Abundant food and water, growth in foreign trade and a prosperous economy were predicted during the Royal Ploughing Ceremony at Sanam Luang in Bangkok on Friday morning.
The annual ceremony, presided over by Their Majesties the King and Queen, marks the traditional start of the rice-growing season in the country.
The event was attended by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, cabinet ministers and diplomatic corps.
This year, the sacred oxen chose to feed on grass and water, reflecting the prediction of abundant water. They also drank liquor, which is interpreted as an auspicious sign for a prospering economy in 2024.
Prayoon Insakul, permanent secretary for agriculture and cooperatives, was the Lord of the Plough. He picked a piece of folded cloth with a length of five kueb (about 125 centimetres), referring to the prediction of sufficient water and abundant rice yields and food.
During the ceremony, crowds of people rushed to collect rice grains strewn over the ground. The grains are believed to bring good harvest and fortune.
