Phuket in no mood for merrymaking after King Bhumibol's death
A wall with pictures of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Jungceylon Shopping Mall in Phuket. (Yahoo picture: Safhras Khan)
Reporting from Phuket, Thailand
A family of three from China was settling down to have dinner at a popular restaurant in the Thai resort town of Phuket on Monday (17 October) and wanted to order beer to go with a hotpot of tom yum soup.
A waiter at the Cairo Restaurant at Patong Beach Phuket informed the family that alcohol was not available. A portrait of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the wall of the restaurant - a common sight across Thailand - was a reminder to diners of the most momentous event in the country’s recent history.
The beloved monarch passed away at the age of 88 last Thursday (13 October), triggering public displays of intense grief among the Thai people. Thai authorities immediately imposed a ban on “joyful events” for 30 days and alcohol restrictions for the period of national mourning.
The Chinese family continued to have dinner amid the somber atmosphere pervading not just the restaurant but throughout Phuket, a world-renowned tourist destination known for its pristine beaches and nightlife entertainment.
For many tourists who had made untimely bookings to holiday in the Land of Smiles last weekend, having fun was no longer on their agenda.
The normally bustling Bangla Street, located in the heart of Patong Beach, was deserted at 9 pm on Saturday as nightclubs and pubs were shuttered.
A few tourists were milling about in the vicinity with barely a smile on their faces. One male Caucasian tourist approached a group of locals and asked in English, “Do you have any idea when the pubs and clubs will be opening?”
At 7-11 convenience stores, fridges and shelves that were stocked with cans of local beers like Chang and Singha were covered up in newspapers, with signs indicating that an alcohol ban was in place.
The shops and entertainment outlets at Bangla Street were closed even at 5 pm on Saturday. (Yahoo photo: Safhras Khan)
Mark of respect for the King
Locals were wearing a black and white ribbon pinned onto their clothes as they went about their daily business. Most of them were donning black or other dark-coloured outfits as a mark of respect for King Bhumibol.
The Jungceylon Shopping Mall, located near Patong Beach, was open but it was not the sound of cash registers that was ringing there. Instead, the melodious songs composed by King Bhumibol, who was a jazz and blues music lover, were being played at regular intervals, particularly “Never Mind The Hunger Men’s Blues”.
Normal television transmission has been suspended since last Thursday. TV viewers who tuned in could only watch mostly replays of reverential documentaries on the King’s life and programmes featuring prayers by Buddhist monks.
For business owners in Phuket like Indian national Divan Mydeen, the period of mourning was a time for pensive reflection rather than commercial consideration.
“We are not bothered by it (the business slowdown) as the King was a man who deserves such respect and honour at this time of grief. We stand in solidarity with the nation and offer our deepest condolences,” said the 37-year-old owner of Madras Café.
