Situation Update: Thailand Political Developments

Issued at Bangkok at   15.30 hrs. (GMT+7) on 28 April 2014

The ongoing anti-government demonstration continues to take place peacefully inside the Lumpini Park on Rama IV Road and the Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road, as well as some small areas on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue and Phitsanulok Road. The anti-government demonstrators are occasionally mobilising demonstration marches to some locations in Bangkok during the day as part of their campaign for a political reform before election.

Meanwhile, the caretaker Thai Cabinet today agreed to extend the imposition of the Internal Security Act in Bangkok and parts of nearby provinces (Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan) from 1 May – 30 June, 2014.

While the demonstrations are taking place in a few small areas in Bangkok, life in the most parts of the Thai capital and throughout Thailand continues as usual. However, tourists are advised to be vigilant and avoid rally sites and demonstration marches, as well as areas where crowds may gather. This is because there may be traffic disruptions or delays and thus causing inconvenience.

Bangkok is a large city and so it is possible for local residents and international visitors to avoid the demonstration sites and rally routes. Traffic in the most parts of Bangkok is moving normally as almost all roads and expressways are not affected by the demonstrations.

All major tourist attractions in the Thai capital, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace and the Temple of Dawn, are open normally. Tourists can visit all attractions using the usual means of transport, including buses, vans and car transfers by tour companies, taxis, the Skytrain, the subway or the boat and ferry service. 

Businesses, including banks, petrol and gas stations, hotels, spas, restaurants, entertainment venues, cinemas, convention centres, shopping malls, superstores, convenient stores, pharmacies, hospitals and the like are open and operating as per normal. Telephone both landline and mobile and Internet services are available 24/7 as per normal.

All airports in Bangkok and throughout Thailand are open and operating as per normal.

Tourists with flights arriving in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang International Airports) and wish to see Thailand’s wealth of cultural and natural attractions outside of the Thai capital are recommended to make use of the many daily domestic flights, as well as bus and car transfers, to get to other popular destinations, such as, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Ko Samui, Khon Kaen and Sukhothai.

• For instant updates, follow Amazing Thailand through the Application Line and Facebook or Twitter @ThailandFanClub.
• For information on tourist attractions and activities, visit: www.tourismthailand.org
• For live videos of attractions in Thailand, download the Thai Live Cam mobile application at: http://livecam.tourismthailand.org/
• For daily news on TAT and the Thai tourism industry, visit: www.tatnews.org
• Thailand is a festive country, celebrating numerous local and national holidays and hosting many regional and global events each year, to see the calendar of events and festivals, visit:
  • www.tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/Events-and-Festivals
  • www.tatnews.org/events-festivals/

Useful contact numbers:

Tourist’s Friend Centre +66 (0) 2314 1212

TAT Call Centre 1672

Tourist Police Call Centre 1155

Traffic Police Call Centre 1197

BMTA (city bus and van service) Call Centre 1348

BTS Hotline +66 (0) 2617 6000

MRT Customer Relations Center +66 (0) 2624 5200

SRT (train service) Call Centre 1690

Transport Co., Ltd., (inter-provincial bus service) Call Centre 1490

AOT (Suvarnabhumi Airport) Call Centre 1722

Suvarnabhumi Airport Operation Centre (temporary) +66 (0) 2132 9950 or 2

Don Mueang Airport Call Centre +66 (0) 2535 3861, (0) 2535 3863

Thai Airways International Call Centre +66 (0) 2356 1111

Bangkok Airways Call Centre 1771

Nok Air Call Centre 1318

Thai AirAsia Call Centre +66 (0) 2515 9999