96-year-old to manage Thai throne

It also recommended that any visitors with travel or tourism plans reconfirm with agents and check the media regularly as well as follow the advice of local authorities for announcements and updates.

In mourning for the king, civil servants and state officials were ordered to wear black clothes for an entire year on Friday, but members of the heartbroken public have taken it upon themselves to don the colour in memory of their former leader.

But calm – not chaos – prevails, and the closures and cancellations are unlikely to last more than a month or have any serious long-term effect on tourism. “I fear, because I don’t know what will come next”.

The government has set an official mourning period of one year and asked the public to refrain from entertainment for 30 days. Thailand has always been a favorite destination for European and Asian holidaymakers, who are drawn to Bangkok’s nightlife and southwest island resorts, such as Phuket.

A number of scenic sites, including the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, have closed their doors temporarily.

The deeply-revered Thai king died on Thursday after 70 years on the throne.

With soldiers closing down Bangkok’s notorious go-go bars and tourists forced to sneak sips of beer from paper cups, Thailand is dialing down its raucous party scene out of respect for the country’s late monarch. “Please look at their intention”, said Thai government spokesman Lieutenant-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday, adding that these people may be facing financial problems or find it hard to get black clothing, which has been flying off the shelves in shops.

As an example, he cited that recent terror attacks and political uncertainty had little effect on arrivals.

“The ability to tell a powerful story can connect people despite geographic, linguistic, technological and even cultural boundaries”, Melissa Oppenheim, who heads up the programme that handles such considerations, said in an interview.

Like almost all of their compatriots, Thai bar girls swapped their normally racy attire for more modest black dresses and shoes when they showed up to work Friday night.

The 29-year old setter needed a minute before she could speak out her thoughts.

Stocks, pressured all week as the king’s health worsened, rebounded Friday, with the benchmark index closing 4.59 percent higher.

Ships run by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, Princess Cruises – which is owned by Carnival Corp – and Costa Cruises are among those due to visit Phuket this month.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was in “deep sorrow” at the death of Thailand’s king and remembered him as a gentle person.

Vishnu Varathan, economist at Mizuho Bank, said there was a risk that consumer confidence “which has been recovering at a gradual pace since June may slip in the near term as the population mourns their beloved king”.

“Thailand and Thais are incredibly resilient”, Fraser said. Tourists wanting further information can call 1672 on arrival in Thailand. But he has also made clear that life must go on, and urged businesses to remain open to ensure the nation does not “lose its credibility”.