Bangkok, the city of gilded palaces and temples, will be at the heart of the celebrations. With the city especially lit up at night, there has never been a better time to visit the Thai capital. The biggest event will be a Royal Barge Procession down the Chao Phraya River on June 12, a spectacle hard to match in terms of pageantry, tradition and culture.

Imagine the sight of 52 majestic barges rowed by more than 2000 oarsmen from the Royal Thai Navy gliding down the River of Kings followed by a sound and light show. Thailand's royal barges are the last of their kind in the world. This ancient tradition was revived by the King in 1959. This breathtaking water-borne procession is reserved for nationally auspicious occasions and has been held fourteen times during the King's reign. Watching the event with the Thai Royal family will be kings, queens, princes and princesses from 27 countries, including the emperor of Japan.

Among the countries that will be represented by their monarchs are Malaysia, Nepal, Cambodia, Brunei, Sweden, Monaco, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Luxembourg, Lesotho, Swaziland and Liechtenstein.
Six countries will send crown princes to join the celebrations. They include Tonga, Bhutan, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, and the United Arab Emirates.The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, will represent the Queen of England. On June 13, King Bhumidol will host a banquet for the foreign monarchs in the Grand Palace.

If you can't get a ticket for one of the reserved seats on June 12, you can join the hundreds of thousands of Bangkok residents who will line the riverfront that night. They will watch from all available embankments, balconies, rooftops and even trees. You can also buy tickets to view special dress rehearsals on June 2, 6 and 9. The best vantage point will be from on board the Riverside III cruise ship docked by the Royal Thai Navy Institute and the section of the Chao Phraya River at the Bank of Thailand.

The 1.2 kilometre-long flotilla will assemble at 5pm, starting at the Rama VIII Bridge section of the Chao Phraya River. The grand procession will involve 52 traditional-style barges, 12 barges with animal figureheads and 36 smaller ceremonial barges. A total of 2,082 officers from the Royal Thai Navy will serve as oarsmen. The procession will depart from Wasukri Pier and cruise 4,5 kilometres downriver to Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) and is scheduled to arrive in front of the Royal Navy Institute, where the light-and-sound show will be presented, at 7.30pm.

If you can't make it to see the barge procession, there will be plenty of other events taking place during June. An exhibition in honour of the King, honouring his life and the many royal projects he has initiated during his reign, takes place at the IMPACT Exhibition Centre until June 4. During his reign, the King has spent decades crisscrossing impoverished rural areas, seeding thousands of projects in agriculture, water management, opium eradication and poverty reduction.

On Friday 9 June a candle-lighting ceremony will take place at the Sanam Luang grounds, followed by a spectacular fireworks display. On Saturday the King will bestow titles on 69 monks in the throne hall, after which 99 monks will chant blessings and lead a candle-lit procession.

Numerous new attractions in and around Bangkok have been opened for visitors this year, including Siam Niramit Theatre, a world-class theatre and the newly-renovated Sala Chalermkrung, the Kingdom’s first Royal Theatre. The city will be resplendent during the events. All areas and routes involved in the royal functions will be spruced up and decorated with flowers and decorative plants. A total of 17 fountains will be set up and 31 ceremonial arches will line the route of processions.

All indications are that the city will be packed during the celebrations, so you should book accommodation now. Although the barge procession will not pass many of the luxury hotels that line the Chao Praya River, they will be the first choice for many visitors. If you're lucky, you can get a room at sought-after riverfront hotels like the Oriental, the Peninsula and the Shangri-La, but there are many other great hotels in the City of Angels. Wherever you stay, be sure not to miss this unique event.