Bangkok: Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand participated in the ceremonial changing of the Emerald Buddha's attire to mark the beginning of the rainy season. Accompanied by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, and Chao Khun Phra Sineenath Pilaskalyani, the royal couple proceeded to the Ubosot of Wat Phra Sri Rattanasatdaram, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, located in the Grand Palace.
According to Thai News Agency, the ceremony took place at precisely 5:12 PM on July 30, 2026. His Majesty the King ascended the platform to the canopy where the Phra Buddha Maha Mani Ratana Patimakor, or Emerald Buddha, is enshrined. He began the ceremony by offering a garland of flowers to the revered statue, removing its summer crown, and performing a series of ritualistic acts, such as sprinkling fragrant water and wiping the statue with a white cloth, before adorning it with the crown for the rainy season.
Following these rituals, the King descended to the royal throne beside the pedestal to complete the ceremony. He utilized the white cloth, previously used to clean the Emerald Buddha, to prepare a mixture of fragrant oils. His Majesty also lit ceremonial candles and incense in honor of the Phra Phuttha Maha Mani Ratana Patimakor and other revered figures, such as Phra Phuttha Yodfa Chulalok and Phra Phuttha Lertlah Napalai.
Her Majesty the Queen played a significant role in the ceremony by lighting golden incense and candles at the side of the stone pulpit. The ritual concluded with the King bestowing holy water from a diamond-encrusted conch shell upon members of the royal family and officials present. The Brahmin priest completed the ceremony by circumambulating the statue three times with lit candles.
The Emerald Buddha, revered throughout Thailand, is a Buddha image carved from soft nephrite jade, often mistaken for emerald. The image dates back to a period preceding the Chiang Saen era. The tradition of changing the robes of the Emerald Buddha is a significant religious ceremony, marking seasonal transitions throughout the year. The attire is changed three times annually: for summer, the rainy season, and winter. The original robes were crafted by King Rama I and King Rama III, and a new set was commissioned during the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his accession to the throne.