Phuket officials mark Chulalongkorn Day with wreath-laying ceremony
Officials, government representatives and members of the public gathered in Phuket Town on 23 October to honour King Chulalongkorn.
Phuket officials, representatives of government agencies and members of the public gathered at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial on the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation grounds in Phuket Town on 23 October for a ceremony marking Chulalongkorn Day.
The ceremony began at 8am, with Vice Governor Suwit Phanseangiam presiding on behalf of Governor Chotinarin Kerdsom. Representatives from the Phuket Red Cross Society, the Phuket Interior Housewives Club, government agencies, courts, prosecutors, the military, police, businesses, schools and the public attended.
Wreaths were laid before the monument to King Chulalongkorn, also known as Rama V, to commemorate his reign and contributions to Thailand. Deputy Governor Romdon Hayiawae laid a wreath on behalf of the Phuket chapter of the Chulalongkorn University Alumni Association.
Chulalongkorn Day is observed annually on 23 October, the anniversary of the king’s death in 1910. He was posthumously given the title Somdet Phra Phiya Maharat, meaning the Great Beloved King.
During his reign, King Chulalongkorn introduced reforms to public administration, education, transport and public utilities, and abolished slavery. His reforms helped establish the foundations of modern Thailand, while his diplomacy helped preserve the country’s independence during a period of colonial expansion in the region.
