BANGKOK -- The abnormally quiet weekend at bars, cinemas and golf courses following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Oct. 13 hints at hard times for the recovering Thai economy.
Many Thais are putting off weddings, vacations and other "joyful events" as the country begins a one-year period of mourning. This is in addition to a 30-day ban on "entertainment" that has forced infamous bar districts, like Bangkok's Soi Cowboy, to pull down their shutters out of respect for the late king. Although some bars have resumed operations with workers dressed all in black, the nighttime landscape of the capital remains dramatically quiet.
