Bangkok’s spectacular Royal Barge Procession

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Bangkok’s spectacular Royal Barge Procession

One ritual that receives little coverage in the international travel press is the spectacular sight of the Royal Barge Procession, a truly exotic event set on the river in Bangkok.

Perhaps the most monumental of all traditional events in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s rarely held Royal Barge Procession is visually and vocally majestic, with a cultural theme that takes one back to days when warships were paddle-powered, and fast-moving corvettes had cannons mounted in fearsome tiger’s head bows, spearheading tiger-striped ships.

The paddle down the River of Kings is short – about 30 minutes – yet so majestic the images are poured into your brain bucket forever. To attend is to participate, with several million proud Thais lining the banks of the Chao Phraya River, strategically seated on and in high rises, and strewn along the river banks – some even standing knee-deep in water.

Traffic was unbelievable but the Skytrain made it bearable. Before the event began, in the late afternoon, Bangkok was never so quiet. In the distance, well before the chanting, sound waves of applause rippled across the city as millions of Thais put their hands together for this floating museum of Siamese culture and history.

The applause grew until it engulfed all the observers. Then, two minutes later, the chanting of the oarsmen (sounding much like Gregorian chants) bounced off the high-rises back and forth across the river.

Finally, the “barges” appeared, 52 in all, including four “Royal” barges that must be the most spectacularly beautiful boats on the planet. More than 2,000 Royal Navy paddlers held a perfect, tightly balanced formation determined by Royal protocol, all uniformed in traditional attire designed centuries ago.

Paddlers (officially called “oarsmen”) have their own distinct uniforms for each boat, as do the Fleet Commander, Royal Chanter and Royal Barge Captains, but minor Captains, Helmsmen and other officers wear common yet colourful silk uniforms throughout the fleet.

The four largest and most ornate barges designated as “Royal” each has its own history. The giant Royal barges include: Subanahongsa, Anantanagaraj, Anekajatbhujonga and, commissioned in 1996, the Narayana Song Suban HM King Rama IX Royal barge.