The King of Thailand has died.

"His Majesty passed away peacefully at Sirirat Hospital," the royal palace said in a statement.

Farewell to King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Thailand! By tradition, Buddhist monks are required to read prayers at his tomb until January 21. Now, near the Grand Palace, local residents lined up to say goodbye to the monarch. The date of the farewell procession has not yet been disclosed, but the cremation should take place in a square in the center of the country. For this, it is planned to build a special structure.

Thailand holds a five-day farewell ceremony for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on October 13, 2016. After his death, the embalmed body of the monarch was taken to the palace, which was visited by more than 12 million people during the year of farewell. All this time, builders were building a burial complex for the cremation of the monarch. In its center is a platform 50 m high, consisting of several tiers and outwardly resembling a Buddhist temple!

The King of Thailand has died

The king was on the throne for 70 years and was considered the longest-reigning monarch not only in Thailand, but throughout the world. Adulyadej enjoyed great love and respect among the people. Shortly before his death, about 200 people spent the night on the lawn in front of the hospital building, where the monarch's apartments were located, and also prayed for his recovery, but to great disappointment, a miracle did not happen. They were dressed in pink, as, according to local traditions, .

Adulyadej was born in 1927 in the USA, a year later his family moved to Thailand and studied in Switzerland. The king is from the Chakri dynasty. He took the throne in 1946, succeeding his brother Rama VIII, and became a true symbol of the nation. Despite the American birth, the king's policy cannot be called pro-American.

The monarch has experienced health problems over the past two years, he appeared less and less in public and his condition became critical during the last week. Last Saturday, the monarch underwent a procedure to cleanse the blood of toxins, excess salts and fluids, which led to a sharp drop in pressure. After that, doctors were forced to connect the King of Thailand to a ventilator.

The heir to the throne is likely to be his only son, 63 years old. However, he, as the BBC clarifies, does not enjoy such sympathy among his subjects as his father.

As noted, none of the coups led to the removal of Adulyadej. He supported the changes of the military seized power on May 22, 2014, led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha. After the coup, the military said they took power in order to prevent bloodshed and return the country to democracy. Since 2005, Thailand has experienced political instability and a political conflict brewing due to the provocations of armed radical political activists.

– Many in the country prayed for one thing: if only the king would live, at least as a symbol of the nation. Of course, all people are now afraid of strong analysis at the top, which can hurt the whole society, Mikhail VOITENKO, editor-in-chief of the Morskoy Bulletin online publication, who lives in the kingdom, told MK by phone from Thailand. – Of course, the higher the status of people in the Thai hierarchy, the more they are worried about possible changes. People are debating who will be the new monarch. Now in aristocratic and business circles there are dismantlings. After all, the figure of the king is very significant in Thailand. At the same time, there are no clear rules for succession to the throne, such as, for example, in Britain. Here is a very complex life at the top. So the situation in the country, of course, is unstable. Even we, the farangs (foreigners) living here, are not very comfortable in this regard ...

The king's support for the military regime that came to power in 2014 ensured relative political stability in the country. Recall that in May of the year before last, after a military coup, the King of Thailand officially appointed General Prayut Chan-Ocha as the head of the State Council for peace and order. And representatives of the military "junta", in turn, said that they would rule according to the law and on behalf of the king.

In addition to state concerns, King Bhumibol Adulyadej was also involved in other matters. He played jazz saxophone professionally. He showed himself as an inventor - and even patented "artificial clouds". He established himself as an artist, photographer, writer (he wrote, for example, a book about his dog).

“If we take into account the fact that there is a legitimate government in the country, there are prerequisites for the period after the death of the king not to be overshadowed by political instability,” MK noted in a comment. Director of the ASEAN Center at MGIMO Viktor SUMSKII. - As for the fact that the current regime legitimized itself in the name of the king, this can be said about absolutely any regime that existed in Thailand. This is not unusual, just as such a phenomenon as a coup d'etat is not unusual for this country. Elections and referendums have been held since the last coup. Therefore, in my opinion, the death of the king is not a reason for denying legitimacy to the current government.

The King's only son is 64-year-old Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. He recently made headlines in the German press when he arrived in Munich wearing a very bizarre outfit (baring tank top, low-waisted jeans, sandals). As Bild reported at the time, in Bavaria, the Thai prince bought a villa on Lake Starnberg for 10 million euros as a gift to his companion. The prince at one time trained as a military pilot, served in military intelligence and participated in hostilities against communist rebels. He was married several times - the first time he married his cousin Princess Mom Luang Soamsawali Kitiyakara. After this union broke up, the heir to the throne lived for some time in a marriage with actress Yuvadhida Polpraset. But about twenty years ago, the prince accused her of treason with a 60-year-old air marshal. In 2001, Maha Vatchiralongkorn entered into an official marriage with a woman from an ordinary poor family named Srirasmi Akharaphongpricha. However, the couple officially divorced last year.

It is reported that Maha Vajiralongkorn, who will succeed his father, wished to delay the coronation for up to one year. He said that he wanted to mourn his late father during this time. Recently, Prem Tinsulanond, who is the country's former prime minister and current regent, said that the transfer of the throne would take place according to the laws of Thailand. It must be clarified that many doubt whether the prince is suitable for this position, but the strict laws of the country limit the discussion of this issue.
Recall that the king ruled the country for 70 years. The country's authorities decided to introduce official mourning, which will last a whole year. All state flags must be lowered for 30 days, and local residents and tourists are asked to refrain from various entertainment. It is worth noting that there have been cases of attacks on people who do not sufficiently express grief for the deceased king.

BANGKOK, 13 October. /Corr. TASS Alexey Skovoronsky/. Millions of people in Thailand on Friday mourn and honor the memory of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) on the first anniversary of his death. This day in the kingdom is declared non-working.

From early morning in Bangkok, the sounds of Buddhist prayers can be heard from almost every large residential building. The ritual ends with alms for the monks - this is one of the local traditions to honor the memory of the deceased. A donation, as a rule, consists of items useful in everyday life, necessary, including in the monastery.

At the Government House early morning a similar ceremony was performed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, along with his wife and members of the government. According to the press service of the head of the cabinet of ministers, Chan-o-cha distributed alms to 89 Buddhist monks. This number is not accidental, since Rama IX passed away precisely at the 89th year of his life.

On the eve of the walls of the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok, a huge portrait of the monarch was erected so that everyone could bow to the king, expressing their respect and sorrow. Access to the coffin urn of Rama IX for subjects was closed on October 5th. According to the bureau of the royal court, 12.7 million people bowed to the remains of the ruler in 337 days.

At the suggestion of the government, everywhere in Thailand on October 13 at 15:52 local time (11:52 Moscow time) - it was at this hour that the monarch passed away a year ago - a minute of silence lasting 89 seconds will be announced. In the evening, King Rama X, son of Bhumibol Adulyadej, will conduct a commemorative ceremony at the palace in Bangkok.

Music marathon

A graduate of the Moscow State Pyotr Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Ivan Sharapov, who has been living in Thailand on the island of Phuket for several years and is known among the large Russian community thanks to his regular performances and participation in various charitable projects, also decided to make his contribution to the series of mourning events. He will hold a nine-hour music marathon on the piano on Friday in the lobby of one of the exhibition centers in Bangkok.

“The whole program is conditionally divided into nine parts,” Ivan Sharapov told a TASS correspondent before the start of the performance. “At the beginning of each hour, a composition written by His Majesty sounds, then Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, ancient music, a slow popular melody and a Russian folk song” .

Sharapov said that he had long wanted to combine the masterpieces of Russian classics and the music of Thailand into one concert. "The songs written by King Rama IX are very melodic and dearly loved by the Thai people. The Russian soul is, of course, the music of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov," the musician says.

Farewell and cremation

The country declared mourning, which will end on October 30 this year, and the body of the monarch was taken to the Grand Royal Palace and placed in a sitting position in a special funerary urn, which is now in the throne room of Dusit Maha Prasat. The cremation is scheduled for October 26 and will take place in the capital's Sanam Luang Square, where a funeral platform more than 50 meters high has already been built for this.

Only about 7.5 thousand citizens who have received special permission will be able to watch the ceremony from the square. However, the areas adjacent to the place of farewell are expected to fill up to 250 thousand people.

The world's longest-reigning monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away on October 13. The country plunged into mourning, and the subjects of the King, members of aristocratic families and political leaders of the world saw off an amazing man and a wise statesman on the last journey. We bring to your attention a photo report on how Thailand said goodbye to His Majesty Rama IX.

On October 12, alarming news spread around Thailand - the condition of His Majesty Rama IX worsened after a hemodialysis procedure. Many Thais gathered near the Sirirach hospital in Bangkok for a common prayer for the health of the monarch, and the children of the King and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ocha arrived at the clinic.

Photo: khaosodenglish.com
Photo: Associated Press
Photo: asiaone.com
Photo: independent.co.uk 2

On October 13, the press office of the royal family reported that Rama IX's heart had stopped. The news was a real blow to ordinary Thais - it was hard for many to hold back tears.

Photo: Asia Times
Photo: Associated Press
Photo: EPA, Diego Azubel
Photo: EPA, Rungroj Yongrit
Photo: EPA

On the evening of October 13, Prayut Chan-o-cha addressed the people and announced the death of the King on national television in Thailand. The Prime Minister called on fellow citizens for a month of mourning. Officials will mourn throughout the year.

Photo: Yahoo
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Residents of Bangkok and other cities in Thailand put on mourning clothes and change things on display mannequins. On the popular streets of the resort towns, the music died down and the lights went out. Bars are closed until Monday, all entertainment events are cancelled.

Photo: twitter by Jerome Taylor
Photo: khaosodenglish.com
Photo: twitter by Andrew MacG Marshall 5

On the morning of October 14, the country received condolences from European royal families, world leaders and foreign diplomats. People come to Thai embassies all over the world to express their sympathy.

Photo: facebook.com by RusEmbThailand
Photo: facebook.com by BelgiumInThailand
Photo: Rahman Roslan
Photo: Kazuhiro Nogi 6

Bangkok prepares for the funeral procession. The royal guard is being built to accompany their monarch for the last time, the police and the military are in an enhanced mode of duty.

Photo: Associated Press
Photo: Associated Press
Photo: Associated Press
Photo: Associated Press
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From four to five in the morning on October 14, people in black clothes and with portraits of the monarch gather in the Grand Palace to see their King on his last journey. Many are crying, doctors are on duty in the crowd.

Photo: Shutterstock
Photo: Review Thailand
Photo: Associated Press
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An endless stream of people from all over the country is heading to the city center, where the mourning ceremony of transporting the body of His Majesty Rama IX will take place.

Photo: Athit Perawongmetha (Reuters)
Photo: Associated Press
Photo: Associated Press
A photo: Los Angeles Times 9

Millions of people accompany the motorcade with the body of His Majesty on the way from the hospital to Wat Phra Kaew. Those who could not come to Bangkok follow the ceremony on TV and online.

Photo: Associated Press
Photo: Shutterstock
Photo: Shutterstock
Photo: Shutterstock

The name of the new ruler of Thailand has not yet been announced. The children of Rama IX requested that the succession ceremony be postponed for a year to mourn their great loss as subjects of the King. According to the Constitution, 96-year-old General Prem Tinsulanon has been appointed interim regent.

Photo: Thailand Royal Household Bureau
Photo: wikipedia.com

From the day of His Majesty's death, Thailand began a 30-day mourning period for civilians and 365 days for civil servants. National flags have been flown at half mast, and a number of entertainment events have been cancelled. The Thai Foreign Ministry asked foreign visitors to the country to respect the grief of the people of the Kingdom.

The editors of the portal "ZagraNitsa" mourns with the people of Thailand in connection with the departure of the wise monarch and outstanding person. Bhumibol Adulyadej will go down in the history of the Kingdom as a just and caring father of the nation and a far-sighted statesman.

October 13 King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The next two days turned into a series of endless events associated with mourning: regular pre-recorded announcements on all channels, funeral processions, words of support on social networks. The nation has lost a leader who ruled it - albeit in many ways formally - for 70 years. The editor-in-chief of TJ, who has been living in Bangkok since June, tells how the capital of Thailand reacts to the death of the king: although he is worried, he treats the incident philosophically with the usual understanding for Buddhists.

To bookmarks

After two reports about life in Bangkok, made in and , I stopped writing my notes, because something amazing was no longer happening in my South Asian life. I went surfing in Phuket, took a weekend break in one of the local resorts, drove to Malaysia for a week for visas and views.

In Bangkok, life went on as usual. In August, Mother's Day was widely celebrated here, celebrated on the same day as Queen Sirikit's birthday. Preparations were made for the King's 89th birthday in December.

King Bhumibol felt unwell. He had been in the hospital for a long time and rarely appeared in public. Reports of his declining health appeared periodically in the media, but, as Alex Taev, the founder of the blog about Thai life, explained to me, they were on duty and were published every few months.

Later it became clear that the reports became more frequent, and for a reason. The alarm came on October 12, when all members of the royal family and the Prime Minister abruptly entered the capital. The king was on a ventilator. October 13 at 15:52 he was gone.

At 19:00 Bhumibol's death was announced on all TV channels. At first I wrote in the news “on the central channels”, but after half an hour, during the next repetition of the announcement, I began to flip through the channels and realized that the pre-recorded appeal of the authorities was played on all broadcast channels, of which there are dozens. True, there were no English speakers among them (Russia is not much different from Thailand in this), and it was clear to me from these announcements only that everything was very sad and very serious.

At this time, the site Khaosod English was broadcasting on Facebook from the hospital where the king was treated. AT live I heard thousands of ordinary Thais and monks gathered around the hospital go from praying for recovery to crying.

That evening was strange. For about a month now, I have been thinking that perhaps the most memorable event of my long stay in Bangkok could be the death of the king, and perhaps I ended up here for a reason. When in July in the Russian capital for fraud, I already assumed that at some point I would have to break into the thick of things with a camera and a phone, and therefore on October 13 I charged all the batteries in advance. But plans have changed.

First, after the death of the king, nothing happened. People sobbed at the hospital and an hour later began to gradually disperse. In the evening there was a meeting in the local parliament, but even there the situation did not become clearer.

The Thais were in a stupor, in a state of extreme emotional shock. The death of the king - even though it was long expected - still turned out to be the strongest blow for the whole nation.

Going to the hospital only to see the Thais going home was useless. In addition, it was purely humanly wrong to get into them with questions (not to mention the fact that few Thais speak English). My girlfriend with just one phrase to a work colleague - "It's hard to imagine what you are feeling right now" - brought her to tears.

To all emotional stress local rules were added, including forbidding photographs of members of the royal family. On July 21, a Scottish photographer on the website of the German magazine Bild shots of Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn in a short T-shirt and tattoos. The next day, the photographer's wife was in Thailand, the Bild page with pictures was blocked, and the photographer himself was denied entry into the country.

Seems like the privilege is only available to local media: The Bangkok Post has no problem with photos of 84-year-old Queen Sirikit in the funeral procession taken through the windshield of a car. In addition, Taev explained to me that, in general, foreigners should not appear in public places now: you will run into unnecessary attention from the police, and there were warnings about terrorist attacks planned for October 25-30, presumably from southerners.

In general, the situation with Prince Vajiralongkorn, the attitude of the elites and the people towards him, as well as well-known scandals like a party and a four-day national holiday in honor of the birthday of his past poodle - this is a separate story, but no one is talking about it now. Firstly, it is not customary to talk about it publicly, and speaking badly about the king is completely prohibited by law, but the circumstances are such that now it is all secondary. So far, even the date of the king's cremation has not been set, and everything else is empty.

Sunset with a pink stroke over the palace where the body of the late king lies

A funeral procession was planned for October 14, in which the king's body was transported from the hospital to the royal palace. I didn’t get to the procession itself: I couldn’t call a taxi, and it would take a long time to get to that point through traffic jams. Later, my girlfriend and I went there by metro, in which, like in Moscow, trains run stably, even though they are not underground, but above it.

On the Bankgok Post website, you can find a photo gallery and crying Thais lined up along the road during the procession. I missed all this, and found only crowds of walking people, albeit in mourning black clothes.

Nobody cried or sobbed. I could even say that people were in high spirits, if not for the circumstances.

Although mourning has been declared in the country for a year, this primarily concerns civil servants: at least at first they will have to walk only in dark (black) or light (white) clothes. Festive state events were canceled a month in advance, some entertainment establishments were closed.

On a number of houses you can see white and black fabrics - this is how the Thais express mourning for the deceased king. Flags are flown everywhere.

At five o'clock in the evening, in the temple on the territory of the royal palace, a washing ceremony took place in front of a photograph of the king: thousands of people lined up at the vessels with water, which then began to quickly disperse. However, some Thais remained near the palace, where traffic was blocked for cars and a footpath was organized.

Someone brought a stylized portrait of the king, drawn in chalk on a black canvas. He is immediately surrounded by a crowd of people and begins to photograph. For memory.

Several giant photographs of the king (all the same) were exhibited here, in front of which people paid tribute to him, but more often they simply took pictures. Badges and photographs with a holographic effect were sold nearby, and later trays with food were brought up.

At the crossroads at the exit from the palace, a lot of people crowded, and so that the roadway remained free. There were thousands of Thais around, and there was no one to find out what was going on: here you rarely meet anyone who speaks English.

Then I noticed a dark-skinned man and inquired about the situation with him: he explained that, in theory, everyone is waiting for the royal motorcade to leave the palace, and the events around the death of the king will end for that day.

The man himself turned out to be from the Caribbean ("You'll never guess where I'm from"): he lives with his family in Chiang Mai (this is in the north), where his children go to school. In Bangkok, he was on vacation: it so happened that the local schoolchildren are now on vacation.

He knows little about the situation around the death of the king, the further actions of the authorities and the possible coronation of Prince Vachiralongkorn. “Watch the BBC and Russia Today channels, they will tell you everything,” a dark-skinned Carib explains to me. “Do you watch Russia Today?” I ask. Answer: “Sometimes. It's included in my free package.

I am walking and I see a group of girls sitting with a portrait of the king in a cowboy hat (he lived in the USA in his youth). When they notice that I am trying to photograph them, they become shy and giggle, hiding behind each other. I clearly see Western journalists winding up wires and putting away their equipment: it looks like they were forbidden to film the departure of the royal motorcade.

We decided not to stay until the end: as a foreigner, I can’t understand why thousands of Thais sat down along the road to look at the Volkswagens, behind the windows of which you can’t even see the drivers.

I feel the mood of the crowd as a whole, but I can’t convey it: no one laughs, everyone just takes photos of the palace (and sometimes photos of photos of the king) and send them to friends via LINE or post them on Facebook and Instagram. Someone is whispering, someone is praying, someone (with their hands folded in much the same way) is taking a photo on a smartphone.

Nobody smokes. Nobody drinks. Moreover, the country completely banned the sale of alcohol for three days - from October 14 to October 16, probably to reduce the number of poisonings and accidents.

My girlfriend and I return along the footpath towards the metro, we buy badges as a keepsake (they cost 60 rubles each). On the road with transport, they give us a cold drinking water and even a slightly crumpled croissant - for free.

We are looking for a motorcycle taxi to get to the metro (the nearest one is a couple of kilometers), and we stumble upon a group of people on mopeds crowded at the intersection. They suspiciously do not have the orange capes familiar to motorcycle taxi drivers (motorbike taxis in Bangkok are state-owned, and everyone wears uniform vests with numbers), but there are some signs.

After much deliberation, they agree to take us to the subway, and when I ask how much it will cost, the man on the moped says, "Free." As we drive, I see men on the street handing out water to bus passengers through the windows that are always open.

I think about death. Most of the people of Thailand are Buddhists, and their attitude towards death is appropriate: this is just one of the states, and not a terminal point. Moreover, the Buddha did not just go into nirvana, but did not die - he reached an extreme degree of enlightenment, and in theory everyone should strive for the same. In addition, Buddhism does not deny rebirth, and the main thing in life is to improve your karma by following the righteous path: this makes it possible to become better in the next life, or what will happen after death.

Comparing the king with the Buddha does not turn your tongue, but how can I explain it on my fingers: the portrait of the king hangs here in every institution and residential building, and the statues and images of the Buddha are only in temples. Putin has been in power in the Russian Federation for 16 years, Brezhnev led the country for 18 years.

King Bhumibol ruled for 70 years - more than the average life expectancy in Russia. Two generations have grown up in Thailand who cannot imagine life under another monarch.

A colleague of my girlfriend, before bursting into tears, for two minutes listed what good the king managed to do for the country. It is generally accepted that under Bhumibol the country flourished economically, and even despite local strife, including the 2014 coup d'etat and periodic ones, in general, the nation felt safe and at peace under the monarch's hand.

Of course, no one is a saint, and of course, the king did not achieve these results alone. Maybe peace and security generally exists only in the imagination. In the 21st century of universal globalization, it is generally strange to think that monarchical systems can really rule something, unlike security forces or corporations. However, thousands of Thais praying for your health at the same time are talking about something, and who, and the king, had everything in perfect order with karma.

Here is everything you need to know about Bhumibol Adulyadej's cremation ceremony

Almost a year has passed since the death of King Rama IX, who passed away on October 13, 2016. He was the most revered king of Thailand, and the sadness of the nation is immeasurable and continues to this day. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, lined up through the heat and rain to pay their respects to their beloved monarch in the throne room of Bangkok's Grand Royal Palace. Almost a year later, many Thais and foreigners working in government organizations and enterprises still wear black clothes as a sign of mourning for the departed ruler.

Soon there will be a day in Thailand that no one wants. Funeral, namely the cremation ceremony of King Bhumibol. Many tourists ask how the funeral of the King will affect their vacation in Thailand, how to behave at this time and is it worth going to Thailand at this time?

Facts about the cremation ceremony of the King of Thailand

• October 13 is a new date in the calendar marking the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
• The royal funeral will take place from 25 to 29 October 2017.
• The actual cremation ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 26, 2017.
• October 26, 2017 is declared a public holiday so that people can attend the funeral.
• Tourists can visit the Grand Palace to pay tribute to the King until September 30th.
• The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha will be closed to the public, including tourists, from October 1 to October 29, 2017. Both of these locations will open on October 30, 2017.
• On October 7, 15 and 21, rehearsals of the royal procession will take place on Sanam Luang Square. It will probably be possible to watch and photograph it, subject to the dress code.
• The Royal Crematorium in Sanam Luang will be open to visitors from 1 to 30 November from 7 am to 10 pm.
• Skytrain BTS in Bangkok will be free all day on October 26th. On October 25th and 27th, free rides will be available from On Nut to Samrong and Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa.
• The BRT bus service from Sathon to Ratchapreuk will be free from 25 to 27 October 2017.

Schedule of funeral events

the 25th of October: a royal merit ceremony will take place to mark the start of the royal cremation ceremony at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Room in the Grand Palace.

October 26: The body of the late King will be transferred from the Throne Room to the royal crematorium in Sanam Luang, where the cremation ceremony will take place.

27th October: after the cremation, a ceremony will take place to collect the royal relics of the late King in the royal crematorium.

28 of October: a ritual rite for royal relics will take place in the Throne Room of Dusit Maha Prasat.

29th of October: at 10:30 am, a ceremony will be held to secure the royal relics at the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Room, and the ashes of the late king will be kept separately at the two temples of Wat Rajabopit and Wat Bowon Niwet.

Frequently asked Questions

Question: Can I attend the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Literally hundreds of thousands of people will attend the funeral of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Be sure to follow the dress code, and then you can be present near the place of the cremation ceremony. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to get into a real ceremony, which will be available only by special invitations.

Question: Can I take pictures royal family and the funeral ceremony of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Absolutely not, you can't. You must be an accredited media representative to be able to take photographs at the funeral of the King of Thailand. Not all foreign journalists working in the kingdom are ready to apply for such a permit.

Question: Will clubs and bars be closed during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: There is no official announcement about this yet, but it is possible that on October 26th there will be a ban on the sale of alcohol. The actual cremation ceremony will take place in the evening, so it is unlikely that bars will be allowed to operate. It is also possible that there may be a ban on the sale of alcohol during the main three days of the funeral, October 25-27. We will update this information when official statements become available.

Question: Should tourists wear black during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: You must follow the black or gray dress code if you intend to attend the King's funeral at Sanam Luang or one of the many ceremonies that will be held throughout the country these days.

Question: Will shopping centers be closed during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Large stores in Thailand rarely close. Nothing has been officially announced about this, most likely, the stores will continue to work as usual. However, in the evening, at the time of the cremation, you are unlikely to find many visitors in the shopping centers of the country. Most people will watch the royal funeral at home on TV.

Question: Will the Grand Palace be open during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: It has been officially announced that the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace in Bangkok will be closed to the public throughout October, and will reopen at the end of the month.

Question: Will temples near the Grand Palace, such as the Reclining Buddha and the Temple of Dawn, be opened?
Answer: It is likely that they will be open as usual.

Question: Should I come to Bangkok during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Bangkok - Big city, and there is no reason to avoid it. However, it is clear that there will be a mass gathering of people on the approaches to Sanam Luang Square, the location of the royal crematorium. Especially October 26, 2017. This also applies to the famous Khao San Road, there will definitely be a lot of people here.

Question: Will public transport in Bangkok such as skytrain, buses and boats be available as usual?
Answer: Oh sure. Moreover, some services will either be free or will operate at reduced rates. Learn more about changing routes public transport in Bangkok here: .