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

[orchis]

So when did she die?

Anybody notice? Betcha didn't....

http://thailand.prd....ide.php?id=5780

27 July 2011

Interestingly enough she was third cousin with King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, which you didn't know, did you? That's from Wiki.

So what's the rule when it comes to number of years/months/days after death that the funeral takes place?

There is no fixed number. The date is pronounced by Brahmin astrologers at the royal court, the way it has been in what is now called Thailand since the 13th century.

It is the pervading Hindu tradition in all Thai court matters.

It is a funeral of some importance, her being the only child of a former king, Rama VI, and like the present king a grandchild of Rama V.

Moreover Rama VII and Rama VIII had no children while Rama IX or King Bhumibol, is the son of a prince, namely Prince Mahidol. She had the high rank of Chao Fah, which since her death is only held by 3 of the present king's children. Altogether it makes this cremation quite exceptional for Thai society.

Edited March 17, 2012 by orchis

[hyperdimension]

If you choose to live here then you respect the laws of the country

Is the alcohol ban over these 3 days actually a law?

People should have the freedom to choose what they drink and when. Why aren't there any protests by the supposedly "pro-democracy" Red Shirts regarding this?

Edited March 17, 2012 by hyperdimension

[cardholder]

When I mentioned this story to my Thai girlfriend, I found it interesting that she had no idea who this Princess was. Guess the Royal family must be large.... Regarding the popular imagery by the upcountry guys of a sexpat alcoholic in Pattaya going into withdrawal for three days, I am not really sure that is valid. But I am pretty sure the first time tourists will be confused.... :-) But look at the bright side, the tourists will save millions of baht !!!!

Since all thinking people here know that 90 % of the sex/drinking trade is by and for Thai people, I will be curious to see what the big Thai entertainment places do regarding closure. Think I will have to have a drive around during those three days and see for myself.....

My guess is your going to see lots of drunk Thai's, I don't know about the Big Thai entertainment places, but every mom and pop place you pass will have drunk Thai's laying around enjoying their forced holiday.

They call it showing respect.....

[hellodolly]

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.

When the Queen Mother reached 100 years of age many shops closed out of respect for her birthday, there was no request, when Princess Diana was buried many shops closed out of respect, there was no request, there was no enforcement, it was entirely voluntary. That is the point I am trying to make, this 'request' is not voluntary, its an order with the possibility of LM being enforced for those who didn't comply.

So now you want the Thais to have the same values as the Brits. You are forgetting that Thailand was not one of the countries raped by Brittan. So it is not likely to happen.

I personally don't care what country I am in if I don't want to conform to their culture and traditions I will leave not find some faceless board to call them down on.

[hellodolly]

Most Thais will be drinking their Chang beer as usual, in their local neighbourhoods, hole-in-the wall restaurants and small karaoke bars. A tourist family who want to enjoy a nice cool beer or glass of wine to accompany their meal, on the other hand, will be banned from doing so. It's just going to ruin people's holiday. How is it disrespectful to enjoy a few beers in the evening? Drunks will be drunks no matter what. It's the law-abiding family tourist - the very "quality" tourist that Thailand wants to attract - that will be hit.

So to be a quality traveler you have to enjoy a few beers every day.

I think you might be looking at the world through a amber colored fluid.

How many kids do these Quality tourists have to have?

What if they are childless are they scum tourists?

[cardholder]

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!

What a bloody good idea.

Cambodia is extremely welcoming to visitors and rarely imposes Draconian restrictions the country's businesses. Interesting to see the growth in that country.....

This is not about 'partying' - it is about a mature approach (or NOT) of being able to take a drink at your favourite bar or restaurant, whilst still showing respect for the traditions of the country and one of it's royal members.

Remember - the Thais will still drink and 'party' in their villages on this enforced holiday. I suspect that many will have shown respect at some point during the 3 days - before getting bladdered!

In the meantime my missus has 5 staff who will lose up to 300 Baht a day for 3 days because she cannot SELL alcohol in her restaurant. Everybody else can drink, this "law" is about selling, not about drinking.

[bobbyphon]

First off... I am not a "Newbie" . First came here in 1967... You guess the reason !.. In my nine odd years in and out of Thailand... Found a wonderful Thai lady and have been married almost 40 years.. and have a home in "Issan"... Bottom line... "When in Thailand, do as the Thai's do"... show respect for the Royal family... it will be noticed by your Thai friends.. and they will respect you for the effort...

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts and replies have been removed. A profanity post was removed as well.

[Beetlejuice]

Those living in Chiang Mai won`t notice any difference.

Most of the night life went years ago, anyway.

[jboras]

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..

As long as the AFL games from Oz are shown on Australian Network... no problem... shut down all other stations!!!

[ianf]

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 ;-)

It'll probably do you a lot of good as well as all those others who see no further than the end of a bottle.

[tragickingdom]

I assume that the Thai definition of "asking" can be translated as "Ordering"

[janetrizzo]

3 days in a lifetime...

[moonbarman]

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.

Could you please enlighten me as to which days the pubs have to close in the uk, am a bit mystified.

[moonbarman]

Dont know the dates this year but phuket bike week is usually the week leading up to songkran isn't it, will be a bit of a blow for them if no booze won't it, even though it has been nicked by laguna so i here!.

[kimamey]

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

Mine was a bit vague as well until she worked out the strange translation from Thai script to Roman alphabet. As far as I can tell "bpetcharat" or "petcharat" is closer. There seems to be a tendency to add a syllable to the end of words as in "Shinawatra".

I'm sure this is some plan to make westerners look stupid. As if.

[kimamey]

So when did she die?

Anybody notice? Betcha didn't....

http://thailand.prd....ide.php?id=5780

27 July 2011

Interestingly enough she was third cousin with King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, which you didn't know, did you? That's from Wiki.

So what's the rule when it comes to number of years/months/days after death that the funeral takes place?

Yes I did notice actually.

[sbk]

Respect for the Royal Family and an adherence to the rules WILL be followed in this thread or suspensions will be handed out before its closed. If you are unfamiliar with the rules then I would highly recommend reading them all the way through

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

[glassdude007]

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.

No way......bars close but he kitty cats will still be plying there trade as always....

[loong]

So can entertainment venues open during the day? What exactly is a night entertainment venue? Would that include restaurants? Cinemas?

Usually, on days such as The King's birthday, elections etc, they announce a ban on the sale of alcohol, but do not stipulate that certain types of venues should close.

Strangely, the article doesn't give any indication that the sale of alcohol will be banned as so many assume.

[gk10002000]

I had to look up who this Princess was. Didn't see much current news headlines. I did a search on the internet and Wikipedia says she died on July 27, 2011. Is this cremation ceremony customarily done so long after a death?

Edited March 17, 2012 by gk10002000

[Richard W]

I expect to spend time praying at the Wat it is good for the soul

High risk of breaching the 2nd commandment.

[warfie]

Seems to me that the need to legislate enforced "respect" somehow detracts from respect given of ones own free will.

[noitom]

The princess passed away last July 28, 2011 as reported in The Nation. RIP. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/28/national/Princess-Bejaratana-passes-at-85-30161342.html

The headline states "nightspots" , and the sub headline states that "entertainment venues will be 'asked'." The news content provides no further information for the public who may already have made plans to go to these venues, whatever they are, less than four weeks away. Does this "entertainment venue" definition include movies at Paragon and Emporium for example? Does it include the 4 and 5 star hotel bar/clubs like Spasso at Hyatt where freelancers ply their trade? What exactly are the respectful rules? How about Thai traditional shows and concerts and restaurants serving alcohol? The newspaper should be more clear on what they are referring to as "entertainment venues."

We all can assume what it means, but it is preposterous and a setup/shill for police graft and payoffs for those who interpret this condition on their own. It's a sham that the press handles it this way so as to "enable" the proliferation of corruption for three nights during the funeral period from 8 April - through 10 April. It's disrespectful of the spirit of intention for the press to leave this vague and ambiguous definition of "entertainment venue" while inviting corruption and payoffs for the police to seize additional money making opportunity.

[phayao]

HRH Princess Bejaratana was the only child of King Vajirabudh, Rama VI.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bejaratana_Rajasuda

[toolonginexile]

unless some of you may have noticed: there's a more "official" website re: the royal cremation, where it is stated that during the three-day morning period "entertainment places will be asked to suspend or cut back entertainment activities." (http://www.princessbejaratana.com/en/news_detail.php?ID=3) emphasis is on: "or cut back". while i personally still disagree with such an "order", at least this sounds much more reasonable than what the nation makes of presumably the same source.

[khunkeith]

I hope some of you people never have surgery. I had an accident last year and then surgery and developed a post operative infection. Being on medication means no alcohol (if you want to recover quickly). I was out and about a few weeks after the surgery but count not drink booze until the infection was completely gone. 10 weeks. Infections in the tropics can get serious if not properly cared for.

[Reasonableman]

Once again, alcohol will be available for those wanting and/or needing it. Don't panic!!

[metisdead]

A flame post has been extinguished.

[Reasonableman]

Generally, "serves you right!"

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

Sohm nam naa ;-)

What is the literal translation of "Sohm nam naa?" I get a different answer from every Thai person I ask. :-/