Bangkok civil unrest: "Reconsider your need to travel" - what now?

[Mal]

what usually happens when you have a flight going thru BKK?

If there are problems at the airport, Qantas will skip BKK and re-route through SIN or similar. Otherwise, the chances of getting into strife at the secure side of the airport is pretty slim - unless the airport is specifically being targetted.

 

[anat0l]

If there are problems at the airport, Qantas will skip BKK and re-route through SIN or similar. Otherwise, the chances of getting into strife at the secure side of the airport is pretty slim - unless the airport is specifically being targetted.

This could get sticky for someone like me, who booked BA F SYD-BKK followed by QF F BKK-LHR in November, albeit on the same itinerary but messy (QF classic award); touch wood there is no civil unrest then, but I don't like what I might have to do and have no idea how QF (let alone BA) would handle it if I had to reschedule/reroute. Also, I'm not sure how kindly most travel insurance policies will allow / pay for changes on non-revenue (e.g. award) flights, and that's if their policy covers for disruption/delay due to national or civil unrest.

 

[taswegian77]

I have lived in Thailand and also regularly travel there for work (around once a month for past 3 years) and have the following comments.

- Bangkok even with the current political situation is still as safe as any major city, provided you stay away from the unrest/protest areas.
- The news and media cover these areas quite well so if you are there on business then should not be an issue.
- If you are there for vacation, could be trickier if you are wanting to visit places like government house etc.
- They do not target foreigners, but if you end up in the middle of their protests then you stand a chance of getting caught up in it.
- Even the protest at the airport last year was not a violent target of tourists. It was just like the ASEAN summit cancellation last week a political statement that they have the power to disrupt everyday Thai life and embarrass the current gov't.

I also find that at times the AUS gov't does take the hard approach to travel advisories, which is a good thing as it is better to be on the cautious side.

Everyone's personal circumstance will dictate their plans, for me it is business as usual in Thailand and a holiday there as well in June for a colleague's wedding and some golf.

 

[JohnK]

There will never be stability in Thailand as long as the aristocracy and middle class are allowed to control government as a minority with the backing of the military.

Would I go to Thailand while there is civil unrest? I would defer any travel while there are protests and conflicts unless I had travel already booked months in advance.

 

[dajop]

Our corporate security put in place a travel suspension to BKK (I might add about 48hrs too late) that remains in place today. Puts BKK alongside Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Haiti, Congo and others. And in a more dangerous category than Kashmir region of India, Uganda, Colombia, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Angola and the like. No restrictions on rest of Thailand. Don't know whether that says more about our security or the situation.

 

[liparj]

Well I can report that after spending the past 5 days in Bangkok things are extremely grim for me.. Credit card is maxxed out and excess baggage a certainty... no thanks to Mrs Liparj!!

No other dramas to report...other than a couple of beers that coud have been colder..Life is pretty much back to normal here now...apart from the lower tourist numbers..

C'mon they need your money..now's a good time to visit..

 

[drron]

Tell the locals not to worry.i am on my way and mrsdrron still has about 25kg of luggage to fill.Should do wonders for the economy.

 

[ColinP]

I arrived home aboard BA09 from BKK this morning after spending two weeks in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and coughet and have had the same dramas as liparj ie, Mrs P has maxed out the CC and some of the Singhas could have been a bit colder. No other dramas to report other than being stuck in a traffic jam for 45 mins near Chulalongkorn university at the start of the 'trouble' ~ 10th.