Thailand Is Running Out of Black Clothes

Government warns against price-gouging
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 15, 2016 7:55 AM CDT
Thailand Is Running Out of Black Clothes
Thai soldiers salute a convoy carrying the remains of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Oct. 14, 2016.   (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A lot of people in Thailand have apparently discovered that they don't have enough black clothing in their wardrobes for a full year of mourning. Vendors across the country are struggling to cope with a surge in demand for black clothes after the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and government officials have told inspectors to watch out for traders trying to profit from the beloved monarch's death with price-gouging, reports the Bangkok Post, which, like other Thai newspapers and TV stations, is eschewing color images during the mourning period.

White is also a traditional color of mourning in the Buddhist country. "Regarding black shirts which have become more expensive, the commerce ministry has sent teams to inspect white and black clothing vendors to make sure the shirts are not being sold at prices that are too expensive," a government spokesman says. A nurse shopping for black clothes in Bangkok tells Reuters that prices have gone up, but that isn't a major concern right now. "If you compare, the price is higher than before, but this isn't about prices," she says. "We're going to wear them for a year." (More Thailand stories.)

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