THAI KING AND QUEEN LEAVE FOR AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29911, 27 August 1962, Page 8

THAI KING AND QUEEN LEAVE FOR AUSTRALIA

Cheering Crowd At Harewood

Christchurch people left their usual reserve at home yesterday when they crowded the airport to welcome the King and Queen of Thailand on their arrival from Dunedin and wish them well on their flight to Australia.

The terminal building resembled a huge open-air theatre for the final public appearance of the Royal couple after their eight-day visit to New Zealand.

Christchurch looked its best in the warm sunlight, and rarely has the airport held such a cheerful, colourful crowd.

The Royal Viscount aircraft from Dunedin landed just after midday, and about 6000 persons craned forward to watch Xing Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit leave the plane. Hundreds made lastminute adjustments to their cameras, and small children climbed on to adult shoulders. The loudest and most enthusiastic of the cheers came from a little group of Thai students waving Thai and New Zealand flags. “I wish you all the best and a good return to Thailand.” said the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning) as he escorted the Royal couple through the door to the overseas lounge. Presentatiohs

The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Gotz) presented Sir Andrew McKee, deputychairman of the National Airways Corporation. , to Their Majesties, and Sir Andrew McKee in turn presented the captain and crew of the Royal Viscount. When the Mayor and Mayoress had made their farewells, the King and Queen walked slowly round a large circle of people who had played key parts in the Royal tour of New Zealand, thanking each of them and saying goodbye. Mr Gotz presented officers of his department; Mr C. H. Williams, the tour public relations officer, presented members of the press; and Squadron Leader J. H. Dunlop presented airmen who had dealt with the baggage. Medals and swords jingled as the King shook hands with the three honorary aides-de-camp attached to the official suite for the tour. Cameramen and reporters jostled with New Zealand Cabinet Ministers in a quite informal atmosphere as the King and Queen with their entourage moved on to the main lounge for the farewell speeches. Assembled there were Lady Cobham, the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) and Mrs Holyoake. other Ministers of the Crown and their wives, the Australian High Commissioner in New Zealand (Sir John Collins) and Lady Collins, the New Zealand Ambassador to Thailand (Sir Stephen Weir) and Lady Weir, local members of Parliament, and chiefs of the armed services. Farewell Address

Mr Holyoake presented each of the officials to Their Majesties, and then stepped to a microphone in the middle of the lounge to read the farewell address by the Governor - General (Lord Cobham) to the Thai Royal party. King Bhumibol, wearing the blue uniform.of a marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force, then moved across to the microphone and slowly and quietly made his farewell speech. Both speeches were relayed through the terminal building and outside. After several moments of

animated conversation with Mr Holyoake, King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit moved from the pleasantly cool lounge into the bright warm sunshine for the walk across the tarmac towards the Electra. As Their Majesties, accompanied by their immediate attendants and the official New Zealand party, moved through gate number six led by Mr Holyoake, there was a slight pause as trumpeters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band sounded a fanfare. The Royal party then moved out into the central area of the tarmac between the terminal and the waiting Electra. There King Bhumibol mounted a white, redcarpeted dais, and faced the 100-man R.N.Z.A.F. guard- of honour commanded by Flight Lieutenant T. E. Enright. Behind the guard of honour, the Band of the R.N.Z.A.F. crashed into the strains of the Thai Royal Anthem. and the guard of honour presented arms. Almost immediately crews of the four guns on the grass verge of the field behind the Electra began to fire a 21gun salute. The salute was fired by the 32nd Battery, 3rd Field Regiment. Colour Lowered During the playing of the Royal Thai Anthem, the Queen's Colour carried by Flying Officer D. Proctor was slowly lowered, and four Canberra jet bombers from O-hakea in box formation screamed low over the field in salute. All this time, the slight, erect figure of King Bhumibol stood at the salute on the dais. At the conclusion of the Royal Salute, Flight

Lieutenant Enright moved forward before His Majesty, who steipped down and inspected the guard of honour while “Now is the Hour” was played.

King Bhumibol was then escorted back to the rest of . the Thai party, and, e'-oorted ■by the Prime 1 walked across to the Electra I where New Zealand officials I waiting to say goodbye were ; lined up to the left of the ; sitens. I After these farewells. Their i Majesties said goodbye to Lady Cobham. Mrs Holyoake, i and Mr Holyoake. As the I battery of cameramen ctasi tered by the steps - moved ; aside, the crowds at the ter- • mina-l and on the tarmac . waved and cheered, none so i enthusiastically, perhaps, as : the four Thai students who . were seeing their King and Queen for the Last time in ' New Zealand Waving Hands 1 At the top of the steps. , Their Majesties turned and faced the terminal building. i and once more the guard of honour presented a Royal Salute as the band plaved the Thai Royal Anithem. The building appeared a mass of waving hands as the cheering rose to a climax. As the Electra’s engines revved up the Thailanders aboard waved from practically every porthole, and when the plane moved, the crowd waved as never before —hands, hats, and bright scarves were all io evidence On the tarmac, the official New Zealand party also lost its earlier formality and waved enthusiastically as the plane moved to the end of the main runway. Minutes later the Electra raced down the runway and was airborne for Australia.