Tickets to Watch the Royal Barge Procession in Bangkok

One of the grandest spectacles in Thailand and indeed, the world, the Royal Barge Procession is an ancient tradition that was revived by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1959. This breathtaking water-borne procession is reserved for nationally auspicious occasions and has been held only 16 times during His Majesty’s reign. The main procession will be held between 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. on 9th November but full dress rehearsals by the Royal Thai Navy will also be held on 2nd November and 6th November which you can watch. Tickets are available at the website listed below for those wishing to watch the Procession in comfort from the Royal Thai Navy pavilion. Please note, the Procession can also be viewed for free from various public spots along the river (see map).

The Procession, which this year will commemorate the auspicious occasion of HM the King’s 85th birthday on 5 December 2012, involves barges carrying the deeply revered Buddha image (Phra Buddha Sihing) and members of the royal family to present offerings of saffron kathin robes, food and other necessities to the monks at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). The procession takes approximately 55 minutes to make the 4.5 kilometre journey down the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun, covering the section from Thonburi Bridge to Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge. The official ceremony is expected to end at approximately 5.30 pm.