Royal Influence
Today’s ceremony, as in recent years, was presided over by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. The king’s health hasn’t been the best recently and his public appearances are now quite limited. However, King Bhumibol still has a major part to play as rice grown in the grounds of the king’s home at Chitralada Palace is sown in the ceremony.
When the ceremony is finished, crowds of onlookers rush onto the field to gather the seed which is believed to be auspicious and will bring good luck. Farmers may mix the grain with their own rice stock or it might be retained as a good luck charm. Those farmers unable to attend the Bangkok ceremony still have a chance to obtain some of the royal rice. King Bhumibol sends a separate batch of rice grown at Chitralada Palace to the various provinces of Thailand which is then later distributed to farmers.