Burmese migrants join Thai King’s birthday celebrations

by Usa Pichai
Monday, 07 December 2009 21:32

Samut Sakorn, Thailand (Mizzima) - Shan migrant workers in Thailand’s Chiang Mai province donated blood, while thousands of Mon workers in Samut Sakorn held a Buddhist ceremony on the occasion of the Thai King’s 82nd birthday on Saturday.

Fifty migrant workers from the Worker Solidarity Association (WSA) and Migrant Assistance Program donated blood at the office of the Thailand Red Cross, Chiang Mai, which dedicated it to His Majesty the King of Thailand on his birthday on December 5.

Dr Supachai Chantaranusorn, leader of Blood Donator Club of Chiang Mai welcomed the donation saying demand for blood in December and April each year has been increasing as a result of (road) accidents occurring during long weekends.

“Blood donation is a good activity that helps people and we hope that migrant workers will join the donation every year,” Dr. Supachai was quoted as saying by the Thai news website Prachatai.

Nang, Deputy-Chairman of WSA said that workers are willing to donate blood as a form of dedication to His Majesty the King for having provided them the chance to live and work in Thailand.

“We want to thank Thailand, so we persuaded friends to join the blood donation and intend to continue this activity in the future,” she said.

Meanwhile, thousands of Mon migrant workers in Mahachai district of Samut Sakorn Province, south of Bangkok joined the Buddhist ceremony to bless the King, organized in Pomwichian Temple in the middle of the district.

Nit, a Mon worker from Burma’s southern town of Moulmein told Mizzima that the ceremony has held to bless the King so that he stays in good health.

“We [Mon workers] also pray every day for the King who is hospitalized, and wish he gets well soon,” she said.

Workers also joined the Thailand’s Father Day activities, which includes a traditional ceremony, dance and performances.

His Majesty the King, granted an audience on Saturday to his well-wishers at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. This was His Majesty's first public appearance outside the Siriraj Hospital in months.

Since he was admitted to hospital on September 19, the monarch was only seen in public twice - once on Chulalongkorn Day and once on the evening of Loy Krathong. He called on the audience, which comprised government and high ranking officials, to give their utmost effort to develop the country.

Following the ceremony, His Majesty the King returned to Siriraj Hospital.

The celebrations marking His Majesty's birthday began last week across the country with thousands of people braving Bangkok’s traffic to participate in the events.