Construction of a new museum in Pathum Thani province to commemorate the funeral ceremony His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great will be completed next year on schedule, the Fine Arts Department said on Monday.
The museum will serve as a knowledge hub for ancient traditions surrounding the royal cremation ceremony, it said.
Department director-general Kittiphan Phansuwan said construction of the museum was now 30% completed.
The museum is in tambon Khlong Ha of Khlong Luang district, which also houses the Supreme Artist Hall, the King Rama IX Archives and the national museum warehouse.
Once the museum's structure is completed, work on the interior would commence immediately, Mr Kittiphan said.
The museum will showcase various aspects of the royal cremation ceremony to achieve that goal, a replica of the royal crematorium will be constructed onsite, he added.
He hoped the exhibits would help the public better appreciate the royal tradition and the intricate art works used in the ceremony, which were built by Thai craftsmen to honour the late king.
On a separate note, Mr Kittiphan said the construction of the National Museum's central storage building is expected to be completed this year.
The storage facility will house priceless antiques and historical artefacts. it was designed to international standard, complete with advanced security features.
National Museum employees were in the process of cataloguing more than 93,000 items which will be stored there. This would facilitate further study of the artefacts, he said.
A searchable database of artefacts in central storage will be launched next year, Mr Kittiphan said.
The late king passed away peacefully on Oct 13, 2016, at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok. He was 88.
