Bencha Sutthi Khongkha refers to the sacred water
from 1 of the 5 important rivers that flows through Sao Hai District,
which has been used in the Oath of Allegiance Ceremony from the reign
of King Rama IV until the present time. When the king travelled by
boat, he dropped by and took a bath at the Rat (Raja) Pier. The king
was pleased with the cool, deep-running and calm water and had the
water in this area taken to undergo an incantation ceremony at Wat Phra
Phutthabat before being used in the coronation ceremony, as well as,
other royal rites in the palace. The sacred water was taken from 5
rivers; namely, the Chao Phraya River (from Ang Thong), the Phetchaburi
River (from Phetchaburi), the Ratchaburi River (from Samut Sakhon), the
Bang Pakong River (from Nakhon Nayok) and the Pa Sak River (from
Saraburi) and, therefore, originated the name of “Bencha Sutthi
Khongkha” or “five pure rivers”.
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