The funeral of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha has begun in his native Thailand.
Srivaddhanaprabha was one of five people killed when his helicopter crashed after leaving Leicester’s King Power Stadium following last Saturday’s game with West Ham.
His funeral is taking place at a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, with members of Thailand’s elite expected to pay tribute to the billionaire businessman.
Srivaddhanaprabha’s body was flown to Thailand on Friday and taken to Wat Debsirindrawas ahead of the official ceremony, which lasts until November 9.
The funeral ceremony will feature court musicians playing drums and flutes and Buddhist monks reciting prayers.
The body will be kept for a further 100 days, and his cremation will take place at a future date.
Many of the Leicester players were extremely close to the club’s owner and most of the squad will fly to Thailand in order to attend the funeral after Saturday’s game with Cardiff.
Sky Sports News reporter Rob Dorsett is in Thailand and said: “The princess of Thailand is here in the Temple next door for a funeral.
“There is huge media presence from the whole of Thailand, split between the two funerals.
“It is going to be an incredibly moving scene, none more so than when the [Leicester] players arrive here tomorrow, to be here and share this moment with Aiyawatt and Aimon, the son and the widow of Vichai, at this incredibly difficult time.”
The other victims were two of his staff members, Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, and pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has begun examining wreckage recovered from the crash site and the in-flight recorder.
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