Land in Black

By Magnus Laupa – Bangkok, Thailand, November 2016. King Bhumibol Adulyadej died on 13 October, aged 88, after seven decades on the throne. Bhumibol was a daily presence in the life of Thais. His official portrait hangs in almost every restaurant, house and office. Each morning and evening, loudspeakers play the national anthem and people in the street are expected to stop. Authorities have announced a year of mourning and asked everyone to wear black or white clothing. Tourists aren’t expected to dress the same way as Thai people, but behaving respectfully and wear “sombre” clothing will be appreciated by locals.