Queen in Thailand

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32839, 12 February 1972, Page 17

Queen in Thailand

nv.Z.P.A.-Xeuter— Copyright) BANGKOK, Feb 11 The Queen received a golden key and the freedom of the city of Bangkok yesterday after stepping ashore on to a carpet of flowers at the beginning of her six-day State visit to Thailand

All the splendour of Royal Thai tradition was displayed in the welcoming ceremony as the Queen came ashore accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, who was wearing the uniform of Admiral of the Fleet, and Princess Anne.

Spectators and dignitaries were startled as a frigate of the Royal Thai Navy moored opposite the landing fired a 21-gun salute with a deafening roar. But the Queen appeared unmoved as she moved on to a guard-of-honour mounted by detachments from Thailand’s three services.

Accompanied by King Bhumibol, the Queen then drove in a vintage yellow Daimler past a crowd of 10,000 cheering people waving Union Jacks and the red, white and blue flag of Thailand.

At a municipal area where the kings of Thailand are traditionally cremated according to Buddhist custom, the Queen was introduced to the Lord Mayor of Bangkok (Mr Winyu Angkanarak), and was presented with a golden key to the city. The Royal Party was then entertained to traditional Thai dancing by a group of 200 girls wearing dazzling silks.

The Royal Family lunched privately with King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, and in the afternoon the Queen received the Chairman of the Thai National Executive Council (Field-Marshal Tha-

nom Kittikachom) and heads of diplomatic missions. At a banquet given in her honour by King Bhumibol last night, the Queen said that her country's entry into the Common Market would not weaken her ties of friendship with Thailand whose peoples could continue to look to Britain for help and sympathy in the years ahead. This was presumed to be a reference to Britain’s membership of the South-East

Asia Treaty Organisation, which has its headquarters in the Thai capital. The British Foreign Secretary (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) also attended the banquet.

Today the Queen laid a foundation stone at the British Embassy, and visited the Thai Red Cross headquarters and Chlalongkom University. Princess Anne accompanied the Queen to the embassy, but left her to meet students from various education centres at a separate reception.

Prince Philip visited an ancient Thai temple and the armed forces’ preparatory school before joining the Queen at the university.