The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives held the first full rehearsal for the 2026 Royal Ploughing Ceremony at the ceremonial grounds of Sanam Luang.
At 07:00 on 30 April 2026 at the Sanam Luang ceremonial grounds, Mr. Winarot Subsongsohk, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, performed as the Lord of the Plough. The gold bearers were Miss Chantisa Aresewat, a specialist veterinarian from the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, and Miss Apichaya Fuseang, a specialist auditor from the Cooperative Auditing Department. The silver bearers were Miss Pornjira Jancharoen, an expert agricultural extension officer, and Miss Saranya Thongkham, an operational agricultural extension officer, both from the Department of Agricultural Extension. Various staff members from different departments also participated.
Currently, all parties are prepared for the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, which will take place on Wednesday, 13 May 2026. This ancient ceremony is highly significant and beautiful, especially for the Thai people engaged in agriculture.
In 2026, the royal calendar designates the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, which combines two ceremonies: the Royal Ploughing Buddhist ceremony, a prayer event marking the start of the ritual and recognized as “Farmers’ Day,” held at the ordination hall of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram. King Vajiralongkorn will preside over the ceremony, performing the holy water pouring, anointing, and bestowing the royal ring and royal trident to Mr. Winarot Subsongsohk, the Lord of the Plough, at the ordination hall in the Grand Palace. The following day will feature the Brahmin ritual known as the First Ploughing Ceremony on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, with the auspicious ploughing time from 08:09 to 08:39 at the Sanam Luang ceremonial grounds.
Mr. Winarot Subsongsohk, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and Lord of the Plough, stated that the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, commonly called the First Ploughing Ceremony, is held annually around June, the appropriate time to begin rice planting—the main occupation of Thai people—for good fortune and to boost farmers’ confidence in cultivation. The ceremony combines two rites: the Buddhist Royal Ploughing Ceremony and the Brahmin First Ploughing Ceremony.
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony dates back to the Sukhothai period and was last fully conducted in 1936 before being discontinued. In 1960, the Cabinet decided to revive the tradition, and it has been held annually since then.
Since 1966, the Cabinet has designated the day of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony as “Farmers’ Day” to encourage those in agriculture to participate in the ceremony for good fortune in their profession, which is vital to driving the country’s economy.
The ceremony also includes awarding and honoring outstanding farmers, agricultural institutions, cooperatives, and national agricultural experts who have been selected, with their work promoted to the public as exemplary models.
The public and farmers interested are invited to register online to receive royal rice seeds at https://rice.moac.go.th, with registration closing today (30 April 2026). The ceremony’s live broadcast will be available via the Thailand Public Broadcasting Service and various online media on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, starting at 08:00.