Following the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand yesterday, the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau has released a statement informing planners of the impact the 30-day period of mourning will have.
While the Prime Minister has requested that all celebration and entertainment events be cancelled, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) said, "all business events activities supported by TCEB are unaffected and will proceed as scheduled."
Beyond that, it is worth noting that Thailand has very strict lese majeste laws providing long prison terms for anyone who "defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir-apparent or the regent." It is difficult to overstate how widely revered the king was in Thailand. During the period of mourning, it is prudent to assume these laws will be strictly enforced.
In addition, a statement from the Asian Trails destination management company today noted that many festivals and live entertainment events have been cancelled for at least part of that time. In addition, royal venues including the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew temple housing the Emerald Buddha will be closed, and many Buddhist temples will have overflowing crowds of mourners.
The statement also noted that at this time there is "no clear guideline available about any restrictions on the sale of alcoholic drinks, but outdoor places will likely not serve any alcohol during this period." And most hotels and restaurants, while operating normally, have cancelled in-house entertainment and live music.
The color yellow is associated with the royal family and often worn by supporters. Many mourners of the King are reportedly wearing black, and the TCEB's entire website has been rendered in black and white.
This is the full statement from the TCEB:
The Board, executives and all staff of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB are joined together in grief together with the entire nation at the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, devoted Father of our Nation.
The Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has requested the cooperation from both the public and private sectors, in cancellation of any planned celebratory events and entertainment programmes during the coming 30 days, as a measure of respect at this time of deep sadness and reflection across our nation, and among Thai citizens across the world.
There will be a 1-year period of mourning for government officers, civil servants and state enterprises, during which black and white are traditionally worn. Flags throughout the nation will be flown at half-mast for 30 days, beginning, 14 October.
The Prime Minister indicated that security will be increased around key locations, and asked for vigilance among all citizens, who are urged also to report any suspicious activities or packages to the authorities. All transport, banks, hospitals and other public services will be operating as usual.
TCEB wishes to inform the international MICE community that all business events activities supported by TCEB are unaffected and will proceed as scheduled.
As the government's flagship body for the MICE sector, TCEB would like to thank all business travellers for their understanding and supporting Thailand during this period of time
Should business travellers require any further information please call TCEB office: +66 (0) 2694 6000, TCEB call centre at 1105 (within Thailand only), visit www.tceb.or.th or contact [email protected].