Eleven Thai elephants, doused in powder to appear an auspicious white, stood at attention and trumpeted grandly at a ceremony Friday in Thailand’s ancient royal capital, Ayutthaya, marking one year since King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s death. Mourners clad in black stood in front of the elephants and fell silent for 89 seconds from 3:52 p.m., the official time of Bhumibol’s death in what Thailand’s Buddhist culture recognized as his 89th year. Then they sang an uplifting royal anthem and held pictures of Bhumibol above their heads while others prostrated on the ground.
Vietnam: Flooding death toll rises to 68
The death toll from landslides and heavy rain triggered by a tropical depression in Vietnam has climbed to 68, with another 34 people missing, officials said yesterday. The Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said in a statement that the disasters have also injured 32 people, damaged infrastructure and killed more than 230,000 livestock in central and northern regions. The storm hit Vietnam on Tuesday and authorities have been dealing with the fallout since.
Philippines: Plane veers off runway, passengers evacuated
A Philippine plane carrying more than 180 passengers and crewmen veered off the runway after landing in a central province, prompting the pilot to order an evacuation of the aircraft, officials said Saturday. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said all passengers and crew of Cebu Pacific airline’s Airbus 320 aircraft were safe following late Friday’s incident, which caused the plane’s front landing gear to get stuck in a grassy area at the end of the runway at Iloilo province’s international airport.
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