Bangkok - Thais from all walks of life and provinces near and far flocked to Bangkok's Sanam Luang - the Royal Grounds - Friday to attend the royal funeral of Princess Galyani Vadhana, elder sister of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

"I arrived at 4 am this morning and will stay here until the funeral is over tomorrow night," said Lek Paekhajae, 65, a farmer from Nakorn Sawan, 210 kilometres north of Bangkok. "We are here because we love the princess and the king."

Like many other mourners from the provinces, Lek and his wife plan to sleep outside at Sanam Luang, located in the heart of old Bangkok, to reserve a front row observation point at the princess' funeral procession on Saturday.

Princess Galyani died on January 2 of abdominal cance, aged 84. Thailand will be in official mourning from Friday to Sunday to mark her funeral. For royal funerals it is traditional to wait as long as one year for an auspicious date to hold the funeral.

Princess Galyani claimed the distinction of being elder sister to two Thai kings, her brothers Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Bhumibol has been Thai monarch since 1946, following the untimely death of his brother Ananda. Bhumibol, the world's longest reigning living monarch, will turn 81 on December 5.

Galyani has been a constant and respected figure in Thailand's royal family for the duration of Bhumibol's long rule.

"We love her because she did a lot for the common people and also because she helped to raise her brother, the king," said Tipyatabienkarn Laiad, 75, a former pharmacy professor at Mahidol University. Tipyatabienkarn plans to be at Sanam Luang at 4 am Saturday (2100 GMT) to catch a glimpse of the princess' funeral procession.

The royal funeral for Princess Galyani promises to be a show of pageantry, Brahmin and Buddhist ritual and Thai artistry not witnessed since the funeral of the king's Princess Mother Srinagarinda in 1996. She was 94 when she died.

Galyani's funeral will have its own distinctive events. For instance, from 7 pm Saturday until the wee hours Sunday five of Thailand's symphony orchestras will be playing classical music at the funeral.

The princess, besides heading dozens of charities, was a patron of classical music in Thailand.

Galyani's funeral ceremonies were set to begin Friday evening when King Bhumibol and his wife Queen Sirikit visit the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall at the Grand Palace in the compound of the Emerald Buddha, where the princess' remains are lying in state, to perform Buddhist merit making rites.

Six ornate chariots will escort the princess' remains from the Dusit Hall to Sanam Luang on Saturday morning. Hundreds of thousands of Thais are expected to line up along the avenues to view the procession.

But only the Royal Family, government officials, civil servants and invited guests will be allowed inside the funeral grounds at Sanam Luang to view the royal rites culminating in the cremation.

Her bones, to be collected Sunday morning, will be placed in a golden urn weighing 2,000 grams that took four months to complete.

The funeral has cost the Thai government an estimated 375 million baht (11 million dollars).

Many observers have welcomed the royal funeral as a brief hiatus from Thailand's deep political conflict, that has seen the nation divided into camps fanatically opposed to a return to power by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and those who support the fugitive populist politician.

"Things will quiet down during the funeral and for a few days after, but then it will start up again," predicted Chaturon Chaisaeng, a former close political ally of Thaksin's.

Thaksin, who was living in self-exile in London before the UK revoked his tourist visa earlier this month, has threatened to name his enemies in a phone-in address to his supporters on November 23, a move that is likely to further divide Thailand.

Thaksin, a former billionaire telecommunications tycoon, has criticized a recent court verdict sentencing him to two years in jail on an abuse of power charge as the handiwork of his political enemies.

For many the royal funeral this weekend will be a welcome break from Thailand's political infighting.

"The king is above politics. He unites us," said Pradupsri Chongprasert, 62, who hopes to watch the creation procession Saturday night if she doesn't have to babysit her grandchildren. (dpa)