Practical Advice For Foreigners In Bangkok

[MiG16]

Inspired by the thread by Thom 22 who is stuck in his apartment with not much food left, and thanks to a suggestion by our member Seahorse Im starting this thread for practical tips and advice ONLY.

please bear that in mind when making your posts. Any non sense, jokes etc will not be tolerated. In fact this is not intended as a discussion thread. Post the practical info only. Cheers and stay safe everyone.

To kick start the tips, here are some suggestions by Seahorse:

Advice for people who get into trouble or don't know what to do in an emergency during the political turmoil at present especially about foreigners new to Thailand and who may not know much about Thai customs in a stressful situation in which things change very quickly.

I am talking about in general terms rather than specific, for example,

* as a place of refuge, go to a temple if necessary

* if someone is being aggressive towards you, wai them, the higher the better

THE NATION: Hotline for residents in Rajprasong, nearby areas who need assistance: 02 3383677 or 02 3383246

[londonthai]

1. stock yourself with a lot of water for drinking (fluids are more important than food) and washing - fill the bath, buckets and any containers with water.

2. get dried food (rice is ideal, but has to be cooked - so remember about the gas cooker, rather an electric one, as electricity can be switched off), dried fish, meat and seefod, dried, canned or preserved vegetables and fruits. Get nuts and seeds - they are healthy, nutricious and can be stored indefinitely. Don't rely on frozen foods or foods needed to be kept in the fridge. You can easily grow some vegetables in the kitchen or on the balcony - like spring onion or sprouts.

3. if there is no water for sanitary purposes do put any waste in carry bags and dispose outside the house, rather than using precious water to flush it dawn

4. buy a lot of candles, batteries or put a small petrol generator on the balcony

5. stay with others, the best with family or friends, for security and moral support. Keep in touch with the neighbours, pass any information what's going on in the neighbourhood, watch each other backs.

Edited May 16, 2010 by londonthai

[tb86]

If you live in a higher risk area evacuate for a few days (IF it is still safe to do so - added by MiG)

better to get out early in the morning than sit around stuck in some apt building...waiting

[NADTATIDA1]

Make sure you phone has plenty of talk time on it

[MiG16]

Map of Danger zone:

http://bit.ly/9q48it

[zydeco]

1. stock yourself with a lot of water for drinking (fluids are more important than food) and washing - fill the bath, buckets and any containers with water.

londonthai's list is about as to the point as any I've seen. Especially important is his #1. You can go up to a couple of weeks without food. But you only have about three days without water--less depending on heat and dehydration in a Bangkok environment. I do wonder what is happening to people dependent on meds, such as insulin. I assume anybody in THAT situation is long ago evacuated. Still, overall, this looks like the endgame, one way or the other and, perhaps, things will be settled in a day or so.

[MiG16]

- Write down some emergency contact phone numbers and pin them somewhere easy to access in your apartment

(in case all numbers are stored in your mobile and you lose it)

- try to memorise at least one phone number of a relative/friend who will drop everything to do what they can (including contact other emergency numbers) on your behalf

(never know how hard it might be to get through to numbers like 191, or 000)

[webfact]

Please add “Register or update your entry with your Embassy” as this is exactly the type of situation for which it (registration) was intended.

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[MiG16]

Contact numbers if you can not leave your house (as announced on Channel 9) 02 - 338 -3677 , 02- 338-3333 extension 7254

[seahorse]

If you live in a higher risk area evacuate for a few days (IF it is still safe to do so - added by MiG)

better to get out early in the morning than sit around stuck in some apt building...waiting

Might I also suggest that those living a little bit further out of the current battle zone consider making contingency plans? Keep up with developments. You never know what way things might go.

Keep a full fuel tank in your vehicle.

Better safe than sorry.

Edited May 18, 2010 by seahorse

[kokesaat]

Rechargeable LED flashlights (large size) can stay lighted for an entire night on a single charge. I keep a few at home. An extra tank of kitchen gas might be a good idea. Keep most important documents and a handful of clothes handy if you have to make a quick escape.

canned food, bottled water, lots of tissue supplies, bandaids, bandages.......all the things my parents kept in their basement shelter in the early 60's....another day, another era.

[MiG16]

A curfew has been declared in Bangkok and at least 15 other provinces. what this means is you are to remain inside your house from between 8pm to 6am.

stay safe everyone

[tajartale]

CRES ANNOUNCED A NUMBER FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND/OR HELPING THEM FIND THE 'BAD GUYS': 02-511-1515.

IF THERE ARE OTHER NUMBERS THAT ARE EXCLUSIVELY FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE, PLS POST.

THANKS.

[astral]

Please add “Register or update your entry with your Embassy” as this is exactly the type of situation for which it (registration) was intended.

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And find out who is your embassy local co-ordinator and how to contact them by phone or e-mail.

[husskydog]

If you are really close to hot spots (no pun intended) , keep a towel or two soaked in a bucket, incase of fire, as a soaked rag or towel will help stem smoke inhalation if you are forced to evacuate, due to fire...stay safe

[hawthorne]

Prepare a "Go Pack". Cash, travel documents, flashlight with spare batteries, a pen type flask light with and extra battery or two, Essential water for 3 days and dry goods, your map (compass or gps), phone charger and plenty of minutes, a good knife, very essential clothes One short and shirt and runner shoes. You can think of other items but plan that you are waken in the middle of the night and all the time you have is to take your go pack. Have a muster point with some friends. Do not go to the local airport. Try the easier path of resistence out of country which ever that way leads. A motorbike with full tank. It is easier to manuever in traffic and chaos. Take a camera so you can show your family and friends what you survived. Always have something to trade and be stingy with it until you reach your destination.

[Tokay]

Excellent advice here.

[tracer5050]

always good to be pepared

[alodia]

always good to be pepared

I need to pick someone up at the airport tonight around 12pm. any advices ?

Thank you.

[MiG16]

Two options:

You either go early and wait out at the airport

or

You take the risk of breaking curfew and go closer to the time of the flight.

I am not suggesting or encouraging you to break curfew but can only relate what we did. the final decision is yours. My brother arrived at the airport outside curfew hours last night. The person that picked him up went after curfew hours and did not encounter any checkpoints, and operated under the assumption that even at checkpoints they would accept the explanation of the need to go to the airport. Ofcourse it helps if you are on the departing leg and have a ticket to prove that.

All the best

[Pushit]

always good to be pepared

I need to pick someone up at the airport tonight around 12pm. any advices ?

Thank you.

Call a radio taxi and take your passport/GF with ID

[londonthai]

a boarding pass, stamp in the passport with the date of arrival or print out of your e-ticket with should do as well

[aprillove]

Might I also suggest that those living a little bit further out of the current battle zone consider making contingency plans? Keep up with developments. You never know what way things might go.

Keep a full fuel tank in your vehicle.

Better safe than sorry.

[apriljune]

guys thank you for those information, it help a lot for such tragedy to come.

[NADTATIDA1]

guys thank you for those information, it help a lot for such tragedy to come.

...Tragedy to come?

[apriljune]

thanks for the help

[draftvader]

In future situations it is worth considering asking friends and family on foreign shores to turn on their radios/TVs whilst you are sleeping. We know that the international media sources weren't wonderful during the troubles, but they would still report any major changes pretty quickly. This would allow your watchers to call you to allow you to make any decisions you need to make. We did this throughout, sending an updated info e-mail before we went to bed. In the end we never got a call, but we slept very well throughout knowing that we would if there was a major change.

[tracer5050]

Just chill and watch your surrounding.

[MiG16]

this thread is not a discussion or an update of current situation.

it was created to provide practical information in emergency situation (specific to the protest in April at the time - but now left here as a lot of the advice can be applied in most emergency situations or general safety issues.

please keep discussions out of this thread.

cheers