Put trips to Bangkok on hold: gov’t

[geovalin]

Cheang Sokha

The government asked Cambodians to avoid all nonessential travel to Bangkok following Thailand’s imposition of martial law.

“The situation is calm and we will continue monitoring it, but travellers planning to go to Thailand should hold off for now,” Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said after an ASEAN meeting in the capital.

“The important thing is that travellers avoid going to the places where clashes erupted,” he said. He added that Cambodian migrant workers in other areas of Thailand should continue working as usual.

Since martial law was instituted, Thailand has tightened security along the border with Cambodia, shutting down all “unofficial” corridor gates.

Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, said tour operators have stopped promoting Bangkok and are advising all but necessary trips there be cancelled.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official travel warning.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/put-trips-bangkok-hold-gov%E2%80%99t

[hanno]

Damn, I live in Cambodia and will be in BKK this afternoon. Should I cancel? Think not....

[geovalin]

Damn, I live in Cambodia and will be in BKK this afternoon. Should I cancel? Think not....

Still the same advice: avoid the demonstrations and you'll be fully safe.

[hanno]

Damn, I live in Cambodia and will be in BKK this afternoon. Should I cancel? Think not....

Still the same advice: avoid the demonstrations and you'll be fully safe.

I know, that was tongue in cheek. I go to BKK at least once a month and never felt unsafe. Just as in Cambodia: I see any demonstrations and I'll turn around and head the other way.

[tx22cb]

You know it's bad when Cambodia issues travel warnings for BKK .... but I'd still prefer my chances in BKK over PP

[Sheryl]

You know it's bad when Cambodia issues travel warnings for BKK .... but I'd still prefer my chances in BKK over PP

Why on earth? I don't feel the least uneasy in either place.

One needs to be more careful of petty theft (purse-snatchings etc) in PP, though pick-pockets and the like are hardly unknown in Bkk, esp in crowded venues

And one should best avoid protest venues in Bkk (now ceasing to be an issue with martial law).

But on the whole either city is arguably safer than many western cities.

[hanno]

You know it's bad when Cambodia issues travel warnings for BKK .... but I'd still prefer my chances in BKK over PP

Why on earth? I don't feel the least uneasy in either place.

One needs to be more careful of petty theft (purse-snatchings etc) in PP, though pick-pockets and the like are hardly unknown in Bkk, esp in crowded venues

And one should best avoid protest venues in Bkk (now ceasing to be an issue with martial law).

But on the whole either city is arguably safer than many western cities.

This.

I am not sure there is less bag-snatching in BKK though. A friend of mine just had her bag snatched outside Siam within a couple of hours of landing in BKK. This after two years in Cambodia without any incidents.