RAJPRASONG – Last month’s passing of His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera, has been respectfully observed by Bangkok’s women through a glorious shopping spree for sexy black clothes to wear to work and to business meetings.
“His Holiness represents the essential nature of Buddhism, which we hold dear as a central guide to our lives as Thais,” said Burapai Wattanavorn, director of Human Resources at Minor Group Thailand. “His passing means contemplating the transient nature of life, and the need for a lot more flattering black clothing.”
“I heard that His Majesty the King himself expressed deep sorrow at the passing of His Holiness, and anything that saddens our beloved king saddens me too,” said Geerana “Gina” Thippanich, managing director of Thai Union Foods. “And these are just not the right shoes to express that sadness.”
Although wearing black is not required by private companies, many have sent out memos encouraging the somber observation of the death of Thailand’s highest Buddhist figure.
“Our CEO was wearing an absolutely darling Chanel combo the day after His Holiness died,” said Rita Kaveepornlukchai, marketing VP for Shiseido cosmetics Thailand. “She told us it was our duty to show our sadness at the loss of His Majesty’s friend and abbot, and that we should all look our best while doing it. I went to Zara on my lunch break.”
“Also, I needed more handbags,” she added.
The deep and abiding love for His Holiness’ teachings about humility and non-materialism could be seen throughout the capital, from government press conferences, where prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra showed off several outfits from Prada’s Autumn prêt-à-porter collection, to anti-government protests against the Shinawatras by Bangkok’s elite class.
“In just four days, I had a regional directors’ meeting, a parent-teacher conference for my kids at Pattana, a lunch at Gaysorn with my friend from out of town, and a whistle-blowing protest at Silom with all the TV stations filming it,” said Jittirat Chivitramburung, a media buyer at Spa Hakuhodo. “There’s just no way my existing black wardrobe could cover all those events.”
Luckily for Jittirat, Bangkok’s retail sector has been more than happy to fulfill the mourning needs of women like her, with dozens of outlets quietly extending their shopping hours and hiring extra sales staff to accommodate the increased demand. Although advertised sales and celebrations of any kind have been unofficially prohibited during the mandatory 100-day mourning period, malls and department stores have been quietly reporting record traffic.
“We’re seeing 55% more volume than a normal November,” said a manager at Paragon who asked not to be named. “Even at regular prices, women are storming in and asking for something, anything in black that makes them look hot and sexy in daylight.”
“His Holiness was clearly a very beloved figure,” said one sales manager at MNG. “It’s a proud day for Buddhism in Thailand.”
