Thailand ends mourning

BANGKOK: Clothing in colours other than black returned to Thailand yesterday as the country ended its year of wearing primarily black to mourn late king Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The government declared Sunday, the end of a cremation ceremony for Bhumibol, the last day of the yearlong mourning.

Office workers went to work yesterday dressed in a mix of colours. “This doesn’t mean my love for His Majesty stopped,” said Nithakan Rujiratkasemkij, a 40-year-old business owner in Bangkok, who was wearing a light pink dress.

“His Majesty taught us that we need to move on in life, but with consciousness,” Nithakan added.

Much-loved and deeply revered by his people as a father figure, Bhumibol was the world’s longest reigning monarch who died last October aged 88 after seven decades on the throne.

Black attire was in high demand after his death, causing shortages in many stores, and leading those who could not afford to buy new clothes to dye their old clothes black.

However, black clothing could still be spotted yesterday, as the colour is as much as a sign of loyalty to the late monarch as a fashion statement.

“I’m still grieving for His Majesty, so I’ll wait a few more days until next month to wear other colours,” said a 25-year-old saleswoman who wished to be identified only as Nattaporn.

“Black is a classic colour so it will never go out of style,” said a 40-year-old shopkeeper in a Bangkok shopping district who put up both colourful clothes among black ones on the racks. – dpa