Can't believe no one commented on the crappy photo - is that supposed to represent the wild nightlife here?

I think it's a bit much to ask foreigners, especially those for whom the whole idea of royalty is anathema, to respect that instititution more than the locals do in practice. Those that put money above everything else are IMO just as unbalanced as those that think alcohol is so important, but no need to panic punters!

Perhaps some of the bigger massage and night clubs might close, but believe me, alcohol will be freely available at the smaller places that pay off the BiB, and there won't be any shortage of ladies offering their wares in the usual public places, and most of the behind-closed-doors front operations as well - coffee shops, barber shops and hair salons, smaller massage places, short-time hotels, blatant brothels, blow-job bars etc will still be operating as normal.

Just as true a face of Thailand as those (I suspect very few) genuinely mourning the loss of a princess.

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!

You are right they will not be compensated for their loss of business.

Has this been well thought out.YES it is part of their tradition. Problem being many westerners continue to think they are the only ones that count and have no problem putting down another countries customs and beliefs.

Maybe they should figure the cost of doing business in the country into their budget before they open up for business.

So in the mean time jut go to the store and stock up on your booze and get a hold of yourself.

Should read "half staff" not "half mast".

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.

Thank you for saying what many must be thinking.

It seems there is a small but vocal contingent on ThaiVisa for whom Thailand exists only to provide a continuing state of public inebriation and sex-for-pay for "tourists" (and themselves??), apparently based on the assumption that anyone coming to Thailand needs to be anesthetized 24/7 and can only accomplish this in some "entertainment venue."

That they assume the whole country: economically, politically & culturally, revolves around gogo bars is certainly telling and goes a long way in explaining their views on a whole lot of what happens here.

Anyone who can't manage to go three days without getting drunk or partying in a bar ... or who can't manage to deal with those "needs" in some place other than an "entertainment venue," really should take this opportunity to reassess his/her coping strategies.

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 lived in the UAE for more than 10 years and I can assure you that no adult, whether foreigner or local, could even drink water in public during the day during Ramadan. What you did behind closed doors was your business, but in public doing such things could, and did, subject anyone to arrest.

I think it's awesome that Thai people have so much respect and admiration for their monarchy. The government of Thailand is basically doing this for the people who want their time to remember their royals. What an amazing and great country for us to live in, I don't mind taking a few days off to relax and not go out before the crazyness of Songkran, I could care less what the tourists care about.

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.

Why single out Pattaya? Is that the only place in Thailand that you have been to?

I must admit that I prefer the Irish custom of holding a wake and celebrating the life of one who has passed on presumably to a better place. When I depart this life I hope that my friends and close acquaintances will gather together for a drink or two and remember all the good things that I did and forgive me for all the others.

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!

You are right they will not be compensated for their loss of business.

Has this been well thought out.YES it is part of their tradition. Problem being many westerners continue to think they are the only ones that count and have no problem putting down another countries customs and beliefs.

Maybe they should figure the cost of doing business in the country into their budget before they open up for business.

So in the mean time jut go to the store and stock up on your booze and get a hold of yourself.

I agree that one should take into account such cultural conditions before doing business in a country. We know there is widespread regard for the royal family in Thailand. But the practical ramifications of such regard (the length of mourning, which establishments need to shut, how much time off should be allowed to staff) are pretty opaque to say the least, and many Thais I know are none the wiser, until an official announcement goes out, a few weeks (or less) before the event.

It may have been well thought out, but that's not much help if the people who do the thinking don't bother to tell anyone else.

Somebody important to the Thai people dies and all the immature party goers think about is no night spot open for a couple days. Go somewhere else to party like Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos for a couple days. It's Thailand, not your home country or town!

Looks like the year 2555 equates to 1812 in the West

They are so backwards looking they can almost see the future..

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

so, let thme take their butts home! all they do is abuse the songkran festival! especially th brits!

If they ban alcohol for 3 days in mourning for someone very few people have ever heard of (including Thais by the way) how long will the period last when someone even more important passes away?

Patrick

If they ban alcohol for 3 days in mourning for someone very few people have ever heard of (including Thais by the way) how long will the period last when someone even more important passes away?

Patrick

Probably a good time to take a trip home for a few weeks.......

If they ban alcohol for 3 days in mourning for someone very few people have ever heard of (including Thais by the way) how long will the period last when someone even more important passes away?

Patrick

Already got a street party's worth in the loft, said CalgaryII.

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...

True, but not really what the tourists are expecting: young people yes, but your average balding, beer bellied sweaty sex tourist?

They are the ones that I feel sorry for......................

Is this national, or just Bkk?

Is this national, or just Bkk?

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

Three rehearsals of the April 9 funeral service for HRH Princess Bejaratana have been scheduled for this month.

Will alcohol be banned during the rehearsals???

Has this been well thought out.YES it is part of their tradition

Piffle Waffle....

Three rehearsals of the April 9 funeral service for HRH Princess Bejaratana have been scheduled for this month.

Will alcohol be banned during the rehearsals???

It's a long time since I've had 3 dry days in a row. Probably need to rehearse ;-)

Maybe bar fines are suspended

Yeah right... dream on. More likely bar fines will be increased. TIT

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!

im sure they have thought about it and respect is what needed take thailand back 20 years and im sure most outsiders would love it that way not like today greeeeeed

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

Sohm nam naa ;-)

They must be referring to cowboy, nana, and pat pong? Those places are nasty anyway..

Please clarify why you say they should decline.

it is usual that a funeral is 1 year after the death of a person?

is this really an actual funeral? or is it some sort of a ceremony or stone-setting?

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!

You are right they will not be compensated for their loss of business.

Has this been well thought out.YES it is part of their tradition. Problem being many westerners continue to think they are the only ones that count and have no problem putting down another countries customs and beliefs.

Maybe they should figure the cost of doing business in the country into their budget before they open up for business.

So in the mean time jut go to the store and stock up on your booze and get a hold of yourself.

I don't drink so I am not bothered about the lack of alcohol, nor do I have a business, nor do I need to get hold of myself, nor I am putting down Thailand's Customs or beliefs, but you see if everybody believed in it, there would be no need to enforce it! This is the whole point of my observations, though some people on this board seem to think that any observations on Thai cultural practises are a put down, every one in the world was born with their own brain for a reason, to observe and discern for themselves. As to 'counting' any foreigner here who thinks that he counts-- is totally deluded. His or her money might count in somebody else's pocket but that is about it.

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!

Kindly clarify why you feel this has not been "particularly well thought out."

Out of respect for the Royal Family during a Royal period it is reasonable to request that these businesses close. There are many places in the world where businesses are closed by law on official holidays.

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!

Businesses don't need to be compensated because if you own a bar or club then you would have known when you started the business that you will have days when you have to close. Any business has to take into account days when sales are slow or non-existent. This is what business is all about. I hope for your sake that you never start a business, as it will likely fail pretty quickly and you will end up blaming others for the failure.

It's the same in the UK. Bars and clubs don't get compensated for days that they have to close.

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.

You forgot to mention "no guys."

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!

I am unclear why you feel it should not be enforced.

Many aspects of societal respect are enforced by law.