Is the situation stable in Thailand? should I cancel my visit?

[nickman70]

With all the news about demonstrations in Thailand, is it affecting tourism. I was planning a visits in January, I will probably cancel it if there is a risk of Airport shutdown like 2007 or the red shirts saga in 2010 if I remember.

 

Any comments? I am not asking a political question, I just want to know your opinion whether you think the situation will escalate and spoil vacations

 

 

[okanagan]

I live in Bkk and haven't noticed anything yet ...except on tv....of course no one can predict if the airport gets shut down..

If you don't like risks..don't come...

but my guess you wouldn't notice anything unless you purposely went to a rally.

[nkped]

I'm scheduled to arrive the evening of January 7. I'm certainly not cancelling at this point. My fearless (hah!) prediction is that this round will resolve itself before then.

[LocalYokul]

I'm cumming next month, and I'll be damned if I'm canceling.

 

I never saw any problem when the Red Shirts were taking over before when I lived in the LOS, so I'm not worried.

 

As long as they don't inhabit Soi 19 Sukhumvit, I'll be fine.

[nickman70]

I live in Bkk and haven't noticed anything yet ...except on tv....of course no one can predict if the airport gets shut down..

If you don't like risks..don't come...

but my guess you wouldn't notice anything unless you purposely went to a rally.

 

To be honest, political unrest does not scare me that much, it is usually confined to certain areas. As long as the airport is open and I can come back on time that's all that matters.

[LocalYokul]

As long as the airport is open and I can come back on time that's all that matters.

 

Hen Duay, I agree.

[SlipSlopSlap]

Yep, I'm keeping a watchful eye too!

 

The protest leaders say they are not going to close down the airport:

 

"Protest spokesman Akanat Promphan said the rallies would not deter tourists from coming to Thailand since they are being help peacefully without weapons.

He said protesters will not try to shut down Suvarnabhumi airport to force government out of office."

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/381816/23-countries-issue-special-travel-advice-on-thailand-political-protests

 

We all know this can change in a second, but I'm remaining optimistic.

[teelack]

There are few good things about being aged and retired but one of them is that you almost hope for an airport closure as an excuse to stay longer and possibly at someone else's expense.

[atlas2]

My son is due on Saturday and I haven't deffered his trip because I calculate that the current disturbances must and will cease before the 5th of December………..when it would be seen as disrespectful.

Edited November 28, 2013 by atlas2

[Evil Penevil]

Flights departing Thailand are very heavily booked just now, not sure about arrivals. I was in BKK during some of the past troubles. Unless you were near a demonstration area, you didn't notice anything. Yesterday I was at the U.S. Consulate and it was an ordinary day, maybe less traffic than usual getting in and out of Bangkok.

 

In Pattaya a few years ago, the Red Shirts once massed in the sub-soi where I was living. I turned a corner and suddenly I'm in the middle of hundreds of Thaksin supporters. They were very friendly and happy to pose for photos.

 

Evil

[Ikaika001]

My last day in Bangkok, November 11th, I walked from my hotel on Soi 11 to Sukhumvit and saw several thousand anti-government or anti-amnesity people parading down Sukhumvit towards the lower Sois (Soi 8, 6,4, 2). No violence but a lot of noise mostly people blowing whisles. The Red Shirts are supposed to counter these demonstrations so there could be clashes but as long as you stay away from the rally areas, you should be safe from violence. I've been in countries like Japan/Okinawa and Korea when they had large demonstrations but never at any time felt threatened as long as I stayed away from the demonstrators.

[steamer]

Worst comes to worst, change your ticket to AC.

[BigDUSA]

I arrive in BKK,2-17 and have no plans to cancel. I was on the last flight to BKK from LAX last time they closed the airport. We landed at the old US B-52 base south of Pattaya. We had to wait about an hour or so for the guys from immigration and customs to show up from BKK.

[bigmick]

I came in two nights ago and it was business as usual, no signs of anything out of the ordinary at the airport. Im going into Bangkok Friday morning to the HQ of the Royal Thai police and I will update this thread then on anything I see.

[trapperjohn]

Bangkok is nothing compared to what I saw during the last days of the fall of Saigon in 1975.

[nickman70]

Thanks guys for the the comments, I am coming end of Jan. mostly Feb., I won't cancel. It looks like things were fine even during the worst of the red shirts uprising.

[nickman70]

Rest assured of one thing thought, I will not discriminate, I will pick upThai girls whether they are "Red Shirt" or "Yellow Shirt", I can guarantee you that!

[okanagan]

Bangkok is nothing compared to what I saw during the last days of the fall of Saigon in 1975.

 

As I see it , in a so called democracy, people are free to demonstrate... so Thailand is not at war.......or occupied by another country..yet!

I would be more reminded.... that Thailand is not at the point ... of the the Kent University Massacre in Ohio on May 4, 1970 where 4 unarmed student protestors were killed by the Ohio National Guard.

But I do agree...I bet many tourists did put off their travel plans to visit Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon.

[xzone nev]

I was in Bangkok end of last week saw the mob but no issues except for a normal traffic jams. Pattaya is and will be open for business in fact more likely busier than planned.

 

I do not believe the airport will be blocked in fact I am back in Bangkok next week for business with no chnages to plans. Just saty away from teh mob let the Thais do they thing and the tourist do ours then no problems.

[CheshireTom]

This is about as unbiased (and factual) a report as I've come across ...

 

From TIME ...

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2013 by CheshireTom

[MM]

Thanks, CT. That's a well thought out article, IMHO.

 

Democrats, bah!

 

Every time they lose, they try to get power thru, as he said, "elite machinations"....then they hold power until they are once again voted out.

 

Their only chance to maintain power is to remove democracy from the table...yes, Democrats are misnamed indeed.

[CheshireTom]

Thanks, CT. That's a well thought out article, IMHO.

 

Democrats, bah!

 

Every time they lose, they try to get power thru, as he said, "elite machinations"....then they hold power until they are once again voted out.

 

Their only chance to maintain power is to remove democracy from the table...yes, Democrats are misnamed indeed.

 

I went up to BKK in 2010 and spent a couple of days photographing and chatting with the red-shirts. Without exception, I was welcomed and treated with the utmost courtesy by everyone I came across. Fast-forward to the "mob" throwing its weight about in Hat Yai/Songkhla today and the difference in attitudes couldn't be more striking.

[TheFiend]

I arrive in BKK,2-17 and have no plans to cancel. I was on the last flight to BKK from LAX last time they closed the airport. We landed at the old US B-52 base south of Pattaya. We had to wait about an hour or so for the guys from immigration and customs to show up from BKK.

 

5 years ago when the yellow shirts blockaded the airport I landed about at about the time Swampy was invaded - there was no sign of any protesters at arrivals and caught a taxi down to Pattaya. First I knew of it was when Hammer asked when what time I arrived when I went for an ice cold Singha round at Cherry bar.

 

Have also been in Bangkok during times of protest and not seen any trouble.

[spike]

A facebook friend posted this photo this morning....

 

 

[gus in cebu]

Thanks for the updates, there has been some talk on Phil, forums about this, and as I am booked to arrive ( first trip ) on Dec 22, I was a little concerned ,, but not cancelling. Cheers