The government's situation monitoring centre has put Sanam Luang off limits from 9pm to 4am along with cancelling queue cards which limit the number of people entering the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall in the Grand Palace to pay homage before the Royal Urn.
Prime Minister's Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana revealed the decision after a meeting of the centre to assess measures taken to provide convenience for people from the provinces while in the capital city.
Mr Suwaphan said the meeting agreed to cancel the plan to distribute cards for people to queue for the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall because it restricted the number of people paying their respects to the late King to 10,000 a day.
If visitors were properly arranged in groups, as many as 30,000 would be able to enter the hall per day. Special queues would be arranged for the elderly and handicapped, he said.
Adjustments would be made on a daily basis to respond to problems that arise, he added.
Mr Suwaphan said the meeting also discussed a plan for Nov 1, when the Grand Palace would be opened to foreign tourists as usual for the first day.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry agreed to explain to tour companies and guides about the arrangements of transportation and other formalities.
Maj Gen Pongsawat Phanjit, the deputy 1st Army commander, said that from Sunday Sanam Luang would be opened at 4am and closed to the people at 9pm. Between 9pm and 4am, Sanam Luang would be off limits to everyone except government workers who clean up the area and prevent homeless people from staying overnight.
People travelling from up-country are advised to stay at shelters provided by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, but not at Sanam Luang for health and safety reasons, he said.
Motorcycle taxi drivers who wish to volunteer to take people to the Grand Palace can register at the Volunteers for Dad centre. About 1,000 have registered so far, Maj Gen Pongsawat said.
