After living in Thailand for 17 years, Norwegian-Danish resident Lasse Stålung finally witnessed his first Royal Barge Procession on Friday, 6 November 2026. Together with his family, he joined the spectators along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River to watch one of Thailand’s most spectacular royal ceremonies.
“I have always been curious about it, but every time the event came around, something else happened, and the opportunity passed by,” Lasse explained.
This time, he decided he simply should not miss it again.
The family had reserved seats at Taling Bar, a small riverside restaurant near Wang Lang Pier, not far from Siriraj Hospital. They arrived around 2.30 pm and were seated in the second row beside the river.
“We had prepaid for our seating and food, while drinks were extra. We had a very good view of the procession,” he recalled.
Booking three or four days in advance had proved a wise decision. The restaurant was crowded, and practically everyone had a camera or mobile phone ready.
The atmosphere was excited but peaceful, with most of the spectators around them being Thai. Lasse noticed relatively few foreigners at his restaurant, although a neighbouring establishment appeared to have a larger group of international visitors.
“You could certainly feel the national pride. People were proud of Thailand, proud of their King, and proud of this magnificent royal tradition.”
From a small spectacle to a magnificent procession
When the first barges appeared in the distance, Lasse admits that his initial reaction was not quite what he had expected.
“My first reaction was almost, ‘Oh, is that all?'”
Seen from far away, the vessels looked surprisingly small. Even the formation initially appeared a little unstructured to his unfamiliar eyes.
But as the boats approached, everything changed.
“There were far more boats than I had expected, and you could really appreciate the scale of the whole event.”
The Royal Barge Procession comprised 52 elaborately decorated vessels manned by approximately 2,200 personnel, arranged in a traditional ceremonial formation.
Their Majesties King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida travelled aboard the royal barge Suphannahong to Wat Arun, where the King performed the Royal Kathin robe-offering ceremony.
As the barges drew closer, the craftsmanship of the vessels, the precision of the rowers and the sheer scale of the procession became increasingly impressive.
But for Lasse, something else was even more remarkable.
The chanting across the river
“Without a doubt, the chanting!”
That was Lasse’s immediate response when asked what had impressed him most.
The traditional boat chants, which help establish the rhythm of the rowers, carried across the Chao Phraya River, creating an atmosphere unlike anything he had experienced before.
“One thing that particularly surprised and impressed me was the chanting. The voices carried across the river, and you could hear them all around us. It was an amazing experience.”
The chanting, combined with the slow movement of the magnificent vessels and the emotion of the spectators, made the occasion much more than a visual spectacle.
“Of course, the number of boats, their beautiful decorations, and the coordination of the procession were impressive. But for me, the chanting was something quite extraordinary.”
It was something he felt could not be fully appreciated through photographs or television.
“It gave the whole ceremony a special atmosphere that you cannot really understand just by watching pictures or videos.”
Lasse and his family had once attended a concert where the King and Queen were seated relatively close to them. On this occasion, the royal couple were further away, but the experience remained memorable.
The weather cooperated
The weather added another dimension to the afternoon.
When the family arrived, it was hot, with little wind and some sunshine. Rain clouds could be seen in the distance, but fortunately the rain stayed away.
“I’m not particularly good at handling the heat,” Lasse admitted, adding that a nearby fan and plenty of cold drinks helped make the wait more comfortable.
As the procession approached, the sky became cloudy, shielding spectators and participants from the strongest sunshine.
“If the sun had been shining at full strength throughout the procession, I think it would have been extremely hot for everyone sitting along the river.”
Only after the royal procession and the subsequent ceremony at Wat Arun did heavy rain arrive.
Some Thai observers interpreted the timing as an expression of the King’s barami, or accumulated spiritual virtue, believing that the rain had been held back while Their Majesties were travelling aboard the royal barge.
For Lasse and his family, the rain had a more practical consequence. Some family members struggled to find a taxi afterwards and were caught in the downpour. Fortunately, the restaurant had provided raincoats as a precaution.
A memory after 17 years
When asked to look back on the entire afternoon and identify the one moment he would remember most, Lasse did not hesitate.
“Without hesitation, it was the chanting!”
The sound of the ceremonial chants echoing across the Chao Phraya River had made a lasting impression.
“The sound of all those voices chanting together, carrying across the entire river, was something truly special.”
For someone who had lived in Thailand for nearly two decades without ever attending the Royal Barge Procession, the afternoon had been worth the long wait.
“I think that moment will stay with me for a very long time.”
And although the royal barges, their elaborate decorations and the precision of the procession were unforgettable sights, Lasse discovered that the greatest impression of all came from something that could not be captured in a photograph.
The voices across the river.
