Man goes 360km by wheelchair for final farewell to late King

Sathit Jantarangsri rolls himself along in his wheelchair after setting out on a 360km journey from his home in Phitsanulok to Bangkok to attend the royal cremation ceremonies for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol, on Sunday. (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)

PHITSANULOK: Sathit Jantarangsri knows that the debt he owes to the late King Bhumibol can never be repaid. What he can do is to pay his respects to His Majesty whenever he has a chance.

On Sunday, the 55-year-old set out from his home in Muang district in this north-central province. His destination is Bangkok's Sanam Luang, which he hopes to reach in nine days - in his wheelchair.

Mr Sathit was disabled in 2004 after a fall damaged his nerve cells. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis left him unable to walk.

With no one to turn to, he wrote a letter to King Bhumibol in 2007, asking for help. His Majesty decided to take him under his patronage for medical treatment at Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok. King Bhumibol also gave him a wheelchair so he could go on with his life.

Ever since, Mr Sathit has vowed to do anything possible to honour the King.

The journey he began on Sunday is not his first. In November 2014, he journeyed the more than 360 kilometres from Phitsanulok to Bangkok to wish King Bhumibol a full recovery when His Majesty was at Siriraj Hospital. He paid homage to the late King at the Dusit Mahaprasart Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace three times - all in his wheelchair.

Whenever Mr Sathit is on the road, he follows the same regimen - always rolling himself along in the wheelchair, with spare clothes and a tent to sleep in, without disturbing anyone else.

He will spend his first night on his current journey in Wachira Banrami district in Phichit.

Mr Sathit feels that after all these years, this final mission is the most important for him.

"This will be the last time in my life I can honour His Majesty King Bhumibol in my wheelchair," he said while taking a break to pay respects to the King's portrait at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok.