[JosephEL]

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The above is a short video clip of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony this morning which was broadcast live on all Thai TV channels. I will post another clip tonight of highlights if people are interested.

The Ploughing Ceremony (or Plowing Ceremony if you are American) is held at Sanam Luang in Bangkok during May. It signals the start of the planting season in this country where the majority of the population are farmers. The ceremony is aimed at providing morale and making predictions about the year's crops. This year, the sacred oxen ate hay and rice, which can be predicted that food and water will be abundant this year.

http://www.paknamwebsearch.com/royal...hing_ceremony/

Use the above link to find more information pictures and pictures from the Paknam Web Network.

[markshome23]

water will be abundant.... does that mean floods, or slightly less?

[9Goarveboofe]

The ceremony was presided over by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn; Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasm, Royal Consort to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn; and Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana.
(BangkokPost.com)

[9Goarveboofe]

@THAILAND

Royal oxen dig their last furrow

The annual Ploughing Ceremony, which forecasts the next rice season, will soon have two new stars, writes Kultida Samabuddhi

This year's Royal Ploughing Ceremony was the last for Phrako Therd and Phrako Thoon _ the two sacred oxen which have served in the annual ceremony for five years.

As in previous ceremonies, the pair of sacred oxen kept thousands spellbound at the event at Sanam Luang yesterday with their charismatic gestures and noble manners.

The sacred oxen are now 15 years old, or 70 years old in human terms, and the Livestock Development Department which has taken care of the sacred oxen thinks it is time for them to be retired.

The department obtained Therd and Thoon, which are Khao Lamphun-American Brahman hybrid cattle, from their owner almost 10 years ago. They inherited all the characteristics listed in an ancient manual on good oxen.

The department later presented the pair to His Majesty the King and since then they have been trained to take part in the royal ceremony.

In 2000, Therd and Thoon attended the Royal Ploughing Ceremony for the first time, acting as ''reserve sacred oxen''. Two years later they were promoted to be the sacred oxen of the annual ceremony to usher in the rice-planting season.

As well as performing the inaugural ploughing of the symbolic furrow, which takes about 45 minutes, the other jobs for the sacred oxen are to forecast the country's agricultural environment by selecting food from seven trays of assorted items.

This year's prediction is especially crucial for farmers and the country as a whole which is confronting a food crisis and more unpredictable weather conditions.

Sacred oxen Therd and Thoon chose rice and grass yesterday, meaning the country will enjoy fertile crops and a moderate amount of water.

Next year their mission will be passed on to the new pair of sacred oxen _ Fah (sky) and Sai (clear), which also took part in yesterday's ceremony as reserves.

A villager in Chiang Mai province presented Fah and Sai, twins from the Khao Lamphun breed, to the department after finding that the pair inherited the proper characteristics to become the Royal Ploughing Ceremony's sacred oxen.

They have white hair and pink skin with well-shaped horns. The oxen's caretaker said the pair were stubborn at first, but after undergoing some training have become tame and very polite.

Fah and Sai are now ready to replace Phrako Therd and Phrako Thoon in next year's Royal Ploughing Ceremony.

Bangkok Post

Pic 1:One of the oxen.
Pic 2 Farmers from across the nation search for rice seeds used in the ceremony to add to their own to ensure a good harvest.