Help with my holiday to Thailand since FCO advice please.

Puddings

venus1978 wrote: »

I'm due to fly on the 29th May to Bkk we were then going to head down to Hua Hin a Beach resort and then back to BKK for the last 4 night. I don't know what to do if the FCO advice is still in place I'm sorely tempted to still go but will depend I suppose if the troubles have spread out of BKK. Obviously I wouldn't head into BKK for the last four nights.

My family live in Hua Hin! I'm going out for 2 weeks on 11th June as usual, my family over here are worried because of what they've heard. My dad (who has lived there for about 9 years now) says they wouldn't have a clue there was any 'unrest' if it wasn't for the BBC news..!! My brother actually lives in BKK and he's not seen much trouble, you just stay away from the main area where the protestors have settled which I think is around Don Muang airport and into the business district. I'm flying into the new airport, dad's picking me up and we'll be gone

If you'd like any up-to-date info please feel free to PM me and I'll get some. Hua Hin is fab, just stay there the extra 4 nights

rose28454

Puddings wrote: »

My family live in Hua Hin! I'm going out for 2 weeks on 11th June as usual, my family over here are worried because of what they've heard. My dad (who has lived there for about 9 years now) says they wouldn't have a clue there was any 'unrest' if it wasn't for the BBC news..!! My brother actually lives in BKK and he's not seen much trouble, you just stay away from the main area where the protestors have settled which I think is around Don Muang airport and into the business district. I'm flying into the new airport, dad's picking me up and we'll be gone

If you'd like any up-to-date info please feel free to PM me and I'll get some. Hua Hin is fab, just stay there the extra 4 nights

Just heard from my daughter in Sukothai ( through Facebook ) and she is having a fab time and they have not seen or heard of any trouble at all ( bar a few red shirts outside their hotel in Bangkok a couple of days ago). I wonder when the government will advise against travel to Greece or New York. There is trouble there aswell.

venus1978

rose28454 wrote: »

Just heard from my daughter in Sukothai ( through Facebook ) and she is having a fab time and they have not seen or heard of any trouble at all ( bar a few red shirts outside their hotel in Bangkok a couple of days ago). I wonder when the government will advise against travel to Greece or New York. There is trouble there aswell.

Probably not, I think that the FCO advice is there to try and force Thailand to do something, as the PM just keeps saying protest will not be tolerated yet he does nothing.

rose28454

From what I have read this has happened most years and he has promised elections later this year. I always thought peaceful protest was allowed in most countries but as Martial Law is applicable in Bangkok maybe not. Anyway my daughter is fine and although she has to come back to Bangkok for 2 days in 8 days time it is only to pick up the new people for the second phase and then out again. My son lives in East London and I worry just as much about him with all the stabbing that seem to go on. Anyway I am glad she inherited her Dad's no fear attitude and is enjoying herself. Although I think if people are a bit frightened of going they should re-arrange their trip for another time.

venus1978

rose28454 wrote: »

From what I have read this has happened most years and he has promised elections later this year. I always thought peaceful protest was allowed in most countries but as Martial Law is applicable in Bangkok maybe not. Anyway my daughter is fine and although she has to come back to Bangkok for 2 days in 8 days time it is only to pick up the new people for the second phase and then out again. My son lives in East London and I worry just as much about him with all the stabbing that seem to go on. Anyway I am glad she inherited her Dad's no fear attitude and is enjoying herself. Although I think if people are a bit frightened of going they should re-arrange their trip for another time.

I think from what I have read, its a case of both sides wanting to be in control for the military reshuffle in September.

I didn't think Martial Law had been declaired and that the PM did not want to bring it in. He declared a state of emergency which means it bans gatherings of more than five people, allows detention without charge and gives soldiers immunity from prosecution.

Theres no way that PM is gonna declare martial law and hand over control to the military, when so many actually support the red shirts, the higher-ups may support him but when your troops arent so keen you've got no chance, they were seen shaking hands and cheering the red shirts.

statusquo1

On travelbags website update says, it is not allowing "package" holidays to travel. What is the legal wording of a package holiday? Our itinery says tailormade, although we booked everything through them including flights, hotel and transfers. Does this make it a "package"?

pattycake

Friends of mine had booked with Travelbag to go to Vietnam, Cambodia and then 2 weeks in Phuket. They were leaving 5th May. They were contacted last Friday by Travelbag and told the whole trip is cancelled.

Travelbag have been very helpful apparently and they have arranged an alternative trip to Malaysia. My friends are very disappointed however and although they have been promised they will get some money refunded as the new trip is cheaper, they are out of pocket for visas which they had to obtain.

FH_Brit

BritRael wrote: »

If you're flying into BKK and straight on to Samui you will probably know nothing of the unrest in BKK. However, if you watch Sky or CNN you'll probably now be thinking that WW3 is about to start (which is exactly what they are hoping for). There is a heavy police presence (just as there is in London when we have demos) in case of trouble, but for the most part these are very peaceful protestors. They are also in isolated areas (which are easy to avoid); and it certainly is not effecting 'the whole of BKK' as is being reported.

For current info take a look at this site:-

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1898657&start=135

It's great for tourism in general but in this tense time you'll be able to get more accurate info than in the media.

If you decide to travel, have a great time

Britrael - It is irellevant what Sky, CNN or anyone else says. It is also irrelevant if someone is travelling near the protests or not. The FCO has issued the advisory to THAILAND (THE WHOLE COUNTRY) advising agaist all but essential travel.

If the poster travelled and something did happen, no insurer will cover any claim as holiday's are not ESSENTIAL TRAVEL.

Insurers follow the FCO's recommendations and that's who any traveller should listen to not any news service or poster here that has a "Oh, you'll be alright" attitude!

Puddings

FH_Brit wrote: »

Insurers follow the FCO's recommendations and that's who any traveller should listen to not any news service or poster here that has a "Oh, you'll be alright" attitude!

This is very annoying! I forwarded the travel guidelines that our business travel agency had sent me from the FCO to my Dad (he's just dropped my little sister to BKK to spend a week with her gran) and he couldn't believe it! In his words: 'a serious overstatement of the facts - the facts are that 5 per cent of Bangkok is a no-go area. The rest of Thailand especially south of Bangkok is operating normally but with less tourists. It appears the world does blow things out of proportion.'

Ah well..

Puddings

Quick update from my Dad - the red shirts are going home, elections will take place on Nov 14.