Royal Barges: 2,200 Oarsmen Ready for Bangkok River Procession
A fleet of 52 barges will carry the Thai royal family to Wat Arun temple on Friday, capping months of naval training and restoration work.
By Yuki Melnyk ·
The Chao Phraya River in Bangkok will host a fleet of 52 decorated barges on Friday, carrying King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Queen Suthida, and royal family members to Wat Arun Ratchawararam temple. The event is a centuries-old Thai tradition held in conjunction with the annual Buddhist Kathin ceremony, which marks the end of the rainy season retreat.
More than 2,200 oarsmen from the Royal Thai Navy have spent months preparing for the procession. Training began in June at a navy dockyard, where rowers learned to move in unison. They moved to the river for rehearsals in late July. Two full dress rehearsals were conducted in late October, drawing spectators to the riverbanks.
The rowers must coordinate their strokes to maintain a precise formation of five columns and three lines. They also perform traditional boat songs during the procession, which serve to coordinate the rowing and portray cultural heritage.
The Fine Arts Department of Thailand has been restoring the wooden vessels to preserve their traditional artistic details. The barges have also undergone safety inspections and decorative updates. Four principal royal barges in the fleet are distinguished by elaborate designs, including a golden mythical swan head on one prow and depictions of the multi-headed Naga or the Hindu deity Narayana on others.
The Kathin ceremony involves Buddhists offering robes to monks who have remained in their monasteries throughout the three-month Buddhist Lent. This year’s procession is timed for an auspicious year for Queen Suthida, who turned 48 in June, marking her fourth 12-year cycle.
The most recent Royal Barge Procession took place in 2024. That ceremony commemorated King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 72nd birthday, which marked his sixth 12-year cycle.
