Thai strippers and massage workers are wearing black dresses in a show of grief for the country's queen mother.

Sex workers on the normally rowdy Soi Cowboy in the capital, Bangkok, were subdued on Monday night amid orders from the government to tone down parties.

Footage shows the gogo dancers standing respectfully - albeit in thigh-high blouses, leather boots, black lingerie and stilettos - as they called out to passing tourists. They were still charging 3,000 Baht (69 GBP) a night for sex.

Similarly, masseuses were waiting outside parlours head-to-toe in black outfits as many of them beckoned in passing holidaymakers for happy endings.

Lap dancer Bam said: 'We love the queen, but we still have to work. We can mourn and earn money, too. I'm wearing a black dress and my friend has black underwear with a black kimono.

'Halloween is usually a very busy night, but it will not be the same this year. We are worried that tourists might not visit if there are no big events for them.'

The death of Queen Sirikit was announced on Saturday, triggering a one-year mourning period, with Thais ordered to wear black until the end of January.

There was an identical diktat when the country's former monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama 9, died nine years ago in October 2016. Sex workers were also decked out in black dresses back then.

The bizarre scenes in the red-light district came as thousands of mourners dressed in black gathered in the capital on Sunday to pay their respects to Queen Sirikit, who was on the throne from 1950 to 2016.

A solemn crowd watched as a convoy of cars collected the Queen's remains from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Her body will lie in state at the Grand Palace, where the public can view and make donations.

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared a year-long mourning period for government officials and asked the public to wear black or dark colours for at least 90 days. Schools have also been instructed to cancel any celebrations for the next year.

Ministers even pressured K-pop group Blackpink to change their concerts to 'avoid fireworks, reduce the volume and use more subdued colours'.

However, some critics argue that the measures are antiquated and incompatible with the country's modern tourism industry and ever-increasing calls for reform of the monarchy.

Commentator Pravit Rojanaphruk said: ​'If someone wants to cry and mourn, go right ahead, I fully respect their rights and they have my empathy, but don't force others who might not be emotionally invested to feel sad or mourn the passing of HM Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother, too.

'We are not living in the era of absolute monarchy or the Joseon Dynasty, like in a Korean K-drama. It's 2025, and we are in an era where many countries can send spacecraft into outer space, and don't even have a monarchy.'

(1 THB=0.023 GBP)