Travellers planning a trip to Thailand in the coming months must heed new travel and tourism rules following the death of the country’s Queen Mother, Sirikit.
The former queen passed away on Friday, October 24, aged 93, nine years after her husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, died in 2016. Sirikit was the mother of Thailand’s current king, Vajiralongkorn.
The nation has now entered a state of national mourning. This period of grief will last a full year for the Thai government, while the public is also expected to observe a 90-day mourning period, affecting anyone travelling to the country until January 2026.
A travel expert based in Thailand posted a video on TikTok advising tourists to reconsider their planned attractions and wardrobe choices ahead of their journey.
The woman, named Tia, explained that attractions related to Thailand’s royal family, such as the Grand Palace and some temples, may be closed to the public during the mourning period, particularly for funeral rites.
Tia also noted that Thai people will predominantly wear black and white clothing during this period. Therefore, if you’re planning a visit to the country soon, you should plan your wardrobe accordingly, as wearing bright clothing could be seen as disrespectful.
She stated: “As a tourist, it is not expected for you to wear black and white for your entire trip. But it is expected for you to tone down your dress and wear muted colours.”
However, if you’re jetting off to Thailand on business rather than for leisure, Tia strongly recommended adhering to the black and white dress code as a “show of respect”.
Moreover, any large-scale entertainment events such as festivals and concerts scheduled in Thailand between now and January may be postponed or cancelled. If they do proceed, they may be “generally toned down” to create a more subdued atmosphere that might not meet your expectations.
Tia added: “Please remember that you are visiting a country that has experienced a great loss, and that everybody will be in mourning. Please be kind and respectful to all the Thai people during your interactions.”
Commenters on the post expressed their gratitude to Tia for the information. Many admitted they were unaware that the country would be observing a mourning period that would coincide with their visit.
One individual said: “Thank you for the information. I will be visiting in November, so it’s good to know about this.”
Another commented: “I’ll be heading to Bangkok tomorrow. It’s going to be quite an experience. That aside, wearing black or muted, earth tones is normal for me, and yeah, I heard that toned down dressing is strongly advised.”
A third penned: “Flying to Thailand on Tuesday, thank you for this information.”
A statement from the Thai Royal Household Bureau confirmed Queen Sirikit died “peacefully”, and that she had “suffered several illnesses” since being admitted to hospital in 2019, including a blood infection this month.
The announcement also revealed that King Vajiralongkorn has commanded a Royal funeral for his mother, and that her body will lie in state at the Grand Palace’s Dusit Thorne Hall in Bangkok.
