It’s (Not) Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas

[rooster59]

It’s (Not) Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

At left, the Christmas display in front of Bangkok’s CentralWorld shopping mall on Dec 18, 2015. At right, the same plaza was mostly empty Friday night.

 

BANGKOK — Instead of the usual sparkling decor, shining lights and towering Christmas tree that last year was crowned Southeast Asia’s tallest, the plaza at CentralWorld in Bangkok was dark Friday night.

 

The end-year holiday season won’t be shimmery or white, as malls across the capital and nation forego their annual festive decorations in deference to mourning for His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol, who died in October.

 

“It’s unfortunate, but I can accept it because of the mourning,” said Charisara Advakultep, a third-year engineering student at Kasetsart University strolling through the empty plaza with classmate Natdanai Romin.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/shopping/2016/11/26/not-beginning-look-lot-like-christmas/

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2016-11-26

[vadid]

Great. Can they cancel Songkran too?

[elgordo38]

59 minutes ago, vadid said:

Great. Can they cancel Songkran too?

Wishful thinking dream on. if we get lucky they may do away with all the bass bang bang speakers. 

[Bangkok Barry]

No endless renditions of 'Jinger Ben' ringing in your ears as you shop this year. Isn't that great!

[DoctorG]

bah humbug

[Acharn]

3 hours ago, vadid said:

Great. Can they cancel Songkran too?

 

Have to wait and see. They might, or at least tone it down. The mourning period is supposed to last for a year.

[acid thunder]

Christmas is hardly a Thai tradition, obviously, and with the mourning period, is going to go the same way as Loy Krathong, a rather muted and not entirely unexpected affair. 

[Bantex]

It would be nice for them to donate to charity, the money saved on electricity.

[Anthony5]

I didn't know we were December 18, 2016 already, or is Christmas earlier this year?

[AhFarangJa]

2 minutes ago, Anthony5 said:

I didn't know we were December 18, 2016 already, or is Christmas earlier this year?

I believe if you are in England it starts in July......Just after Summer.....

[Anthony5]

Just now, AhFarangJa said:

4 minutes ago, Anthony5 said:

I didn't know we were December 18, 2016 already, or is Christmas earlier this year?

I believe if you are in England it starts in July......Just after Summer.....

 

My point is that the OP compares a picture of Dec 18 , 2015 with a picture of the same site on Nov 25, 2016.

 

May be they were short on news and couldn't wait any longer.

[AhFarangJa]

My Apologies Anthony.....It has been a loooooooong Day  

[Honthy]

Leaving alone the mourning a Christmas in Thailand cannot be the same as at home. There we (may) have white Christmas and here we can see huge Santa Claus and bunnies beside a Christmass tree.

 

For me, snow is one important fixture of Christmas and here I can sweat in T-shirt when watching the X'mas deco of a mall.

 

[rmacee]

Hard to comment without upsetting someone ..but people (entertainers ...singers), businesses and tourism is suffering ..is this the price that has to be paid?

[Beats56]

I hope they don't play the three Christmas songs over and over like every year.