Thais in their thousands, dressed in somber black and white, descended on the Grand Palace in Bangkok on Saturday to mourn the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, but were met with the unexpected closure of the complex.
The crowds lining outside since dawn were subdued and orderly despite the swelling numbers. People shared food and handed each other water and wet towels to cope with the Southeast Asian heat.
Around midmorning, police announced the palace was closed for seven days. Still, most people waiting remained outside and authorities soon announced entry would be allowed into the palace’s Sala Sahathai Samakhom Hall as a place to pay respects for limited hours in the afternoon. “I left home at 6 am to come here,” said Rakchadaporn Unnankad, a Bangkok office worker.