BANGKOK, THAILAND, August 17, 2017 (The Independent): Mythical creatures, angels and Gods are coming to life near Thailand’s Grand Palace, thanks to the tireless, devout and often volunteer work of artists and craftsmen. They are building a monument for a single moment: the cremation of a beloved king. More than 100 sculptures and statues will be placed inside a crematorium complex for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years before his death Oct. 13, 2016. The structure represents Mount Meru, the place where Buddhist and Hindu Gods reside.
Bhumibol was revered by many Thais as their father and a demigod. Huge crowds lined the route when a cortege took his body to the Grand Palace the day after his death, and millions have paid their respects at the throne hall where his body rests in a royal urn. He will be cremated this Oct. 26 in a ceremony that is expected to be beamed around the world and will be one of the most expensive in history with a budget of 1 billion baht (US$30 million). Afterward, the crematorium will be dismantled.
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