BANGKOK: A subtle but profound detail emerged during the solemn procession of the Royal Remains of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother on Sunday (Oct 26), as the Royal Family chose a vehicle of immense historical significance for the final transfer to the Grand Palace.
At 4:26pm on Oct 26, the motorcade carrying the royal remains departed the Bhumisiri Mangkhalanusorn Building at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, passing crowds of bowing mourners along the route.
The final Royal Vehicle used to escort the Royal Remains was a Volkswagen Caravelle T4 model from 2001.
The grey van, marked with a blue stripe and bearing the licence plate 1D-0929, is known by the nickname "James Bond."
It is equipped with a six-cylinder petrol engine producing 204 horsepower.
Crucially, the same Volkswagen Caravelle was regularly used by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great (Rama IX) for his daily duties.
The vehicle’s usage for the Queen Mother's journey carries deep symbolic weight for the Thai people: it was the exact same Royal Vehicle used to escort the Royal Remains of King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great on Oct 14, 2016, marking the last time the late King travelled from the hospital to the Grand Palace.
This choice underscores the unbreakable bond between the late King and Queen, and the continuity of the Royal Household's simple traditions.
The Volkswagen model itself is famed for reflecting the simplicity and modesty of King Rama IX, with an interior noted for its minimal decoration—featuring only the original radio and a small working table. - The Nation/ANN
