Government troops and police moved in force, early in the morning of 19th May to disperse and clear the anti-government Red Shirt protesters from the upscale heart of Bangkok’s commercial and tourist zone.  By early afternoon, the Red Shirt leaders announced to their followers that the city centre fight was over, Several of the leaders [...]

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 [...]

Following the assault upon, and cancellation of, the “ASEAN plus dialogue partners” meeting of Heads of State in Pattaya, Thailand last week by the red-shirted followers of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai government announced, late on Thursday 9th April, that there would be a closure of all government offices on Friday 10th.

This unscheduled holiday preceded and joined with the scheduled Thai traditional New Year (Songkran) holiday occurring from Saturday 11th April to Wednesday 15th April. These dates included closure of all Government and Post Offices within Thailand.

Following the violence and civil unrest that broke out in Bangkok over the Songkran / Easter weekend, instigated by the same red-shirted factions, current Democrat Party Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva instructed, on Tuesday 14 April, that Thursday and Friday 16-17 April would be an extension to the national holiday, in order to give the government time to make central Bangkok safe for people to return to their workplaces.