FLORA EXPO / 'MISSING' ROYAL SYMBOL

Emblem was not approved

The Agriculture Department owned up yesterday to removing the ''missing'' eight-tonne emblem of His Majesty the King at the Royal Ratchaphruek exposition in Chiang Mai. Department head Adisak Sesunpagit told a press conference that the disc-shaped symbol was not missing. It had been mistakenly displayed before royal approval was received, so department staff had removed it from the expo site.

Former deputy police chief Salang Bunnag earlier lodged a complaint with crime suppression police, saying the emblem had mysteriously disappeared.

The emblem is two metres across, made of bronze and covered with gold.

It was put on display at the flora expo site to allow visitors to pay their respects to the King.

Mr Adisak said the department decided to move the emblem on Jan 18 after the Secretariat of the Prime Minister said the display had yet to receive royal approval.

The department will seek a royal pardon for the incident, he said.

Bangkok Post
Wednesday January 31, 2007