Night Spots To Close Nationwide For Thai Princess' Funeral April 8-10

[webfact]

Night spots to close April 8-10 for princess' funeral

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Night entertainment venues will be asked to suspend their businesses from April 8-10 during the funeral of Her Royal Highness Princess Bejaratana, while other private enterprises will be asked to fly national flags at half-mast on their premises, PM's Office permanent secretary Thongthong Chandrangsu said yesterday.

Television and radio broadcasts should air programmes or content considered appropriate during the three-day period, he added.

Updating the progress of the preparations for the funeral service, he said the crematorium for the late Princess is coloured in gold - the standard colour for a royal funeral - and pink, the shade representing Tuesday, the day of the princess' birth.

"The combined shades of the crematorium are especially soft and reflect femininity," Thongthong said.

This crematorium is smaller than that built for the late HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, because HRH Princess Bejaratana's body is contained in an urn, while that of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana was placed in a casket.

Three rehearsals of the April 9 funeral service for HRH Princess Bejaratana have been scheduled for this month. Two minor rehearsals are set for this Sunday and March 25, before a grand rehearsal on March 31.

The main pavilion, crematorium and other buildings will be open for the public to visit from April 11-17. A permanent exhibition in honour of the late princess will be installed at Nakhon Pathom's Sanam Chandra Palace, which was built by King Rama VI. HRH Princess Bejaratana, who died last July 27 at the age of 85, was the only child of King Rama VI.

The late princess' ashes will be collected on the morning after the April 9 cremation and escorted to Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall. On April 12, a ceremony will be held to mark the ashes' permanent placement in the Throne Hall.

A meeting of the government's organising committee on March 24 will be attended by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the chief adviser to the panel, at the suggestion of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who is the executive chairman of the panel.

-- The Nation 2012-03-17

[Ulysses G.]

That is right before Songkran. There will be some unhappy tourists that have come here for a party.

[OzMick]

Asked? And should they decline..............

[marquess]

The question is do they have a choice in the matter-- answer no! Do they get compensated for loss of earnings-- answer no! is there any consideration for the effect that this will have on businesses-- answer no! Has this been particularly well thought out-- answer no!

[softgeorge]

All those people who had saved all year for your one week holiday in Thailand, ha ha a lot of sex tourist will have to buy a magazine and spend thier time in the hotel rooms alone. No girls, no booze and no party for you.

[OzMick]

All those people who had saved all year for your one week holiday in Thailand, ha ha a lot of sex tourist will have to buy a magazine and spend thier time in the hotel rooms alone. No girls, no booze and no party for you.

Even during a "bar closed" day, a porn magazine would be harder to acquire than a girl, booze or a party.

[Fookhaht]

"... a lot of sex tourist will have to buy a magazine and spend thier time in the hotel rooms alone."

Sohm nam naa ;-)

[laurentbkk]

I am sorry for those people who will not party during those 3 days ... come on its only 3 days ...and there are other things to do in life than going to party, getting drunk. Even for tourists. This is Thailand and we have to respect .

[x5david]

I am sorry for those people who will not party during those 3 days ... come on its only 3 days ...and there are other things to do in life than going to party, getting drunk. Even for tourists. This is Thailand and we have to respect .

Would agree if the tourists came specifically for the funeral, unlikely however. So tour organizers should alert anyone traveling those days to this limitation. Of course, I would imagine with tea money paid, many venues will be open anyway. Money talks here as usual.

[Unkomoncents]

Oh C'mon...this is Thailand. Many of the big name venues will shut down but that's because they're so conspicuous. Massage parlors, beer bars, and the millions of Mom-and-Pop street vendors and small businesses aren't going to change a thing. In Villa Market, everything is always for sale. My wife once asked how they can continue selling alcohol right into big holidays such as the King's birthday. The booze attendant calmly explained that there were no problems as, "We pay the police," with a charming smile. Grab some beers and hang with friends. Screw the overpriced bars and 'entertainment' venues...

[WhizBang]

Of course, I would imagine with tea money paid, many venues will be open anyway. Money talks here as usual.

Disagree. Not this time, not for a Royal funeral.

[AZBill]

Good time to be coming through Swampy. The lines should be short with all the sex tourists likely to delay their sexcations. As for the real tourists plenty to see and do during that time. I'm sure Ill be getting buckets of water dumped on me somewhere!

[Gone]

Show some respect people. This is Thailand for gods sake so respect the Royal family. If the tourists don't like it then tuff luck, go to Cambodia for a few days or Laos etc. or try to actually do something else rather then bar monger.

You people claim to live in this wonderful country that is ruled by a great Family yet you can't even respect when one of it's members dies and has a ceremony? King Rama 5 is and was a greatly respected King bye everyone including the present King so yes the Princess if their family also.

The article forgot to mention that they are asking that everyone dress in black on those days to show respect.

Do something positive for a change and if you do live here and see tourists that are a little discouraged try and help them by pointing them to venues that you might know of or suggest some other things for them to do. Make this a positive issue NOT a bar closer issue.

[marquess]

Show some respect people. This is Thailand for gods sake so respect the Royal family. If the tourists don't like it then tuff luck, go to Cambodia for a few days or Laos etc. or try to actually do something else rather then bar monger.

You people claim to live in this wonderful country that is ruled by a great Family yet you can't even respect when one of it's members dies and has a ceremony? King Rama 5 is and was a greatly respected King bye everyone including the present King so yes the Princess if their family also.

The article forgot to mention that they are asking that everyone dress in black on those days to show respect.

Do something positive for a change and if you do live here and see tourists that are a little discouraged try and help them by pointing them to venues that you might know of or suggest some other things for them to do. Make this a positive issue NOT a bar closer issue.

You should apply for a job at the tourist board, as to respect surely it comes down to choice rather than enforced!

Edited March 17, 2012 by marquess

[IMA_FARANG]

I love it!

I can hear the screams of outrage from the Pattaya boozers-and-losers fraternity now!

No alchohol in Pattaya for 3 days...wouldn't that be great.

Of course, in reality it won't happen like that.

Unfortunately.

Edited March 17, 2012 by IMA_FARANG

[EyesWideOpen]

Television and radio broadcasts should air programmes or content considered appropriate during the three-day period, he added. Huhhh ??? Does that mean that the lakorn shows full of screaming slapping women, and men shooting everything in sight, will be off the air ? Good idea !! :-)

I am a bit surprised at the three day length of the closure. I am not saying that for every tourist that comes here , sitting in a bar having a beer is an integral part of their holiday. But given the incredible size of the entertainment business here in Thailand, it certainly must appeal to a more than a few people. So as one poster indicated , the least the travel agents could do is inform people before they come here. ....Wait, guess that will not happen..

[EyesWideOpen]

Show some respect people. This is Thailand for gods sake so respect the Royal family. If the tourists don't like it then tuff luck, go to Cambodia for a few days or Laos etc. or try to actually do something else rather then bar monger.

You people claim to live in this wonderful country that is ruled by a great Family yet you can't even respect when one of it's members dies and has a ceremony? King Rama 5 is and was a greatly respected King bye everyone including the present King so yes the Princess if their family also.

The article forgot to mention that they are asking that everyone dress in black on those days to show respect.

Do something positive for a change and if you do live here and see tourists that are a little discouraged try and help them by pointing them to venues that you might know of or suggest some other things for them to do. Make this a positive issue NOT a bar closer issue.

You should apply for a job at the tourist board, as to respect surely it comes down to choice rather than enforced!

Pssstt !!! Please get your information right. She was the daughter of King Rama VI...... As for the respect, I am always surprised by the lack of it shown by the Thai police. Not sure what will happen this time, but in the past the government decrees these nightspot closures. Yet when you walk past bars full of tourists drinking out of paper cups, while the smiling policeman walks past with his pocket full of tea money the bar has just given him... Amazing Thailand indeed !!! My condolences to the Royal family. I did some research on the Princess, and she certainly spent her life in the service of the Thai people.

[TexasRanger]

I admire respect for the Royals but I do believe it should be down to the individual. Having or selling a beer doesn't make you any less respectful. The opposite is true in a lot of places where the dead are toasted with a drink. I wonder on average how many days a year bar owners and other businesses are affected with these enforced closures.

[metisdead]

A post has been removed as the reply to the post was made inside the quote tags altering the content of the quoted post.

[animatic]

All those people who had saved all year for your one week holiday in Thailand, ha ha a lot of sex tourist will have to buy a magazine and spend thier time in the hotel rooms alone. No girls, no booze and no party for you.

Well thinking punterishly. Just find a good one and keep her on retainer the full 4 days.

No doubt the girl will be glad of a steady, rather than be out of work for the whole time.

Maybe bar fines are suspended, and just stock the hotel fridge with libation and hunker down.

No doubt restaurants will still be open, though dry.

Edited March 17, 2012 by animatic

[TexasRanger]

All those people who had saved all year for your one week holiday in Thailand, ha ha a lot of sex tourist will have to buy a magazine and spend thier time in the hotel rooms alone. No girls, no booze and no party for you.

Well thinking punterishly. Just find a good ine and keep her on retiuner the full 4 days.

No doubt the girl will be glad of a steady rather than be out of work for the whole time.

Maybe bar fines are suspended and just stock the hotel fridge with libation and hunker down.

No doubt restaurants will still be open, though dry.

God what an awful situation to be in, a hotel room with a stock of booze and a lady to keep you company. Remind me again why I got married? Oh yeah, needed the rest.

[Unkomoncents]

If the Gulf Arab states such as the Emirates or Qatar can tolerate other cultural practices during Ramadan (such as consuming pork, alcohol, or adhering to other religions), I think Thailand can tolerate the fact that not everyone understands the idea of deistic politics. People can be respectful of the religious practices of a country without necessarily agreeing with/following every one of said religion's dictates. And let's be clear: this is a religious issue. There are few, if any, parallels outside of the Kingdom (perhaps North Korea, as North Koreans do believe that, on the morning of his birth, the infant Kim Jong Il was seen flying in a chariot guided by winged, white horses).

[Robbie Dye]

This is also the end of the Easter weekend with all flights full and loads of tourists, but I agree we should respect the Royal Family so tourists will drink in their hotels, not so bad for 3 days, and the rest of us will stock up in advance and have our friends round!

[jimbeam1]

I admire respect for the Royals but I do believe it should be down to the individual. Having or selling a beer doesn't make you any less respectful. The opposite is true in a lot of places where the dead are toasted with a drink. I wonder on average how many days a year bar owners and other businesses are affected with these enforced closures.

Exactly, I have seen funerals in Korat, when it is loud music and on the pi55 for 3days before the event and well pi55ed on the day?

jb1

[Gillespie]

I would never claim to be an expert on royal protocol, so perhaps someone could help me out here. Are there fixed rules about which members of the Royal Family deserve such commemoration? I understand the late Princess was the daughter of a monarch; but did this enforced no-booze spell come into force every time one of King Chulalongkorn's 77 offspring died? Or does this also apply to the deaths of other relatives (siblings, grandchildren, etc) of a monarch? (I don't remember it happening when His Majesty's grandson died in the tsunami, for example.)

I have asked Thai friends what the rules are, but they seem a bit nonplussed as well, and also seem to have only the vaguest knowledge of HRH Princess Benjaratna's life and works - beyond, oddly, the fact that if you gave her any historical date, she could tell you the day of the week on which it occurred, which is pretty cool.

[lensta]

This crematorium is smaller than that built for the late HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, because HRH Princess Bejaratana's body is contained in an urn, while that of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana was placed in a casket.

Not being an expert in funerals etc, but I am curious how you fit a pre cremated body in an urn, I thought the urn was for the ashes after the cremation.

[stevehaigh]

i assume 7/11 will still be selling beer, right? anyhow, people will still find places to get beer and drink a boat load of it.

and didnt that princess die years ago? or is this a different one?

[lavender19]

"... a lot of sex tourist will have to buy a magazine and spend thier time in the hotel rooms alone."

Sohm nam naa ;-)

You obviously do not know Thailand very well.

[anterian]

This seems a poor compromise, either make it a state funeral like in Europe, yes a tourist attraction with lots of pomp, or a family funeral in which the family can join by choice not by dictate.

[anterian]

I would never claim to be an expert on royal protocol, so perhaps someone could help me out here. Are there fixed rules about which members of the Royal Family deserve such commemoration? I understand the late Princess was the daughter of a monarch; but did this enforced no-booze spell come into force every time one of King Chulalongkorn's 77 offspring died? Or does this also apply to the deaths of other relatives (siblings, grandchildren, etc) of a monarch? (I don't remember it happening when His Majesty's grandson died in the tsunami, for example.)

I have asked Thai friends what the rules are, but they seem a bit nonplussed as well, and also seem to have only the vaguest knowledge of HRH Princess Benjaratna's life and works - beyond, oddly, the fact that if you gave her any historical date, she could tell you the day of the week on which it occurred, which is pretty cool.

"Princess Benjaratna" my Thai partner had never heard of her, when I gave her more details she said well King Chulalongkorn had loads of children.

Mind you I'm pretty vague about my own Royal Family (British), particularly Andrew's lot