Will the kings cremation stop everything in October?

[mrblonde]

Am currently planning a 3-4 week trip to Thailand this year and as planning late Oct and early Nov to see a few festivals in and around Isaan, will the cremation of the King in late October bring the country to its knees completely? 

[CharlieH]

26th is a Thursday. It was mentioned that it will be made a National holiday.

 

If you are travelling around on Public transport, I would make sure you are where you want to be by the Tuesday and dont plan on moving much that week as the Thursday is so close to the weekend it will roll into a four day event.

 

[ubonjoe]

The official days for the cremation is the 25th to 29th of October.

The 26th has been designated a national holiday for people to have time off work to participate in local activities for it.

Bangkok will be affected from the 25th to the 29th due to road closures and such but the remainder of the country will not be.

[jeab1980]

Plus remember the festivals you talk of up in Issan may well be cancelled anyway. Planning for the cremation day and associated ceromonies are already well under way in our village. I would suggest most places will close down over the period.

[CharlieH]

Off topic post temoved.

[KhunBENQ]

I would expect that from 25 to 29 October no open air entertainment/music festivals will be allowed nationwide. Only mourning ceremonies.

 

Oct 26 (cremation day) complete shutdown of all entertainment venues (bars, discos etc.) nationwide. Alcohol sale/serving forbidden (maybe limited exceptions in international hotels?).
Everything different would be a big surprise to me.

 

As others wrote: avoid any travel in and around Bangkok during the period.

Millions might try to get into and out of town. Will be the biggest event in decades.

Traffic in Bangkok will come to a standstill. Hundreds of state guests (foreign royals, heads of state etc.) will be moved around. Even air traffic might feel some impact.

 

In Isan I would not expect big impact on traffic except the major highways to/from Bangkok.

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

I would expect that from 25 to 29 October no open air entertainment/music festivals will be allowed nationwide. Only mourning ceremonies.

 

Oct 26 (cremation day) complete shutdown of all entertainment venues (bars, discos etc.) nationwide. Alcohol sale/serving forbidden (maybe limited exceptions in international hotels?).
Everything different would be a big surprise to me.

 

As others wrote: avoid any travel in and around Bangkok during the period.

Millions might try to get into and out of town. Will be the biggest event in decades.

Traffic in Bangkok will come to a standstill. Hundreds of state guests (foreign royals, heads of state etc.) will be moved around. Even air traffic might feel some impact.

 

In Isan I would not expect big impact on traffic except the major highways to/from Bangkok.

I agree Exept from what I see and from what I'm told most major routes going through cities in Issan will be closed. On the cremation day. I was chatting to head man in village this AM as police and most Army officials will be involved in state duties he would be very surprised if there was not a total shut down on the 26th. 

Edited April 30, 2017 by jeab1980

[KhunBENQ]

35 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

he would be very surprised if there was not a total shut down on the 26th. 

I can well imagine that.

I will stay in my shack.

I advised a mate to plan his holiday respectively,

 

35 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

what I'm told most major routes going through cities in Issan will be closed.

Probably for ceremonies, get together, public viewing/mourning.

[mrblonde]

Thanks all, we wanted to see Loy Krathong and the Elephant festival in Surin, so will need to work out best dates to travel to and from Thailand (and getting around LOS) as we have been granted 4 weeks leave from work, and want to use all of it if possible.

[KhunBENQ]

Loi Krathong and Elephant roundup are both in November after the cremation ceremonies.

I would not expect restrictions.

And November is a good month for travel to Thailand (most parts).

[mrblonde]

On 02/05/2017 at 5:02 AM, KhunBENQ said:

Loi Krathong and Elephant roundup are both in November after the cremation ceremonies.

I would not expect restrictions.

And November is a good month for travel to Thailand (most parts).

Thanks KhunBENQ

 

Why do you say November is a good month to see Thailand? Ive been several times before but always in March, June and early September (when I was younger to Pattaya, low season as it was quieter)

 

Also open to suggestions of places to visit while we are there

[KhunBENQ]

8 hours ago, mrblonde said:

Why do you say November is a good month to see Thailand?

Rainy season usually over. Temperatures going down.

But winter high season not started yet (mid-season).

Few Europeans make holidays at this month, all saving their days for Christmas.

 

These are experiences from the past.

I am uncertain whether nowadays anything like an off-season/mid-season exists with the new mass tourist influx from China, India etc.?

 

[Katia]

I had asked elsewhere if Vegetarian Festival was likely to  be canceled, and assured it would not be-- is this still the feeling?  (I should probably book hotels and travel soon, and I'd hate to get that all set up and then in a couple months find out that the reason I'd be coming there went kaput.)

[mrblonde]

On 2017-5-5 at 5:19 AM, KhunBENQ said:

Rainy season usually over. Temperatures going down.

But winter high season not started yet (mid-season).

Few Europeans make holidays at this month, all saving their days for Christmas.

 

These are experiences from the past.

I am uncertain whether nowadays anything like an off-season/mid-season exists with the new mass tourist influx from China, India etc.?

 

Thats great, many thanks. Have booked our flights now and doing 4 weeks from 5 Nov, so will miss the cremation and mayhem that comes with it.  Are going to do a few days in Ayutthaya, then back to BKK and fly to Isaan (any recommendations on best/better airport to fly into?) and see some of the region from about 10th/12th November onwards

[phuketrichard]

why are u going to Issan? I prefer the northwest and the north on the Laos/Thai border ( separated only by the Mekong) and the South

although i do admit Issan has friendly people, it's my least favorite part of Thailand and i travel around a lot by car.

 

Nov is a fine time to travel,mostly good weather and never have to book hotels in advance.

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, phuketrichard said:

why are u going to Issan? I prefer the northwest and the north on the Laos/Thai border ( separated only by the Mekong) and the South

although i do admit Issan has friendly people, it's my least favorite part of Thailand and i travel around a lot by car.

 

Nov is a fine time to travel,mostly good weather and never have to book hotels in advance.

Maybe instead of driving straight through our beautiful Issan. You should stop and take in the culture.

[jeab1980]

1 minute ago, jeab1980 said:

Maybe instead of driving straight through our beautiful Issan. You should stop and take in the culture.

In fact no dont stop Issan is terrible dont come stay in other area's.

phew nearly had an influx of franag then.

Edited June 5, 2017 by jeab1980

[phuketrichard]

there's plenty of Farangs already in Issan; (and many post here)    many of them, after they brought the wife a car and house, cant afford to leave.. They all meet at the local pub/bar and have a few happy hour beers and chat with each other ...before heading home to sleep

 

Have been and stopped in most cities up there over the years 

[jeab1980]

22 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

there's plenty of Farangs already in Issan; (and many post here)    many of them, after they brought the wife a car and house, cant afford to leave.. They all meet at the local pub/bar and have a few happy hour beers and chat with each other ...before heading home to sleep

 

Have been and stopped in most cities up there over the years 

If you say so. Do us a favour as you say keep passing through.

Edited June 5, 2017 by jeab1980

[mrblonde]

14 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

why are u going to Issan? I prefer the northwest and the north on the Laos/Thai border ( separated only by the Mekong) and the South

although i do admit Issan has friendly people, it's my least favorite part of Thailand and i travel around a lot by car.

 

Nov is a fine time to travel,mostly good weather and never have to book hotels in advance.

Chose Isaan as we both want to see more rural thailand, the 'unspoilt' parts.  Ive done Pattaya and BKK as a single guy years ago, and last September returned with my gf (shes english too, not Thai) and she loved the people, food, everything.  I decided on Isaan from what I'd read and seen online, have never visited so it is o our list.  We want to go to Surin elephant festival in November

 

How does North/NW Thailand differ from Isaan in your opinion?  Genuine question BTW, as we are there for 4 weeks and shes looking at Chang Mai too