An elaborate centuries-old royal ritual in Thailand's capital predicts a good year for farmers

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn presided Friday over an elaborate annual ceremony that marks the start of the rice-planting season and honors the nation's farmers.

The Royal Ploughing Ceremony is held to read auguries that predict the farming conditions for the year ahead. As is usually the case, good times were predicted, even though Thailand's economy is sluggish.

The King and Queen Suthida were sheltered from the bright sun by ornate umbrellas at the ceremony’s traditional venue, Sanam Luang, or “Royal Ground,” a large field near the Grand Palace in the capital Bangkok.

According to Thai historians, the ritual goes back some 700 years. Then, as now, the cultivation of rice was central to the country’s culture and economy, and the ceremony is meant to give encouragement to farmers as the new planting season begins.

The ceremony was led by the highest-ranking civil servant in the Agriculture Ministry, serving as the Lord of the Ploughing Ceremony. In a colorful traditional costume, he chose from a selection of cloths, and the one he picked was interpreted to signify satisfactory rainfall and an abundant harvest.

In the ceremony’s second stage, he anointed the heads of two “sacred” oxen, who then pulled a plough around a section of the field several times, as he scattered seeds at the front of a small procession with more traditionally garbed participants.

The two oxen, called “Por” and “Piang” — which together mean “sufficiency” — then chose from a selection of food offered by Brahmin priests. The foods chosen were water, grass and liquor, which symbolize adequate water supplies, abundance of food supplies and what was interpreted as good international trade, respectively.

After the departure of the king and queen, onlookers sprinted onto the field to collect the scattered seeds as souvenirs or to add to their own rice stores at home for a meritorious mix.

Thai master of the plowing ceremony, Prayoon Inskul, bottom left, prays for Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn, center left, and Queen Suthida before the start of a royal plowing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Sunti Teapia/Pool Photo via AP)

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn with Queen Suthida, addresses the audience at a royal plowing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Sunti Teapia/Pool Photo via AP)

Oxen are guided by royal attendants during a royal plowing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Sunti Teapia/Pool Photo via AP)

Oxen are presented with a tray of various choices of food by Thai officials during a royal plowing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Sunti Teapia/Pool Photo via AP)

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn addresses the audience at a royal plowing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Sunti Teapia/Pool Photo via AP)

Thai master of the plowing ceremony Prayoon Inskul, center right, throws rice seeds to the field during a royal plowing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Sunti Teapia/Pool Photo via AP)

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Detroit Tigers placed left-handed reliever Brant Hurter on the 15-day injured list with lumbar spine inflammation.

The team announced the move, which was retroactive to May 23, prior to Sunday's split doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles.

Hurter left Friday night's game against the Orioles in the fifth inning after a pitch to Tyler O'Neill. He is 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 21 games in his third season.

Detroit recalled right-hander Ricky Vanasco from Triple-A Toledo. Vanasco is 0-1 with a 14.54 ERA in four games with the Tigers this season.

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Detroit Tigers' Brant Hurter pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)