>>On the occasion of the diamond jubilee of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne on 9 June 2006, the Royal Thai government has assigned the Royal Thai Navy to organize the royal barge procession starting from Wasuki Landing Place to Wat Arun Landing Place, on 12 June 2006. About 2,082 personnel from various naval units will take part as oarsmen in the procession, which comprises 52 royal ceremonial barges.

>>Apart from that, the Royal Thai Navy will provide facilities at the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall to house the exhibition held in honour of the king on his works over the past 60 years and also at the New Building of the Royal Thai Navy Institute where foreign kings and queens will be invited over after viewing the exhibition to have tea and watch the royal barge procession.

>>Boat song chanting is an indispensable part of excursion by boat. There are two distinct styles of boat songs. One is written for the chant in the royal barge procession on ceremonial and auspicious occasions. The other is for boating or festivals. However, the latter is now declining in popularity while the former is still in use for the royal barge procession. This tradition should be kept as the national heritage for the succeeding generations.

>>The boat song to be chanted in the royal barge procession on 12 June 2006 is composed by Captain Thongyoi Saengsinchai, a retired naval officer and sung by Lieutenant Natswat Aramklue, Acting Head of the Royal Ceremonial Barge Section of the Small Craft Division, Naval Transportation Department. The song has three verses. The first one is a hymn of praise to His Majesty the King for his arduous works during his reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Thai people disregarding of his self-indulgence and also for the consequential peace and prosperity of the kingdom. Another portrays the exquisite features of each ceremonial barge in the royal barge procession. The other describes Siam a beautiful country enriched with customs and cultures, as well as ways of life, like a city of heavens. In former time, such processions were held on various occasions such as the royal katin presentation ceremony, the coronation ceremony, pilgrimages made by the king to the Shrine of Lord Buddha's Footprint, to transport highly revered Buddha images from the provinces and to welcome envoys from foreign countries. During the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyagej, the Royal Thai Navy has organized 15 royal barge processions including this one to celebrate the occasion of the diamond jubilee of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne.