Sightseeing in Central Bangkok. Appreciate any recent updates on royal mourning impact on

[SantiSuk]

My nephew and Anglo-German family arrives for first time quick visit to BKK on Sunday (passing through after 10 days in Hua Hin). Staying at Shangri La down by Stahorn pier. Clearly I'm not going to guide then around the very central royal areas (given reports I've read of up to 1 million mourners,) but what about the following?

 

* River ferries along the Chao Praya

* Long tail boats on the typical Thonburi khlongs

* Wat Po; my favourite wat to introduce late afternoon to visitors, including a foot massage; approaching from the pier to the south east of it not from the royal pier of course (or by car)

* China Town
 

Has anyone been to any of these in the last couple of weeks and are any of them no go areas due to weight of mourner numbers?

 

Apologies if this has been dealt with already - couldn't spot it on travel or BKK fora.

[KIWIBATCH]

Probably a little late with my reply...and from your post I wasnt sure how long your visitors were in Bangkok ....however....river boats packed/overloaded...but beats the road traffic...I have just come from Wat Po..3pm today..alot of people...but not jampacked....dress standard...seems even the thai people have lightened up a little...today 85% in full black...15%....in non black...but certainly I would not turn out in ultra bright clothing....."subdued" would be acceptable.....cheers enjoy your family visit

[gjoo888]

I took some visiting friends to Wat Po and Wat Arun just last week, and there was zero impact from the mourners at those two venues. Both were fairly crowded, but not overly crowded considering this is tourist season. We took the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat to Wat Arun, the usual pier on the Wat Po side is closed for renovation, and the commuter boat across the river to the Wat Po side. 

 

The tourist boat from the Central Pier was not crowded at all, and we returned on the Khlong Saen Saeb Canal, which also was not crowded. 

 

We didn't go to the Grand Palace, but from what I hear, the mourners and the tourists have separate lines and there is very little impact for the tourists. 

[asanee]

from untill last week:

1.BIG difference between (fairly quiet) weekdays and very busy weekENDS. Also on sat/sun many more raods closed off for all normal traffic=big jams just around this area.

2.long tail boats: these are all for hire only at excessive farang-unfriendly prices, so I do not see why you even ask.

ChinaTown (or that area that people think of being it) is also much uprooted by ongoing metro-contruction works.

The good news is that all red buses to the area are free and there are also loads of extra buses. Most are marked shuttlebus-but there are in fact 16 different such routes.