Merit-making ceremonies will begin at Phuket Provincial Hall at 7am, Phuket Vice Governor Piyapong Choowong explained earlier this week.
Officers are to wear their formal white uniform, without hats. Police and soldiers are also to wear their formal white uniforms with gloves and swords.
Staff of private companies, school and university students are asked to wear their own uniforms, while members of the public wanting to join the ceremony are asked to wear yellow shirts.
At 9am, a ceremony to pay respect to the late king along with the presentation of garlands and wreaths will be held at Phuket Rajabhat University, Vice Governor Piyapong added.
However, Monday, Dec 7 – originally a public holiday in lieu of the Dec 5 holiday – has been deferred to Friday, Dec 11 in order to create yet another four-day long holiday, this time for Dec 10-13, as Dec 10 is Constitution Day.
In proposing the special public holidays earlier this year, Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said that he hoped the long holidays would help spur domestic tourism and the economy.
As such, on Thursday and Friday next week (Dec 10-11) most government offices on the island will be closed, including the Phuket Immigration Office, Employment Office, Land Transport Office and the island’s three District Offices.
All main bank branches will be closed, except branches in shopping centres, which will remain open as normal.
There will be no ban on the sale of alcohol.
Police stations across the island will remain open for the public and some local consulates will also be open to serve their respective citizens on the public holidays.