Traveling to black Bangkok
- Fon Shibuya Papaya
- Nov 3, 2016
- 3 min read
After His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's passing on Oct. 13 2016 , Thailand has been in deep mourning ever since. I remember feeling the swift of emptiness in the air the next day (Oct. 14) when I headed out to work. I stepped into the BTS (Bangkok's sky train) and I saw the most darkest sight ever. The whole train was filled with people in black and white and it was very reserved. Of course I expected this, but just experiencing it all in real life had hit me that the greatest leader of Thailand has really left.
Out of the black and white mountains of people on the train, I spotted a foreigner in a maroon colored t-shirt. I can never forget his expression. He looked so amazed but shocked, he looked around to observe every single persons' expression on the train. I'm sure he was pretty overwhelmed by the grieving energy that could be felt while he was there on the train.
Wonder what he was really thinking ? Maybe his deep condolences for the Thai people ? Was he panicking about how to act in this situation ? Or was he just plainly thinking about what he should do during his holiday stuck in Bangkok after today ?
I wanted so much to walk over to that guy and just explain the situation to him and tell him not to worry - he can still enjoy Bangkok ! Of course it wasn't the right place or time so I decided to just write about it here. To all my foreign friends traveling to Bangkok - Do don't fret you can still enjoy Bangkok !
What you may have been wondering :
- How long is the mourning period ?
The official mourning period is a year from His Majesty's passing (Oct. 13 2016), however citizens should (of course not mandatory ) be wearing black or muted clothing for at least 30 days to respect His Majesty's passing (of course it depends on every individuals beliefs to continue wearing dark clothing or not, but who could have the guts to wear bright clothing within 30 days anyways).
- Is the situation in Thailand safe ?
Yes ! Take me for an instance I am living everyday in Bangkok in peace.
- Is the atmosphere really sad ? Wondering if it will effect my trip to Thailand.
Well, I'm not gonna lie but the first week of the passing was pretty sad and dark. Thais consider The King as their own father. If you lose your father you are in deep grieving. However, life goes on and I can say after a week or two, people have accepted the fact that although he is gone but he will be in the hearts of the Thais forever. Now I can say things are gradually back to normal. Thailand is the land of smiles after all - Thais can never stop smiling for too long :)
- What to wear when in Thailand during this time ?
Wear black , white, grey , or muted colors. Try to avoid bright neon colors. OR pin a black ribbon (below picture, can make or can be seen distributed on the streets) on your shirt if you do not have any muted colored clothing. Of course this is not a must but this is just to be respectful.
- I've planned a trip to Bangkok during this time. Many places are closed right ?
Wat Pra Kaew (Temple of Emerald Buddha) and the Grand Palace was temporarily closed as they will be the grounds for the monarchy's funeral, but open now. Other tourist attractions are all open !
Most of the night clubs and music festivals are closed until further notice. However all bars are open, you can drink normally behind closed doors.
Everything else is open regularly (restaurants and malls) except for night clubs.
Resorts and beach activities are allowed regularly (bright bikinis are not much of taboo)
Here's additional infos
- Is it ok to talk about the King's passing situation to Thai friends or acquaintances ?
Sure. It is a sensitive issue but many Thais will happy to discuss their love for The King. However if you are thinking of having a pros and cons discussion about the monarchy etc... note that it may not be the best place or time to discuss about the King in a negative way. There are many people who have different opinions however when one needs to grieve please respectfully let them do so.
So there you go ! Nothing to be too anxious about if you've already booked a trip to Thailand. Not only can you enjoy most of the activities regularly but you can also culturally experience a different and rare side of Thailand as well. So come on by !
Your favorite Papaya in Shibuya,
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