Will Thailand close down for the funeral in November?

[darksider]

My mate tells me that there will be a week in November when everything will close because there is a big funeral

Does anybody know any info about this?

[Dougal]

Ah, yes.

That will be for Khun Roy Khratong, the inventor of the hot air balloon. He will be sadly missed.

[gjbkk]

I thought he was a long katoey

[good2bhappy]

Hope I'm working! Nice to get an extra payed holiday.

[darksider]

I have found out that the funeral is for the sister of the King

Does anybody know what is happening?

[good2bhappy]

^ yes she will be cremated

[darksider]

Glad I was not completely wrong then

I still would like to know how much of the country will close down for the week.

[good2bhappy]

Stock up with alcohol is my suggestion, enough for a week.

[johnbkk]

The government often doesn't finalize the official 'days off' until a week before. I've even seen that with yearly holidays like Songkran.

If it's the bars you're worried about, you can expect a 2-3 day disruption. Flights and travel should operate more or less normally.

good2bhappy's suggestion is a fair one as well

[gjbkk]

good for the tourist trade then

[aging one]

Didnt shut down like that when they cremated his mom.

[johnbkk]

^ Been a lot more build up about this one.

I don't think 'the country' will shut down for a week or anything like that. I do expect there will be a ban on alcohol sales that will affect the bar scene for a couple nights (e.g., from midnight the 1st night through the 2nd day to possibly the 3rd). Whenever that happens, a certain % of girls also take the opportunity to go back upcountry, compounding the 'problem'. Hence, a 2-3 day disruption.

But I'm sure there'll still be freelancers about and stores down the soi selling whatever you want, as always. Probably a few bars bucking the law as well.