Last edit by: aBroadAbroad
This thread is for posting questions and specific news/updates of direct relevance to those traveling in or to the area.
Discussion of underlying and peripheral issues, comparisons to similar past events, and speculation about future conditions
belong in OMNI/PR or the Thai News & Open Discussion Thread. Off-topic posts will be moved or deleted.
Thanks for your assistance.
Discussion of underlying and peripheral issues, comparisons to similar past events, and speculation about future conditions
belong in OMNI/PR or the Thai News & Open Discussion Thread. Off-topic posts will be moved or deleted.
Thanks for your assistance.
Update
13 June 2014:
Curfew has been lifted nationwide.
Travel advisories issued by a number of foreign governments remain in place. Check your country's embassy or consular website for travel advice and updates.
Courts martial have been established for violators of criminal code sections dealing with lèse-majesté, and those covering the broad subject of "national security" (including civilian violators). The NCPO has warned that it will crackdown on anti-coup protests if they do not cease. Visitors are strongly advised to stay away from all political gatherings.
Media gag has been eased, but strict censorship orders are in place, with local press and broadcast outlets reporting only approved content. ISPs have been ordered to monitor social media, and to block disruptive or "negative" content. Accurate and comprehensive information remains difficult to obtain, both in and out of the country. Censorship violations are among those subject to courts martial.
Hotlines for Tourists in Thailand
- TAT Call Centre 1672
- Tourist Police Call Centre 1155
- Traffic Police Call Centre 1197
- BMTA (city bus and van service) Call Centre 1348
- BTS Hotline +66 (0) 2617 6000
- MRT Customer Relations Center +66 (0) 2624 5200
- SRT (train service) Call Centre 1690
- Transport Co., Ltd., (inter-provincial bus service) Call Centre 1490
- AOT (Suvarnabhumi Airport) Call Centre 1722
- Thai Airways International Call Centre +66 (0) 2356 1111
- Bangkok Airways Call Centre 1771
- Nok Air Call Centre 1318
- Thai AirAsia Call Centre +66 (0) 2515 9999
Links to External Information Sources
- Rolling breaking news updates: Bangkok Post Lite Version (might load better than the full site for some users)
- Updates from TAT News: Tourism Authority of Thailand
- Breaking News: Thai PBS
- Latest News from NNT: National News Bureau of Thailand (government public relations)
- Travel blogger Richard Barrow: Thai news twitter feed (ongoing updates)
- Richard Barrow's map: Protest Sites in Bangkok in May 2014 (updated regularly)
- Independent web-based Thai news publication: Prachatai - Coup 2014 (English)
Special thanks to FTer c_9 for initiating this Wikipost
Safety of Travel in Thailand 2014 — Martial Law, Peaceful Military Coup
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Nexus, GE
Posts: 2,123
Safety of Travel in Thailand 2014 — Martial Law, Peaceful Military Coup
I think it's time for a separate thread on the safety/security of travel to Bangkok right now. There's been some discussion in the Thai News thread, but it seems things are heating up. For example, here's the recent BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25180865
It's come to tear gas and shots fired at times.
Some questions to focus on:
Let's please keep the political side of the discussion (pro or anti Thaksin) out of this thread as much as possible, so we can focus on the travel issues. I'm supposed to arrive on 12/29, so I'm hoping this calms by then. Ay info from people currently in Bangkok would be great!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25180865
It's come to tear gas and shots fired at times.
Some questions to focus on:
- Are the more tourist areas still safe?
- Any transportation issues? Airport, Skytrain, Subway
- Travel warnings from foreign countries, curfews, etc?
- Airline travel waivers?
Let's please keep the political side of the discussion (pro or anti Thaksin) out of this thread as much as possible, so we can focus on the travel issues. I'm supposed to arrive on 12/29, so I'm hoping this calms by then. Ay info from people currently in Bangkok would be great!
#3
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 86
I think it's time for a separate thread on the safety/security of travel to Bangkok right now. There's been some discussion in the Thai News thread, but it seems things are heating up. For example, here's the recent BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25180865
It's come to tear gas and shots fired at times.
Some questions to focus on:
Let's please keep the political side of the discussion (pro or anti Thaksin) out of this thread as much as possible, so we can focus on the travel issues. I'm supposed to arrive on 12/29, so I'm hoping this calms by then. Ay info from people currently in Bangkok would be great!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25180865
It's come to tear gas and shots fired at times.
Some questions to focus on:
- Are the more tourist areas still safe?
- Any transportation issues? Airport, Skytrain, Subway
- Travel warnings from foreign countries, curfews, etc?
- Airline travel waivers?
Let's please keep the political side of the discussion (pro or anti Thaksin) out of this thread as much as possible, so we can focus on the travel issues. I'm supposed to arrive on 12/29, so I'm hoping this calms by then. Ay info from people currently in Bangkok would be great!
#5
formerly known as 2lovelife
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: ORF : UA_Premier_Gold4Life, Bonvoy_titanium, Accor_Plat
Posts: 6,952
Here in Phuket it's business as usual.
There are occasional protests in Phuket town, most lately at the Provincial Headquarters. Phuket protesters have stated that they will not interfere with any tourist infrastructure or tourist areas.
No issues at the airport, any of the resort areas, or beachside communities.
In Patong Beach, it's life as usual, today with a high of 31C, low of 23C.
There are occasional protests in Phuket town, most lately at the Provincial Headquarters. Phuket protesters have stated that they will not interfere with any tourist infrastructure or tourist areas.
No issues at the airport, any of the resort areas, or beachside communities.
In Patong Beach, it's life as usual, today with a high of 31C, low of 23C.
#6
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt, AA
Posts: 182
I'm sorry but where is the news thread referred to above? I searched the TravelBuzz and Travel News forums for all posts with Thailand, BKK, or Bangkok in the title and didn't find any pertinent "news" thread.
We're going on our honeymoon to BKK/HKT/REP, and will be in and out of BKK multiple times between Christmas and the first week of the new year, and are now considering cancelling and going India instead.
I'll be watching this thread with great interest, and I'd appreciate any info on where else we can stay abreast of the situation. In the meantime, I agree with the OP's idea to keep this thread active as a place where concerned travelers to Thailand can share updates
Thanks for the update
We're going on our honeymoon to BKK/HKT/REP, and will be in and out of BKK multiple times between Christmas and the first week of the new year, and are now considering cancelling and going India instead.
I'll be watching this thread with great interest, and I'd appreciate any info on where else we can stay abreast of the situation. In the meantime, I agree with the OP's idea to keep this thread active as a place where concerned travelers to Thailand can share updates
Here in Phuket it's business as usual.
There are occasional protests in Phuket town, most lately at the Provincial Headquarters. Phuket protesters have stated that they will not interfere with any tourist infrastructure or tourist areas.
No issues at the airport, any of the resort areas, or beachside communities.
In Patong Beach, it's life as usual, today with a high of 31C, low of 23C.
There are occasional protests in Phuket town, most lately at the Provincial Headquarters. Phuket protesters have stated that they will not interfere with any tourist infrastructure or tourist areas.
No issues at the airport, any of the resort areas, or beachside communities.
In Patong Beach, it's life as usual, today with a high of 31C, low of 23C.
Last edited by mad1; Dec 2, 2013 at 7:12 am Reason: added tks to sean
#7
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: most of them
Posts: 3,283
That was during the last big protest movement a few years ago now. Completely different events. In that case the red shirts had taken over that area of town for a couple of weeks before the troops moved in. The currents events are a totally different kettle of fish.
#9
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Nexus, GE
Posts: 2,123
Thanks for the info, but I'd respectfully like to make the case for a new thread. There's a lot of other stuff going on in that thread including some political back and forth. I just wanted to have a place for relevant travel-related news and info to be discussed. This is approaching a high tourist season and for those of us that are in Bangkok rarely to never, this is of high interest. This is certainly more worthy of a thread than the 300 threads of "What do you think of this itinerary"
It looks like today they attempted to commandeer garbage trucks and ram the barricades surround government buildings.
I also learned that some of the protests were around the area of Wat Pho and Khao San Road which are definitely on tourist itineraries.
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/arti...ve-5026773.php
It looks like today they attempted to commandeer garbage trucks and ram the barricades surround government buildings.
I also learned that some of the protests were around the area of Wat Pho and Khao San Road which are definitely on tourist itineraries.
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/arti...ve-5026773.php
Last edited by astroflyer; Dec 2, 2013 at 10:39 am Reason: added BBC link
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Thanks for the info, but I'd respectfully like to make the case for a new thread. There's a lot of other stuff going on in that thread including some political back and forth. I just wanted to have a place for relevant travel-related news and info to be discussed. This is approaching a high tourist season and for those of us that are in Bangkok rarely to never, this is of high interest. This is certainly more worthy of a thread than the 300 threads of "What do you think of this itinerary"
I also learned that some of the protests were around the area of Wat Pho and Khao San Road which are definitely on tourist itineraries.
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/arti...ve-5026773.php
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/arti...ve-5026773.php
I gotta say all this angst is misplaced since little of what is currently going on will affect tourists.
#12
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: most of them
Posts: 3,283
FWIW, I visited Loha Prasat which is right near the protest site when I was in town last month. Not that a lot of tourists go there, but some of us do. Even the Golden Mount isn't too far away. Traffic was a nightmare down there already at that point.
I think it's just a matter of tuning into the local news sites to know what's going on at the time you're there.
I think it's just a matter of tuning into the local news sites to know what's going on at the time you're there.
#13
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
Thanks for the info, but I'd respectfully like to make the case for a new thread. There's a lot of other stuff going on in that thread including some political back and forth. I just wanted to have a place for relevant travel-related news and info to be discussed. This is approaching a high tourist season and for those of us that are in Bangkok rarely to never, this is of high interest. This is certainly more worthy of a thread than the 300 threads of "What do you think of this itinerary"
It looks like today they attempted to commandeer garbage trucks and ram the barricades surround government buildings.
I also learned that some of the protests were around the area of Wat Pho and Khao San Road which are definitely on tourist itineraries.
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/arti...ve-5026773.php
It looks like today they attempted to commandeer garbage trucks and ram the barricades surround government buildings.
I also learned that some of the protests were around the area of Wat Pho and Khao San Road which are definitely on tourist itineraries.
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/arti...ve-5026773.php
Agreed. So best is to watch the other thread where it will become clear if things are heading in a direction which will impact tourists/foreigners. At the moment, this is the equivalent of being in Manhattan when there is a gang war going on in Staten Island and wondering if JFK is going to be closed.
#14
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2
Situation in Bangkok - Safe to visit city centre?
Hi everyone,
I'm having a 3-day stopover in BKK and wonder if it's safe to visit the city centre? I'm currently sitting around in the airport hotel watching the news a bit reluctant to explore the city as it looks pretty tense on tv.
Cheers,
Paul
I'm having a 3-day stopover in BKK and wonder if it's safe to visit the city centre? I'm currently sitting around in the airport hotel watching the news a bit reluctant to explore the city as it looks pretty tense on tv.
Cheers,
Paul
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Posts: 23,194
Welcome to FlyerTalk, FlyerPaul!
As this relates to a particular destination, we'll go ahead and move this over to the Thailand forum for discussion and analysis by the experts on Thailand over there.
It appears there is some discussion already ongoing in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thail...-protests.html
Regards,
jackal
Information Desk
As this relates to a particular destination, we'll go ahead and move this over to the Thailand forum for discussion and analysis by the experts on Thailand over there.
It appears there is some discussion already ongoing in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thail...-protests.html
Regards,
jackal
Information Desk