Be respectful of Thailand’s period of mourning
An air of solemnity permeates the capital as Thais grieve for their beloved King.
THE image on social media has been shared thousands of times.
It shows the cortege of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej leaving the hospital where he breathed his last en route to the Grand Palace where his body is to lie in state. What’s so striking about the photo is that a flock of birds are flying over the cortege as the skies light up after a downpour.
The picture and hundreds more of the world’s longest serving monarch have been shared by not only Thais but also people who have been touched by their king’s humility and simplicity.
Thais have entered a 30-day period of mourning after the death of their beloved king on Oct 13. Visitors to the country, and Bangkok especially, will be struck by how much the king’s passing has affected Thai society.
As a frequent visitor to Thailand, I can attest to this: I was in Pattaya and Bangkok this past week and the change has been startling.
Black is now the de rigueur colour of mourning for most Thais. In fact, merchants have reported that black or white clothing are selling out fast – Uniqlo, the Japanese brand with a strong retail presence here, has sold out its entire stock of women’s attire in black!
As soon as you touch down at Thailand’s airports, you will be greeted by the sight of officials wearing black armbands; and in some airports, black ribbons are being handed out to visitors. These ribbons and armbands are used by Thais who, for some reason, are unable to wear black. For instance, caddies on golf courses all wear them.
In the south, the beach city of Pattaya is officially dry. Nope, the beaches have not run dry, only the alcohol. The city has banned the sale of alcohol before midnight and tourists who have frequented Pattaya’s world famous walking street should be prepared for a completely different atmosphere than what they’ve been used to.
Most of the bars and nightclubs have been shut or rather semi-closed until after midnight.
Tourism has definitely been affected but Thais who are dependent on this industry, despite being hit in the pocket, are more concerned with reverence for their king.
In Bangkok, the famous “Soi Cowboy” known for its girly bars and over-the-top-entertainment has shut down for a month.
The suburb of Ekkamai, known for its highend nightlife, has also shut down all bars and clubs. Of course, there are bars and pubs that are open but these have been warned to avoid any “boisterous performances”. And many of them close early during the monthlong period of mourning (until Nov 13).
My trip to Bangkok was to catch British singer Morrissey’s live performance, but when his act as well as every other performance in October was cancelled, I decided to go ahead with my visit anyway.
I’m glad I did, because it gave me an opportunity to see how much the Thais revere King Bhumibol. Tourists will not understand this reverence but the easiest way to appreciate the depth of Thai feeling is to imagine visiting a friend who has recently lost a family member. Try to understand that person’s loss and respect his wish to grieve in private.
I made it a point to visit the Wat Phra Kaew of the Grand Palace where the king’s body is lying in state. On the day I visited, last Tuesday, an estimated 100,000 people were at the sprawling grounds. I had wanted to sign the official condolence book but was dissuaded from doing so, as the wait in line would have taken me at least two hours.
Instead, I visited the Temple of the Emerald Buddha where throngs of black-clad Thais go to pray for the king.
Here again, there appears to be a lack of sensitivity among some tourists. There is a distinct air of solemnity in the temple grounds but some tourists have no respect, wearing garish and rather skimpy attire and snapping away on their camera phones. And this despite the Thai authorities having asked people to be respectful.
Tourists will not understand this reverence but the easiest way to appreciate the depth of Thai feeling is to imagine visiting a friend who has recently lostos a family member.
Visitors to the Grand Palace will not go hungry or thirsty, though. Volunteers have set up hundreds of tents and hand out free bottles of water and packed food to the tired throngs. These tents are a welcome respite to people who have queued for hours, rain or shine. Many of these ordinary Thais have travelled hundreds of miles just to pay their respects.
“I drove down from the north-east as soon as I heard the news to pay my respects to the king in front of the Siriraj Hospital (where King Bhumipol died),” executive assistant Bai Teoi told me. She, and many like her, have stayed on in Bangkok to say prayers at the Grand Palace.
Understandably, Thailand is still reeling from King Bhumibol’s passing. The jazz and photography enthusiast was the ultimate stabilising factor for 70 years as the country went through several tumultuous periods of leadership and government transitions.
Security, under the current military junta, has noticeably been tightened. Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is heir to the throne but has not given a firm date on when he will be crowned. This has lent further confusion to the situation as Thailand grapples with an uncertain era caused by the passing of their great unifier, King Bhumibol. Bangkok, the world’s most visited city, has never experienced anything like this. But if you’re planning a trip there during this period, the writer advises a check on the Tourism Authority of Thailand website for the do’s and don’ts and a full list of postponed and cancelled events.