A royal representative presided over a ceremony at Kui Buri National Park on Thursday to cut fragrant sandalwood for use in the Royal Cremation Ceremony of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati.
His Majesty the King appointed Air Chief Marshal Somkid Sukhbang, a senior Royal Household official attached to the Princess, to preside over the ceremony in Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, at 11.09am on 20 August.
Senior government officials attending included Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin and Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Sittichai Sawatsan.
During the ceremony, the axe used to cut the fragrant sandalwood was anointed with sacred water before a ceremonial invocation was recited. Air Chief Marshal Somkid then sprinkled sacred water on the first tree, anointed it and made the first cuts with the axe.
Ceremonial cutting was carried out on three trees, with replacement sandalwood trees also planted.
Kui Buri sandalwood selected for royal ceremony
The Bureau of the Royal Household, Fine Arts Department and Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation previously selected 20 fragrant sandalwood trees in Kui Buri National Park that had died naturally.
The wood will be used to make the royal sandalwood urn, coffin and other items required for the Royal Cremation Ceremony.
Kui Buri National Park will process the wood into 370 logs and 1,350 planks before they are delivered to the Office of Traditional Arts under the Fine Arts Department, where specialist craftsmen will produce the ceremonial items.
Fragrant sandalwood has traditionally been used for royal urns and other objects associated with cremation ceremonies for Thai monarchs and senior members of the Royal Family.
Kui Buri is regarded as one of Thailand’s important sources of high-quality fragrant sandalwood and has previously supplied wood for royal cremation ceremonies.