Everything visitors to Thailand during the royal funeral need to know and prepare for
From October 25 to 29, the Thai people will be paying their respects to their beloved king. Here’s a list of closures, transport changes and dos and don’ts if you are going to be in Bangkok during the royal funeral
Business and leisure visitors to Thailand from October 25 to 29, the five days of King Bhumibol’s funeral, need to be prepared for crowds, closures and traffic disruption. Those visiting Bangkok earlier in the month may also encounter the side effects of rehearsals.
KingRama9.net, the government site dedicated to the funeral of the king, has a wealth of details about his life, ceremonies and such elements as the royal urn, buildings, chariots, artwork, sandalwood flowers, and masked dancers.
Why funeral for the late Thai king may not be for tourists; and how you can still pay your respects
On his ThaiTravelBlogs website, resident travel writer Richard Barrow is keeping up with the latest funeral news of most interest to tourists.
Closures
October 26 will be a public holiday, so banks, government offices and museums will be closed. Although not required to do so, many stores, malls, and entertainment venues will also voluntarily close. The Dream World and Safari World theme parks, Tesco Lotus supermarkets will not open, Major Cineplex has already announced its venues will be closed. Kick-boxing (Muay Thai) contests are cancelled for the entire month throughout the country. The Grand Palace complex is closed in October.