BANGKOK – With soldiers closing down Bangkok’s notorious go-go bars and tourists forced to sneak sips of beer from paper cups, Thailand is dialling down its raucous party scene out of respect for the country’s late monarch.

The passing this week of 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej has thrust the Buddhist nation into a period of profound mourning, with masses of tearful Thais filling the streets to pay respect to a king worshipped as an exemplar of moral virtue.

Like nearly all of their compatriots, Thai bar girls swapped their normally racy attire for more modest black dresses and shoes when they showed up to work on Friday (Oct 14) night.

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Photo Gallery

Large crowds gather as convoy transports Thai king’s body to Grand Palace

Source:

Reuters

AFP

The Straits Times

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In Bangkok’s Soi Cowboy – a famed alleyway of luridly lit go-go bars and a barometer of the city’s adherence to temperance during coups, street protests and religious days – patrons who trickled through were soon disappointed.

Read also: Tourists asked to respect Thais as country begins year of mourning

At around 10pm soldiers pulled the plug on the blinding neon lights as they enforced an early closing time in compliance with government orders to “tone down” celebrations as the nation grieves.

“Suddenly the army came. It was a group of five guys,” said Mr Geroem Bonami, a 31-year-old tourist from Belgium.

“We were asked to pay and they started to tidy up everything and the girls disappeared.”

Minutes after the ailing monarch’s passing was announced on Thursday, Thailand’s junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha took to national television to declare a one-year official mourning period.

He also asked the public to refrain from celebrations for at least 30 days, and dozens of events – from concerts to fun runs, wedding parties and religious festivals – have been cancelled since.

Television networks are also under orders not to broadcast any overly joyous images – such as dancing – with one major channel saying it would not be airing its roaringly popular soap opera series.

Toned-down music, alcohol served in paper cups

While the military regime has not issued an all-out ban on alcohol, which is common on Buddhist holidays, many shops have opted to stop selling drinks and bars around the capital are taking special measures to show that no one is having too much fun.

On the Khaosan road, a grubby centre for foreign tourists a stone’s throw away from the King’s palace, bars silenced the normally pounding music and served alcohol in paper cups instead of beer towers and buckets.

“There’s no music tonight and no party because all the people are so sad. Everywhere in Bangkok, you cannot have loud music,” explained Mr Ret Chhuon, a Thai barman, adding he was worried about an extended loss of custom.

“But we must do this because the king has died and we are so sad.”

Sombre dress code

Foreign governments have urged their citizens to act respectfully as the kingdom mourns, while the Thai tourist authorities have asked travellers to dress in sombre and appropriate clothing.

Analysts have warned that any protracted clampdown on the party scene could drive visitors away and hurt the tourism sector – a crucial pillar of the kingdom’s economy.

On the Khaosan Road some visitors said they were happy to keep it low-key, but would likely leave Thailand if the party didn’t rev up again soon.

“If after a couple of days there are still no parties and alcohol, I might leave Thailand, said a 24-year-old Dutch tourist who only gave his name as Kaz.

Others were simply awed by the mass outpourings of grief.

“It hasn’t put a downer on the holiday,” said British tourist Callum Knight. “We got to see a part of history.”

Read also: 5 tips to explore Bangkok in more ways than you can imagine

The popular Thai hangout in Singapore, Golden Mile Complex, was unusually quiet yesterday as the Thai community here mourned the loss of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Some stores opened late, while others shut their doors early as Thai shopkeepers and customers alike congregated at the Thai Embassy in Orchard Road to pay their respects.

“Today is very quiet. A lot of people are sad and are at home,” said shopkeeper Isaree Harnmontree, 41.

The Thai national had opened her coffee shop an hour later than usual as a mark of respect for the monarch. Over the weekend, she hopes to visit the embassy to pray for the King. “I think he had a strong and good heart. He would do anything for the Thai people,” she said, fighting back tears.

332244

Photo Gallery

Thais in Singapore and Thailand mourn passing of King Bhumibol

Source:

Reuters

AFP

The Straits Times

The New Paper

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The world’s longest-reigning monarch died on Thursday at the age of 88, following a long period of ill health. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has declared a year-long period of mourning.

At the Thai Embassy, the Thai flag was at half-mast.

According to the embassy, a condolence book will be open for signing at its premises at 370 Orchard Road, from Monday to Friday, from 10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4.30pm. Visitors can access the embassy via its Claymore Road entrance.

Yesterday, at least one school, St Francis Methodist School in Upper Bukit Timah Road, gave its Thai students the day off to pay their respects to the late King, and around 30 of them turned up at the embassy. Principal Lenie Cho said the decision was made out of compassion for the students.

“We came here to pray for the King,” said student Stamp Promphan, 15.

“Almost all of us were crying when we woke up to the news this morning. He was a very important person, like our second dad. I’ve never met him, but he’s like one of our family members. I grew up knowing only him as King.”

But the students could not enter the embassy as the condolence book had not been set up. So they took a train to Wat Ananda Metyarama – a Thai Buddhist temple in Jalan Bukit Merah – to pray for the King.

Venerable Chao Khun Tepsiddhivides, the temple’s head monk, said it will hold five days of chanting for the King, and everyone is welcome to join in. A tent has been set up, with a photo of King.

332459

Photo Gallery

Large crowds gather as convoy transports Thai king’s body to Grand Palace

Source:

Reuters

AFP

The Straits Times

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Sessions will be from 7pm to 8pm, and all Thai monks in Singapore, numbering about 30, will be present.

Religious leaders from other faiths, such as Christianity, Hinduism and Islam, have been invited to join today’s session.

Read also: Grieving Thailand salutes late king on his final journey

This article was first published on October 15, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Bangkok was not its usual self yesterday. Gone were the noise and bustle it is famous for, replaced by a sombre mood as the Thai capital’s residents mourned the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej en masse.

While the government has declared a one-year mourning period and asked the people to dial down any form of entertainment for 30 days, businesses took their own steps to pay respect to the 88-year- old monarch, a father figure to the country’s 68 million Thais.

In a busy section of Sukhumvit Road, a bar that normally blasts rock music to attract customers dialled it down to a volume barely audible above the din of traffic.

“We normally joke and laugh with customers,” said Ms Dream Pornpicha, 22, a waitress there. “Now, we cannot.”

Over at a nearby shopping mall, store attendants clad in black were busy changing their window displays to dress mannequins in black, white, or grey. Monochrome shirts and blouses were on prominent display at pop-up stores in the atrium.

“Our head office told us about it last night, to do this for one month,” Mr Yos-anan Jantarak, the store manager, told The Straits Times.

“My King…” he said, choking, by way of explanation.

In Siam Square, where giant electronic billboards usually vie for attention, the screens were black.

332459

Photo Gallery

Large crowds gather as convoy transports Thai king’s body to Grand Palace

Source:

Reuters

AFP

The Straits Times

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So, too, those on the skytrains. Instead of electronic advertisements, the screens displayed the words: “We bear the greatest grief and fear. We have lost the main pillar of our lives.

“No matter how much time passes, you will always be in our hearts.”

At the entrance of train stations and shopping malls, few protested when security guards began opening every single bag or backpack to check the contents.

Hours before King Bhumibol’s body was moved from Siriraj Hospital – where he died on Thursday – to the Grand Palace yesterday, soldiers and policemen manned key intersections to handle any potential disruption to the procession.

332244

Photo Gallery

Thais in Singapore and Thailand mourn passing of King Bhumibol

Source:

Reuters

AFP

The Straits Times

The New Paper

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Since Thursday night, all television channels, including international ones like BBC, CNN and Bloomberg, have been running the same state video clips of King Bhumibol’s life and work, the result of an order to take over broadcast content.

The videos were interspersed with interviews with Thai citizens about their thoughts on the monarch. Radio stations similarly broadcast the same content.

The Thai government had originally intended to have mainstream media outlets continue to run such content for 30 days.

In a change of heart yesterday, it said TV and radio stations would be allowed to resume their normal programming after midnight. However, content deemed “entertainment” is still not allowed.

This article was first published on October 15, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

BANGKOK – When exactly Thai- land’s heir apparent, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, will formally accede to the throne remained unclear yesterday, compounded by online media reports about the appointment of a Regent which were taken off the Internet soon after they appeared.

There was no government confirmation of the reports quoting Mr Peerasak Porjit, vice-president of the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly, saying General Prem Tinsulanonda, president of the Privy Council, would act as Regent until the Crown Prince formally took the title.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who as army chief had seized power in a coup in 2014, announced that the Crown Prince had asked for more time to mourn his father before being officially proclaimed king.

Under Thailand’s succession laws, Gen Prem would by default act as Regent.

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Photo Gallery

Thailand’s Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, soon to be King

Source:

AFP

Reuters

Bangkok Post

The Nation/ANN

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The 96-year-old is one of the most powerful men in Thailand, described by Paul Handley, author of the 2006 book The King Never Smiles, as the dead monarch’s closest ally.

A cavalry officer who has served as appointed premier, Gen Prem, like King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is musically inclined, singing and playing the piano at concerts thronged by Bangkok’s high society.

He has been a mentor to generations of the army’s elite.

In an oft-cited speech in 2006, he pointedly compared the army to a racehorse and the government of the day to its jockey. The horse was owned by the King, he said.

332244

Photo Gallery

Thais in Singapore and Thailand mourn passing of King Bhumibol

Source:

Reuters

AFP

The Straits Times

The New Paper

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Gen Prem became president of the Privy Council – an 18-member body stacked with retired senior military officers – in 1998 and has been a powerful behind-the-scenes figure ever since, with even elected prime ministers taking care to treat him with great deference.

Read also: PM Lee Hsien Loong pays respects to late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Thai Embassy

This article was first published on October 15, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.