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park, on Thalang Road

7am – Offering alms to the monks. After the morning ceremony has concluded, well-wishers may sign a book of birthday greetings at Satree Phuket School to pay respect to Queen Sirikit and to wish her a happy birthday.

5pm – Night festivities at Saphan Hin will begin at the main stage area at 5pm. The evening’s itinerary includes homage-paying ceremonies and stage performances, followed by a candlelight ceremony at 6:50pm led by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut.

Patong
10am – “Mother of the Year” award ceremony at Loma Park
5pm – Governor Maitri will lead a homage-paying ceremony at the main stage at Loma Park.

Kathu
5pm – The evening’s event will be held in front of the Kathu Municipality Office. Scheduled entertainment includes performances by students from schools in Kathu District, as well as a “Most Outstanding Mother Award”.

Blood donations
The Phuket Blood Center is calling for donation, and offering a special gift for those that give on Mother’s Day.

At Vachira Phuket Hospital, staff will give donors a small tree of jasmine, regarded in Thailand as a symbol of Mother’s Day. Donations will be accepted from 8:30am to 6pm. For more information call 076-36123 ext 1285.

The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) at Saphan Hin is calling for donations of any type of blood, but especially for Type A Rhesus-negative.

“We are calling for every type of blood, but we need A-negative blood because we have none in stock,” PRBC Chief Pornthip Rattajak told the Phuket Gazette.

“Donors will receive a small gift of a vegetable plants, such as chili pepper plants and eggplants, so you can plant them and grow them for yourself.”

The blood center accepts donations at their headquarters on Rattanakosin 200 Year Road, next to Phuket Provincial Employment Office in Saphan Hin. Donations will be accepted from 9am to 3pm tomorrow. For more information call the PRBC at 076-251 178.