The official mourning period is approaching its end and the date of the late King Bhumibol’s Royal Funeral is drawing closer. During this sensitive and special time, it is important for both businesses and private persons to follow a certain etiquette, particularly online and on social media. The points below are guidelines you can follow to show your respect and honor the much-loved Thai king.
Set Company Websites to Black and White
As during the first thirty days of the mourning period, now is an appropriate time to set your website to black and white once more. While all national television channels will be black and white during the Royal Funeral, you can follow suit and express mourning publicly without making it a marketing stint.
Set Up a Homepage Commemorating the King
As you might remember, many companies did this in October 2016. However, with the ending of the thirty-day mourning period, many of these commemorative pages were taken down again. Apart from changing your website’s color scheme, this is another way to express sorrow as a company l while staying professional and respectful.
To set up your commemoration page, add a black and white page people will land on before entering your website. There you can feature an image of the King and a short text with your condolences and prayers for his Majesty. Ensure you word the text carefully in official language, and have native Thai speakers look over it ensure you express sufficient respect and avoid errors.
Showing Respect on Social Media
As in the initial thirty-day mourning period, you can again set your profile picture to black and white and add a banner photo on Facebook with your condolences. Again, make sure the message is worded properly and carefully check the text for errors. Posting something which is deemed unsuitable or offensive during this time would be considered very disrespectful and potentially damage your image.
Concerning your social media interactions, keep these low-key during the Royal Funeral. Avoid commenting or liking photos and posts featuring the King. Although this might seem like a good way to show your respect for him, it is not. The Royal Funeral is a time of mourning and should be used for stillness and respect, not promotional tactics.