Water gods

I'm taking the easy way out of my Thai homework assignment for the night: the following is provided courtesy of The Bangkok Pundit blog (http://asiancorrespondent.com/author/bangkokpundit/). I like it because: when I read the memo, I was under the impression that this was a one-off.....because of the severity of this year's rains. But the term (water-lowering ceremony) is in the Thai dictionary ([N] Brahman water-lowering ceremony, Thai definition: ส่วนหนึ่งของพิธีพราหมณ์ทำในเดือน 11 โดยมุ่งหมายให้น้ำลด), so that tells me they hold these things from time to time, if not every year.
I've never been to a water-lowering ceremony, except the one that I execute every time I use the bathroom.......but I'd be interested to see what actually occurs in the Brahman ceremony.
I especially like the starting time: 14:39 hours......must be when the stars are aligned just right....or maybe when the country's chief fortune teller says is a most auspicious time.
Although I probably won't watch the ceremony on TV, I'll guess that most BMA officials will be at the ceremony, all dressed up in the dress whites. My understanding from the forecasts for flood waters entering the Bangkok area is that they'll have a lot of praying to do.
Hope they succeed!


Most Urgent: Memo

Office : Bangkok (Office of Permanent Secretary of Bangkok Metropolitan Authority Tel. 0 2224 8652 or Tel. 1280 Fax. 0221 6170)
No.: Kor Thor 0403/1093 Date: 7th of October 2011

Subject: Invitation to the Brahman water-lowering ceremony

To Directors and Departmental Heads of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged a Brahman water-lowering ceremony on Saturday the 8th of October 2011 at 14.39 at the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine to beg to Kang Ka, the River Goddess, to lower the flood in Bangkok rapidly.

Therefore, we invite you to attend this ceremony with the agenda as follows:
14.39 hrs. Worship Ceremony (Barhma Ceremony)
15.09 hrs Chanting Ceremony

Meet at 14.00 hrs at the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine Dress Thai dress or polite dress

For your information