Thais stage elaborate funeral for king's sister

To the wail of conch shells and the thunder of cannon fire, crimson-clad soldiers pulled a gilded chariot containing the body of the revered Thai king's sister to a seven-story pyre where she will be cremated yesterday.
Princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, died of abdominal cancer 10 months ago at the age of 84.
More than 2,000 soldiers in dress uniform marched alongside the elaborate chariot containing an urn with the remains of the princess in a funeral procession from the glittering Grand Palace through the heart of old Bangkok, the capital.
Tens of thousands of Thais lined the route of the procession under clear skies to bid farewell to the late princess, while millions of others are expected to watch the procession on television.