Kiwis told to keep eyes open in Thailand
Reuters and NZ’s Dominion Post report that Kiwis in Thailand are being advised to remain vigilant despite foreigners not appearing to be targets in the Asian country’s latest civil upheaval.
About 4,000 travellers could not fly out of Ban Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok after it was overrun by People’s Alliance for Democracy protesters.
The protesters also forced the closure yesterday of Don Mueang, Bangkok’s other main airport.
Tourists were annoyed by the delays to their travels but no one seemed concerned for their safety, Wellingtonian Lukas Davidson told The Dominion Post.
Mr Davidson, who has been holidaying in Southeast Asia with his girlfriend, said their travel plans had been thrown into disarray. “I’m most frustrated about insurance and getting back home. It’s been difficult to get information on flights.”
Businesses offering Internet access and backpacker bars were still booming, he said. “There is just a shared frustration with not knowing – Internet cafes are full with people trying to contact home.”
“The bars are still full at night and tourists are still moving around the city with an apparent lack of fear,” he said.
The People’s Alliance, which is heavily backed by the urban middle class, is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and played a key role in the ousting of the previous prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
By yesterday, all the stranded passengers had moved out of the airport and into hotels in the city.
Thai Air’s flight from Auckland to Bangkok yesterday was cancelled and the airline was rerouting affected passengers through other airports, such as Singapore.
Though the Foreign Affairs Ministry advises travellers there is “some risk” in the Thai capital, it is not rated as high a risk as other parts of the country, such as the southernmost provinces and the border with Cambodia which have experienced security problems, unrelated to the current crisis.
Kiwis living or travelling in the country have been advised by the embassy to avoid political rallies, protests and demonstrations, as there was the potential for violence to erupt.
A Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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