Bangkok for New Years Eve 2016/2017: Cheaper because of mourning? Less celebration because of mourning?
Many websites list Bangkok as one of the "top 10 places to celebrate New Years Eve". However for the best Bangkok New Years Eve experience, it might seem that a different year would be better, since Thailand is in "mourning" right now. Is it really going to make a difference? There are several blogs and articles explaining how things will be different due to the mourning, but these are all from October, when it first happened. When a country is first declared to be in mourning, you can't immediately know how big of an impact it will actually have. Now that some time has passed, has anyone been there and been able to gauge how big the difference will be?
On the other hand, I wonder if hotels and events will be significantly cheaper?
Best Answer
First of all Thailand is still in mourning and will be so for a full year, at the end of which the late King Bhumibol will be cremated. After the cremation, the formal coronation of King Vajiralongkorn will take place.
For the first thirty days after the passing of the late King Bhumibol, citizens of Thailand were asked to refrain from all festivities, loud music, dance and other such celebratory activities. But now more activities have resumed, though not to the loud degree as before.
New Years Eve will be celebrated, but celebrations will be muted compared to year's past. Big firework displays will be cancelled or much subdued, but New Year count downs, dinner galas, parties at bars and such will go on.
I doubt you will see any discounts as a result of more subdued events here in the Kingdom. Tourism is still chugging along just fine during this period of mourning, travelers are not staying away. Perhaps some sectors are down, such a young travelers coming only to party and get drunk or Chinese looking for zero-dollar tours (which were banned). But as a whole travelers coming to Thailand come here for a variety of reason, not only to party on NYE.
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Thais begin year of mourning over King’s death
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