Tourism businesses & services remain open

Issued at Bangkok at 13.00 hrs. (GMT+7) on 26 May 2014

Tourism-related businesses and services in Thailand continue to open and operating as per normal, but operating hours have been adjusted to comply with a nationwide curfew (from 22.00 – 05.00 hours). However, all airports in Bangkok and throughout the kingdom continue to carry on with their normal operating hours and air passengers are allowed to travel to and from the airports at any time as usual.

The curfew will be in place until further notice, according to the coup makers (National Council for Peace and Order - NCPO), which explained that the council’s key objectives were to ensure a reform of political, economic and social institutions in order to bring out peace and order to the kingdom.

Transport

As stated above, all airports throughout Thailand, including at key international gateways - Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang), Phuket, Ko Samui, Hat Yai and Chiang Mai - are operating as per normal. Airlines also continue to operate incoming and outgoing flights as per normal.

Air passengers with arrival and departure flights scheduled during curfew are allowed to travel to and from the airports at any time as usual.

Other modes of transport, by road, rail and waterway, are also operating as per normal throughout Thailand, including at key tourist destinations, such as, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Ko Samui, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.

But operating hours have been adjusted to comply with the curfew, i.e. the BTS Skytrain and MRT Subway systems in Bangkok are now operating from 06.00 – 21.00 hours while inter-provincial passenger bus/train services will not be operating during curfew.

Tourism-related businesses and services

Hotels, resorts, spas, restaurants, entertainment venues, cinemas, convention centres, shopping malls, superstores, convenient stores, as well as banks, petrol and gas stations, are open and operating as per normal, but operating hours have been adjusted to comply with the curfew. Hospitals and medical personnel are permitted to carry on with their normal operating hours.

Telephone both landline and mobile and Internet services are available 24/7 as per normal.

In popular Thai beach destinations including Ko Samui, Phuket, Pattya, Hua Hin and Krabi, all tourism-related businesses and services are operating as per normal during the day. At nighttime, curfew has been observed.

In key administrative and political strongholds including Bangkok and Chiang Mai, all tourism-related businesses and services are also operating as per normal during the day. Curfew has been widely observed at nighttime. Nevertheless, tourists are advised to be vigilant and check travel routing before travelling to avoid being inconvenienced by movements of security officers and the anti-coup groups.

However, as reported widely in local and international media, Thai military troops were seen exercising restraint when confronting with the anti-coup demonstrators.

Info for international visitors entering the Bangkok Metropolitan Area

The following measures are prepared for travellers travelling to Bangkok and the immediate vicinity:

• Individual travellers – both tourists and foreign residents - are advised to keep their passports and other travel documents handy at all times, in case they are required for inspection by security officers.
• Group travellers on tour coaches, accompanied by a tour guide or tour leader, are allowed to pass through the checkpoints without any worry.
• Taxi services at Suvarnabhumi Airport are available 24 hours at the Platform of the Passenger Terminal on the 1st Floor, Gates 4 and 7.  There are 6,000 – 7,000 authorised taxis with Suvarnabhumi Airport stickers displayed on the front windscreen. Security checkpoint officers will allow access for these vehicles.
• Any passenger who cannot find a mean of transport out of Suvarnabhumi Airport during curfew may use the facilities available at the CIP Lounges 1-4, located on the 3rd floor of the Passenger Terminal.
• The shuttle bus service between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports are operating as per normal.
• For more information, contact Survarnabhumi Airport Call Centre Tel: 1722.

Visa and checkpoints

Tourists can continue to apply for visa as usual as the NCPO has called for civil servants at all ministries and government agencies to carry on with their normal duties.

All international checkpoints – airports, border checkpoints and sea ports – are open and operating as per normal. However, there may be a strong security presence at certain border checkpoints.

Tourist hotlines

Tourists visiting Thailand can contact the following numbers for further information and assistance:

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

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

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is closely monitoring the situation, and would like to inform tourists and the tourism industry that all concerned public and private agencies will exercise utmost efforts to ensure tourist’s convenience. Under the current circumstances, TAT will be providing updates on a daily basis at www.tatnews.org