Australians Warned About Travelling To Thailand

[Jai Dee]

Aussies warned on Thai travel

AUSTRALIANS are being urged to reconsider holidays in Thailand, amid fears that violence in the south could spread to the rest of the country, including popular tourist areas.

One Australian was among dozens injured by a series of bombs that exploded in the southern city of Hat Yai on Saturday, claiming five lives.

The bombing is expected to take a serious toll on the area's tourist trade.

Hotel and tour operators are worried tourism will suffer from the attack after hundreds of foreigners fled the area following the bombings.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has cautioned travellers that the violence in the south could spread to other parts of Thailand.

"The increase in violence in southern Thailand may result in attacks elsewhere in Thailand, including Bangkok and other tourist areas, such as Phuket and Pattaya," DFAT said on its website.

"Thai authorities have taken additional security measures in other parts of the country, including tourist centres and Bangkok."

Security also has been stepped up at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

Source: Courier Mail - September 19, 2006

[LaoPo]

Aussies warned on Thai travel

"Thai authorities have taken additional security measures in other parts of the country, including tourist centres and Bangkok."

Source: Courier Mail - September 19, 2006

Really?

LaoPo

[Khun Jean]

A few more of these warnings together with all the other bad news that is coming from Thailand and the new TAT slogan has to change into "Thailand: Once a nice place."

And a doubling of the security measure is 2 x 0 = 0

[Maejo Man]

Not only the Australians but the British as well......

Thailand

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Summary and Terrorism/Security section. The overall level of the advice has not changed.

We advise against all but essential travel to, or through, the far southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla, where there is continuing violence due to insurgency and civil unrest. Since January 2004, there have been regular attacks including bombings and shootings. There were a number of explosions in August 2006. On 16 September 2006, four bombs exploded in the town of Hat Yai killing four and injuring approximately 68. Two British nationals were amongst a number of foreign nationals injured in this latest attack. The Thai Government has declared a serious state of emergency in the provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

There is a high threat from terrorism throughout Thailand. Attacks could be indiscriminate and against places frequented by foreigners.

Since December 2005, there have been a number of small explosions in Bangkok. The motives for these attacks are not clear.

In August 2006, three foreign tourists (including two British nationals) died in separate white water rafting accidents. Particular care should be taken when participating in this sport, especially during the rainy season from May to October.

[email protected]

[IMA_FARANG]

Aussies warned on Thai travel

AUSTRALIANS are being urged to reconsider holidays in Thailand, amid fears that violence in the south could spread to the rest of the country, including popular tourist areas.

One Australian was among dozens injured by a series of bombs that exploded in the southern city of Hat Yai on Saturday, claiming five lives.

The bombing is expected to take a serious toll on the area's tourist trade.

Hotel and tour operators are worried tourism will suffer from the attack after hundreds of foreigners fled the area following the bombings.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has cautioned travellers that the violence in the south could spread to other parts of Thailand.

"The increase in violence in southern Thailand may result in attacks elsewhere in Thailand, including Bangkok and other tourist areas, such as Phuket and Pattaya," DFAT said on its website.

"Thai authorities have taken additional security measures in other parts of the country, including tourist centres and Bangkok."

Security also has been stepped up at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

Source: Courier Mail - September 19, 2006

With all due respect my experience with Embassy security warnings is that they are about as useless as an umbrella in a hurricane. It's possible the Aussie embassy has it a little more on the ball than the U.S. embassy (not that difficult to do), but in my experience the main problem is that by time any real information gets down to the embassy level it is 3rd or 4th hand information at best. The security officers at the embassy try their best, but they are handicapped by the quality of the information they are given. By the time it gets to their level it has been hashed and rehashed until it is pretty much useless.

[TizMe]

Since the first bombing in Bali, the Oz govt was critisized for not issuing warnings.

Since then, they warn about just about every country.

[CbrLad]

With all due respect my experience with Embassy security warnings is that they are about as useless as an umbrella in a hurricane. It's possible the Aussie embassy has it a little more on the ball than the U.S. embassy (not that difficult to do), but in my experience the main problem is that by time any real information gets down to the embassy level it is 3rd or 4th hand information at best. The security officers at the embassy try their best, but they are handicapped by the quality of the information they are given. By the time it gets to their level it has been hashed and rehashed until it is pretty much useless.

The biggest problem is the unrealistic expectations of people at home. If a warning isn't put out and, in this case an Aussie gets into trouble, the general public goes nuts and starts baliming the government. The travel warnings are just an arse covering exercise of the goverment. They may well reflect actual events, but well all know the realities and risks are a bit different. If you are in the wrong place, then you are in the wrong place, but sadly people can no longer see things as objectivly as that and are always looking to people to blame. As I said if nothing is said then fingers get point towards the government, but with warnings then they can say, 'we told you so'.

It certainly isn't a case of 2nd, 3rd or 4th hand information.

[astral]

The best advice for everyone is stay at home.........

Mind you the terrorists may attack there as well.

Remember New York, London and many others.

[CbrLad]

Since the first bombing in Bali, the Oz govt was critisized for not issuing warnings.

Since then, they warn about just about every country.

Quite true and that was the point I raised above. sadly the warnings have little effect but take heat (unwarranted in most cases) of the government.

www.smartravller.gov.au is the site with the advisories, including for the UK and US.

Actually reading the Thailand one it isn't too bad at all, and cannot see too many glaring errors.

[mittheimp]

Since the first bombing in Bali, the Oz govt was critisized for not issuing warnings.

Since then, they warn about just about every country.

Quite true and that was the point I raised above. sadly the warnings have little effect but take heat (unwarranted in most cases) of the government.

www.smartravller.gov.au is the site with the advisories, including for the UK and US.

Actually reading the Thailand one it isn't too bad at all, and cannot see too many glaring errors.

www.smarttraveller.gov.au (you had missed a couple of letters out)

Thailand rated a more dangerous destination than Cambodia, Laos, Burma, malaysia and India!!

[Ulysses G.]

This cr*p has been going on for many, many years and the Muslims mostly confine the violence to the South.

No reason for any warnings yet!

[farang prince]

This cr*p has been going on for many, many years and the Muslims mostly confine the violence to the South.

No reason for any warnings yet!

Yes, it has been going on for many years. But this time a farang was killed. Now we get the overreaction from Oz and the UK. No doubt the rest of Europe will issue warnings as well as the USA and Canada.

[cikeda]

It is one's own responsibility to survive. Wherever it comes from, it is with information that a decision is made. The ultimate decision to a concern is made by the individual ... not government, not your friend, not your family, but the individual.

I am a devoted reader of everthing I can read online about Thailand. Information gathered online and from resources within the Kingdom have increased my awareness and will place me on a high level of caution when I'm in places that tourists gather. I will continue to travel to Thailand but you can bet I will exercise a higher level of alert during my stay.

[khall64au]

I was packing my bags to move from Oz to Phuket just after the 2002 Bali bombings. My mum called me in a panic that a travel warning had been issued for Phuket. I came anyway. Mum made me promise I'd stay away from nightclubs . Aside, from the occasional ThaiVisa party - and wildchild moment - I heed my mum's advice. Shopping centres, on the other hand, are a whole new ballgame... nowhere on the the planet is safe. It's just a big lotto game really!!

[Nam Kao]

Will all flights be suspended if a Coup happens?

[CbrLad]

www.smarttraveller.gov.au (you had missed a couple of letters out)

Thailand rated a more dangerous destination than Cambodia, Laos, Burma, malaysia and India!!

Well actually no I haven't missed any letters out. Both will work, but look at the logo and the proper site name is www.smartraveller.gov.au. Think the Aussie government cannot spell!!!

[chonabot]

Aussies warned on Thai travel

"Thai authorities have taken additional security measures in other parts of the country, including tourist centres and Bangkok."

Source: Courier Mail - September 19, 2006

Really?

LaoPo

Apparently so.

[Jai Dee]

Thailand Coup Prompts Travel Warnings by U.K., U.S., Australia

Sept. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S., Australia and the U.K. led travel alerts following the military coup in Thailand, warning their citizens to avoid visiting the country or exercise caution if already there.

Thailand's military and police leaders said they seized power in a coup overnight, ousting Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

"In the light of the very uncertain political situation and apparent military-led takeover of the government, we strongly advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Thailand,'' Australia's Department of Foreign and Trade said in a statement posted on its Web site.

Citizens already there should exercise "extreme caution'' and avoid "concentrations of military personnel or military activity,'' the statement added.

The U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok both advised citizens to avoid large crowds and monitor the news.

"The situation in Thailand remains uncertain,'' said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement and told its citizens in the country to "avoid areas where there is risk of disturbance.''

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appealed to the people of Thailand to "remain calm.''

'Solid Democracy'

"Over the past decade or so, they have established a solid democracy and institutions under the leadership of the king, and I'm sure they will be able to restore that institution and go back to a democratic system as soon as possible,'' Annan told Cable News Network in New York yesterday, according to the UN.

"We want to see a return to democratic rule,'' Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio from New York. "It's of grave concern to us that the government has been overthrown in this way.''

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark condemned the military coup and called for the restoration of democracy, according to a statement e-mailed to Bloomberg News.

New Zealanders should delay travel to Thailand, if possible, until the situation is clear, Clark said. Those already in the country should "exercise caution,'' she said.

Source: Bloomberg - 20 September 2006