MFA: 14 countries have issued travel warning on Thailand

BANGKOK, 16 February 2012 (NNT) – Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul has disclosed that a total of 14 countries have now issued travel warnings on Thailand.

This group of countries includes Canada, USA, UK, Iceland, Austria, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, New Zealand, Italy, Norway, Israel, and Taiwan.

However, it is believed that the travel warning will soon be lifted as the suspects have been apprehended. In addition, the MFA has given instructions to relevant officials to keep foreign embassies in Thailand up to date with the situation to ensure a speedy revocation of the warnings.

Mr. Surapong added that following the Foreign Ministry's clarification on the Bangkok blasts, foreign countries have a better understanding of the current situation in Thailand. The MFA has requested that any country with knowledge concerning terrorism should forward the information to Thailand in order for it to be verified and prevented.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have issued an announcement condemning the terrorists while denying that they were citizens of Iran. The foreign country has requested that Thailand verify the real nationality of the culprits. Thailand will comply with this request, and believes that the verification process of such an urgent matter would not take long.

Additionally, the MFA has instructed all embassies to carefully check the identities of visa applicants to Thailand, especially when the application is made through agencies. The MFA is certain that Thailand is not a target of terrorism and insists that Thailand’s security and intelligence agencies are efficient in keeping Thailand safe.

-- NNT 2012-02-16

In addition, the MFA has given instructions to relevant officials to keep foreign embassies in Thailand up to date with the situation to ensure a speedy revocation of the warnings.

Surely that is one of the keys of the standard government to government communications?

Why don't they just "order" these countries to lift the warnings?

The travel warnings on quoted countries sites only commend on the news that there was a bom blast(couple of them) most of them warn mainly for the south and the Cambodian border areas.

Other also warn about Phuket, Pattaja and Koh Samui and their jetshi and motorbike scams !

My home coutry is still listing travel advisory to Thailand

We seem to be a little slow ... the travel advisory is due to flooding ....

A little slow to react ...

Why don't they just "order" these countries to lift the warnings?

+1

The Thai Ministry for Tourism has guaranteed that tourism will be unaffected by the warnings.

Thai National Security has guaranteed that it is rather impossible for Thailand to be a target for wrongdoing and indeed not possible for Thailand to be host to any dangerous activity that a paying visitor/tourist should concern him/herself with as Thailand is a peaceloving™ country friendly with all people and nations.

The Thai Tourism Board has demanded that the countries responsible lift the warnings as it could affect tourism.

The Thai hotels board will increase prices of rooms and Thai airways will increase the price of tickets to 'make up' for the drop in arriving tourists.

Suvarnabhumi will organize scams in the King Power Duty Free and with arrival transportation to 'make up' for the drop in tourism revenue.

In exactly one week, the Thai Tourism Board and other agencies will advertise in local media that tourism numbers are up 345% from this time last month.

Random Thais (being quite proud and nationalist) will organize marches on all warning issuing Western embassies, but will ignore those issued by any Asian embassies.

EDIT:

** Actually, looking at the 'system', I'm not sure whether or not it's pure genius.

Edited February 16, 201214 yr by ThailandMan

The buzzword is "demand!"

Why don't they just "order" these countries to lift the warnings?

Perhaps if Thailand recognizes criminal or terrorist groups in the respective nations it will facilitate matters? I suggest the MFA hold a big party for the Hells Angels during Phuket Bike week in April. Let the Basques know there is solidarity, tell the Catalonians, Cornish and Corsicans to come and chill on the beaches. Have a clown party for the Kurds. You know, really well thought out events........

irrespective of whether this matter is a full blown terrorist attack (failed) or a domestic spat involving the assorted local mafia groups any self respecting government is going to issue travel warnings to its citizens.

Travel warnings come in a multitude of packages, weather warning, disease, transportation strikes warnings etc.

The responsible governments are warning their citizens rightly so that there is a chance they may be shocked, maimed, disembowelled. blown to smithereens thus killed due to the inefficient manufacturing techniques of the makers of explosive missiles.

Also the more successful members of the bomb making community are prone to the random or possibly not so random casting of explosive missiles to the detriment of the population in the local vicinity.

Basically if one is on holiday and came here with all of ones personal bits attached one would reasonably expect to leave here with those personal bits still attached .

Hence responsible governments actions.

Edited February 16, 201214 yr by siampolee

My home coutry is still listing travel advisory to Thailand

We seem to be a little slow ... the travel advisory is due to flooding ....

A little slow to react ...

Every nation gets the government they deserve!.

"What bombs? I didn't hear them!", said by PM Yingluck Shinsplits on a tour, some share over the rainbow.

-mel.

I was half expecting to see Iran on the list.

Why don't they just "order" these countries to lift the warnings?

Are you for real? who is Thailand to "order" any country to do anything? OK I see that you are taking the pis.....

Been registered with the British embassy's "Locate" service for five years now. So far received no notification following recent bombings. Not unexpected however, I have long given up getting any sense out of a bunch of seat polishing pointy heads!

Come on Mr Clarke, any comments?

Been registered with the British embassy's "Locate" service for five years now. So far received no notification following recent bombings. Not unexpected however, I have long given up getting any sense out of a bunch of seat polishing pointy heads!

Come on Mr Clarke, any comments?

I think those programs are primarily aimed at being able to locate you for the purposes of collecting tax or for paying other debts to the state. I have avoided the US Embassy registration program. I figure, if I need help, I know how to tell the taxi driver to get me the US Embassy fast.

Why don't they just "order" these countries to lift the warnings?

Good idea. They can threaded to withhold the shrimp exports. That might sway the superpowers. Life without Thai shrimp would be very difficult indeed. The sad reality, is that Thailand is invisible on the world stage. Even though they are the 22nd largest economy, they have made themselves invisible, due to government incompetence, from one administration to the next. And the desire to bury their heads in the sand, and pretend the outside world hardly exists, and is barely relevant to life in the LOS.

The Thai Ministry for Tourism has guaranteed that tourism will be unaffected by the warnings.

Thai National Security has guaranteed that it is rather impossible for Thailand to be a target for wrongdoing and indeed not possible for Thailand to be host to any dangerous activity that a paying visitor/tourist should concern him/herself with as Thailand is a peaceloving™ country friendly with all people and nations.

The Thai Tourism Board has demanded that the countries responsible lift the warnings as it could affect tourism.

The Thai hotels board will increase prices of rooms and Thai airways will increase the price of tickets to 'make up' for the drop in arriving tourists.

Suvarnabhumi will organize scams in the King Power Duty Free and with arrival transportation to 'make up' for the drop in tourism revenue.

In exactly one week, the Thai Tourism Board and other agencies will advertise in local media that tourism numbers are up 345% from this time last month.

Random Thais (being quite proud and nationalist) will organize marches on all warning issuing Western embassies, but will ignore those issued by any Asian embassies.

EDIT:

** Actually, looking at the 'system', I'm not sure whether or not it's pure genius.

Good points. Believe the tourism, arrival, hotel booking, and other numbers the TAT, TOT, and other relevant authorities put out, at your own peril. "The wizard of oz" has more fact based info in it.

The Thai Ministry for Tourism has guaranteed that tourism will be unaffected by the warnings.

Thai National Security has guaranteed that it is rather impossible for Thailand to be a target for wrongdoing and indeed not possible for Thailand to be host to any dangerous activity that a paying visitor/tourist should concern him/herself with as Thailand is a peaceloving™ country friendly with all people and nations.

The Thai Tourism Board has demanded that the countries responsible lift the warnings as it could affect tourism.

The Thai hotels board will increase prices of rooms and Thai airways will increase the price of tickets to 'make up' for the drop in arriving tourists.

Suvarnabhumi will organize scams in the King Power Duty Free and with arrival transportation to 'make up' for the drop in tourism revenue.

In exactly one week, the Thai Tourism Board and other agencies will advertise in local media that tourism numbers are up 345% from this time last month.

Random Thais (being quite proud and nationalist) will organize marches on all warning issuing Western embassies, but will ignore those issued by any Asian embassies.

EDIT:

** Actually, looking at the 'system', I'm not sure whether or not it's pure genius.

Yes indeed. It is very difficult for bad things to happen in Thailand. There is a magic shield that surrounds the country, and with the blessing of the great Buddha, nothing bad will ever happen here. Also, because some many of the people are wonderful, and do good things to many all the time, the merit earned will ensure further protection. Lastly, because Thai people are so smart, unlike the ignorant farengs, this will further prevent bad stuff from happening, since all badness can be outsmarted by the local geniuses.