British Embassy lowers travel warning level for Thailand

UK Embassy eases travel warning status for Thailand

By Garry | May 6th, 2010 | Category: Politics, Travel Warnings | No Comments »

6 May 2010 – the British Embassy have today lowered their warning related to “the whole of Thailand” citing reduction of unrest and violence outside the capital. However, they are upholding their warning to avoid Bangkok other than for the most essential of travel.

The update came in an email which included -

A summary of the changes are below:

We advise against all but essential travel to Bangkok, in view of the continued political unrest in the city.

You should exercise caution, especially in the northern provinces and Pattaya. The political situation is unpredictable and throughout Thailand there is a continued risk that protests may result in violent disturbances. Travellers are advised to avoid political demonstrations and large gatherings.

If you are already in Thailand, you should consider whether it is essential for you to travel to Bangkok. Wherever possible, you should take transport services which do not involve transiting areas of Bangkok where political protests are taking place.

Suvarnabhumi airport is operating as normal. The route to the airport from Bangkok city remains open. For advice about travelling abroad see the local Travel section. FCO advice against all but essential travel does not apply to passengers transiting Bangkok airport on their way to other destinations.

Keep up to date with the latest travel advice: http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/travel-advice

Meanwhile, in related news, even Mrs Gaz and her family and friends are now thoroughly sick of the red shirt protests and their intransigence of demands. To quote Mrs Gaz’s reaction watching TV news, last night, “Thailand has killed itself”, this was said in reference to the effects on the economy, national reputation, and projections for tourism and exports. If family and friends from a rural farming village in the red shirts north-eastern heartland are thinking this way, their hopes in an election are looking overly optimistic.

Prime Minister Abhisit has announced there will be a general election on 14 November if the red shirts agree to the road map that he has laid out. That’s a big “if”, and it’s looking like they won’t.

The PM is playing it cagey – holding the election the week before the national Loy Kratong holiday will allow a party atmosphere post-election, regardless of who wins. He’s also delivered a compromise solution by offering the election a year before it was due, without acceding to the red shirt demands of parliamentary dissolution with 30 days and elections within 3 months. He’s also openly stated that the date is intended to give him time to complete the social reforms (free education, free healthcare, and other topics) that he announced when taking up the post.

Thais are historically famous for taking the middle path of compromise. Some would say it is that which has led to the current crisis after centuries of elitist overlordship of the peasant classes, yet this is not the demonstrated feeling amongst whomever I talk with. All my communicants express openly that they believe the red shirt leaderships sole agenda is the return and absolution of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been in exile and on the run from a Supreme Court conviction for corruption since he absconded from bail “to attend the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony”.

It’s worth reflecting that had he not absconded, but had stayed and served his sentence, he’d be due for release in a few months time (assuming no time off for good behaviour).

Instead, his continual alleged funding of the red shirt movement, and video and telephone broadcasts to the crowds are heaping opportunity upon opportunity for further charges against him. Floating around the rumour mill are charges-topics such as Lese Majeste, inciting sedition, inciting public disobedience, financing insurgency and terrorism, travelling on a Thai diplomatic passport while ineligible to do so, and several conspiracy based options revolving around the various fatal and injurious incidents that have led to over two dozen deaths and almost 1,000 injured, during the last month of protests.

Without a full and unconditional amnesty or pardon, it seems impossible now for Thaksin to return to Thailand without spending the rest of his life between prison and courtroom. Some have opined that the old elite now want his head on a platter. Even amongst the working and middle classes, there have been opinions that he deserves the death sentence for all the troubles he has wrought within what was once the “Land of Smiles”.

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