Travel to Bangkok - Help

chau_dog

I am due to travel to Bangkok for a gap year experience before my career starts. I have booked flights (online) for 13th may and returning on 12th june. I have also booked a tour beginning on my arrival date and ending on my return date.

Due to the civil unrest, it looks increasingly likely that I may have to cancel or postpone.

In terms of postponement - i cannot do so as I begin a new job shortly after arriving back in the UK.

If cancelled?

I spoke to the travel agency and they informed me that if I need to cancel, I cannot get any money back as the flights are non-refundable due to it being booked online. If I need to amend the booking in terms of dates, it will cost me and additional £130 plus vat. I brought these tickets using my debit card for around £450.

I have also spoken to the tour operator in case it gets cancelled. They advised me that in the first instance they would look to ask me to postpone it rather than refund me - which I wont be able to do. This tour cost me £900.

I have not yet booked travel insurance as i still have 2 weeks left.

I am worried that if I am unable to go because of the civil unrest in Thailand, I will not be able to get any money back - nor will I be able to go on holiday?

Can anyone help me out with their views as to what I would be entitled to and my rights please?

Any help would be appreciated.

dmg24

First rule of travel - you book travel insurance when you book your trip, not when you are due to travel.

Boozer

If i had my holiday booked to Thailand i would be going, there are other threads on this if you search, i arrived during the last state of emergency, Bangkok is very big and you will only see the trouble if you go looking for it.

What tour have you booked, i have many friends in places all over Thailand and they are not very concerned about what is happening.

chau_dog

Should I book my travel insurance now then just in case?

Where would I stand if my tour gets cancelled but the flights are still scheduled?

Freddie_Snowbits

I'd pack an AK47 just in case

Boozer

I am not sure what insurance you would like to book now, i do not think anybody is going to sell you insurance now and refund your flight costs if you can not go, if it is personnel insurance then it may not be valid as you will be travelling into a place that has been declared unsafe.

One of the main arguments for not travelling to countries with an FCO travel warning is the question of insurance. No mainstream travel insurance company will cover you. According to Malcolm Tarling, spokesman for the Association of British Insurers, "if you travel against Foreign Office advice, you are putting yourself at increased risk. Travel insurance is not there to cover people who purposefully do so."

As i have said, i would get on that plane, most people are sure that the Thai government will not allow another blockade of the airport, after the mess it caused last time.

Equaliser123

What is the FCO advice now? If they are not saying, don't travel, get your insurance now and review the situation when you travel.

chau_dog

The FCO advice is to avoid all but essential travel

paulpud

I got back from Bangkok 3 weeks ago and I wouldn't let the unrest stop me travelling there. It is a massive city and the problems are confined to a relatively small area which is easily avoidable. One of the days I was there 3 bombs were set off and I knew nothing about it until I got back to the UK.

Just don't pack any red shirts....

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

The red shirts have actually moved up north now anyway. The only part of Thailand you should not consider traveling to unless avoidable is Hatyai down south.

Just stay away from the Red shirt guys. Once the king gets involved it will all stop anyway.

Optimist

The whole of Thailand is now on the recommended, do not travel unless essential list