Apple's Thai Homepage Goes Black in Honor of King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Apple has updated the homepage of its official website in Thailand with a subdued monochrome effect, in what appears to be a sign of respect for a late leader and of solidarity with a nation in mourning. As noted by MacRumors, the change is occasioned by the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on Thursday, Oct. 13.
Bhumibol ascended the throne on June 9, 1946. At the time of his death, he was not only Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch but also the world’s longest-serving head of state.
A highly esteemed figure in the country, Bhumibol inspired in the deeply symbolic people of Thailand a penchant for wearing certain colors in his honor. Thais wore yellow on his birthday, and pink in hopes of bringing him good luck amid his declining health.
And now, Thais have been wearing black as a sign of their collective grief, even prompting authorities to warn against price-gouging of dark clothing.
Small wonder, then, that Apple’s Thai homepage has gone monochrome too.
Apple has been known to update its homepage one way or another as a display of support. In January 2015, it placed a banner that read, “Je Suis Charlie,” in unity with the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the site of France’s worst terrorist attack in decades. At times, the company updates its main homepage to pay tribute to a prominent individual, usually someone who has just died, as it did following the death of Nelson Mandela in December 2013, of Robin Williams in August 2014, and, most recently, of Muhammad Ali in June 2016.
