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Leicester City owner's Thailand funeral takes place Leicester City owner's Thailand funeral takes place
(35 minutes later)
The first funeral ceremony of Leicester City's owner who died in a helicopter crash has been held.The first funeral ceremony of Leicester City's owner who died in a helicopter crash has been held.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's funeral began with Buddhist bathing rituals at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand, and will be followed by recitation ceremonies.Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's funeral began with Buddhist bathing rituals at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand, and will be followed by recitation ceremonies.
Leicester City players are due to fly out to Thailand for the funeral after their game against Cardiff. Leicester City players are due to fly out to Thailand for the funeral after they won their game against Cardiff.
Players came out of the tunnel for their warm-up wearing T-shirts featuring a picture of Mr Vichai.Players came out of the tunnel for their warm-up wearing T-shirts featuring a picture of Mr Vichai.
They stood for a minute's silence along with Leicester City staff and fans ahead of their first match since the crash. They stood for a minute's silence along with Leicester City staff and fans ahead of their first match since the crash, which they won 1-0 in Wales.
Mr Vichai died with two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger when the helicopter crashed moments after taking off from the King Power Stadium on 27 October.Mr Vichai died with two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger when the helicopter crashed moments after taking off from the King Power Stadium on 27 October.
A bathing rite ceremony took place on Saturday and will be followed by recitation ceremonies over seven days.A bathing rite ceremony took place on Saturday and will be followed by recitation ceremonies over seven days.
Jonathan Head, the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, was at the temple and said Saturday's ceremony was held behind closed doors. He said elements of status at the funeral were very important. Saturday's ceremony was held behind closed doors and a special funeral urn and also a five-tiered umbrella, which shows high status, was used.
"You will see during the funeral artefacts given by King Vajiralongkorn - a special funeral urn and also a five-tiered umbrella that is very high status - being used," he said. At the scene
He added: "People will watch the funeral in many ways to see how well thought of Vichai was. By Jonathan Head, BBCs South East Asia correspondent, Bangkok
"He was a successful businessman, but sometimes controversial." The start of this lengthy funeral was in stark contrast to the emotional scenes witnessed at the Leicester City stadium.
It began with a stately bathing ceremony for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's body at a royal temple in Bangkok, attended by his family and a few senior political and business figures.
They poured holy water donated by King Maha Vajiralongkorn over flowers adorning the coffin, which was inscribed with the initials VS, and the simple words, "the possible man", reflecting his business and sporting success.
This Buddhist funeral serves an important religious function for the deceased, with rituals like the nightly chanting by monks accumulating merit for him. But it serves a social function too, affirming the status he achieved, in particular by getting royal sponsorship.
Mr Vichai had a quite different image in Thailand than he had in Britain, a private and cunning entrepreneur who cultivated powerful connections to see off challenges to his lucrative duty-free monopoly, through which he became very rich, very quickly.
There is little of the public affection and gratitude on display here that has been so visible in Britain. But when the Leicester City team arrives in Thailand to attend the funeral, Thais will be reminded of just how much this improbable hero meant to football fans on the other side of the world.
Mr Vichai's body arrived in Thailand on Friday ahead of the funeral.Mr Vichai's body arrived in Thailand on Friday ahead of the funeral.
Nusara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, also died in the crash last Saturday.Nusara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, also died in the crash last Saturday.
The wreckage of the helicopter was removed from outside the stadium on Friday. The wreckage of the helicopter was removed from outside the stadium on Friday and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has begun examining parts of the aircraft and the in-flight recorder.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has begun examining parts of the helicopter and the in-flight recorder.
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, the manager of Thailand's women's football team, and the president of the Football Association of Thailand were among the guests at the funeral.Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, the manager of Thailand's women's football team, and the president of the Football Association of Thailand were among the guests at the funeral.
All this weekend's Premier League games will be preceded by a minute's silence, or applause, and players will wear black armbands.All this weekend's Premier League games will be preceded by a minute's silence, or applause, and players will wear black armbands.
When Leicester fans arrived at the King Power Stadium before making the journey to the game in Wales, they were given free breakfast by the club. When Leicester fans arrived at the King Power Stadium before making the journey to the game in Cardiff, they were given free breakfast by the club.