Reua Asurapaksi (เรืออสุรปักษี)

Thai. Name of an escort barge that accompanies the true Royal Barges. It has a bow that has a figurehead that represents Asurapaksi (fig.), a creature from Himaphan Forest, half-demon (asura) and half-bird (paksi), with a dark greyish-green complexion (fig.). His wears a golden coat decorated with coloured glass. The figurehead (fig.) stands over the barrel of a small cannon, that sticks out from a hole in the lower bow. During processions he also holds two red poles with golden-green pennants, one in each hand, and the barge will be positioned at the starboard side of the fifth Reua Dang escort barge. The barge's outside hull is elaborately decorated with gilded lacquer, i.e. laai rod nahm, with floral motifs on a black lacquer undercoat. This barge can take 30 rowers and two helmsmen (fig.). From afar, both the Reua Asurapaksi and Reua Asuravayuphak escort barges are confusingly similar to the Garuda escort barges Reua Krut Heun Het (fig.) and Reua Krut Tret Traichak (fig.), and can from a distance best be distinguished by the fact that the bird-like figureheads (fig.) of the former two barges have their arms in a downward pose (fig.), whereas the arms of the figureheads on the prows of the Garuda escort barges have their arms held up (fig.). See also PROCESSION LINE-UP. 回