TOURISTS IN BANGKOK WILL BE SAFE ON MONDAY 13 JANUARY 2014 DESPITE THE PLANNED SHUTDOWN OF BANGKOK BY THE OPPOSITION. I PRAY TO BUDDHA ALL WILL GO SMOOTHLY IN THE KINGDOM OF SMILES AS WE ALL KNOW HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THAILAND IS VERY CONCERNED AND HIS SUBJECTS SHOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO UPSET HIS MAJESTY.

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
MALAYSIAN TOURISTS WHO WILL BE IN BANGKOK ON MONDAY 13 JANUARY 2014 WILL NOT FEEL STRANDED OR SCARED. THE THAI GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE ALL TOURISTS ARE PROTECTED.

The Yellow Shirts also promised not to shut down Bangkok's international airports at Suvanabhumi and Don Muang though this may not not be the best of time to visit Bangkok. Stick to Phuket, Krabi, Chiangmai and other idyllic resorts with direct flights from Kuala Lumpur! 

Thailand prepares to facilitate visitors in Bangkok on 13 January 2014 Thailand prepares to facilitate visitors in Bangkok on 13 January 2014 Thai authorities and the tourism industry have lined up measures to facilitate tourists visiting Bangkok during the planned massive anti-government demonstrations, starting from 13 January, 2014. Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, Governor of TAT said, “The measures are the results of a meeting between all authorities involved and several major travel and tourism organisations. Our aim is to ensure safety and convenience to tourists while travelling within Bangkok and to and from both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports during the current ongoing anti-government demonstrations.” The following measures have been lined up to facilitate tourists visiting Bangkok, starting from 13 January, 2014. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports will set up a Tourist Care Centre at the Sports Authority of Thailand at  Hua Mak Stadium and a Tourist Care Unit at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports to coordinate with all concerned public and private agencies, including the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tourist Police, Immigration Bureau, Metropolitan Police Bureau, Railway Police Unit, the Tourism Council of Thailand, the Thai Hotels Association, the Road Passenger Transport Association and the Association of Thai Travel Agents and Tourism Authority of Thailand. A Tourist Help Desk will be set up at the BTS Skytrain Siam, Phaya Thai, Ekkamai and Wong Wian Yai Stations and MRT subway Hua Lamphong Station. Each location will be manned by four Tourist Police officers. A Shuttle Bus pick-up point will be set up at the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn, Imperial Queen's Park Hotel and Twin Towers Hotel. Each location will have 1 bus, 2 vans and 1 boat on standby. Frequencies of the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) train services from Don Mueang International Airport to Bangkok downtown, ending at Hua Lamphong Station, will be increased to enable visitors and air passengers to connect to their destinations, using the BTS Skytrain, MRT subway and Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link services. Frequencies of the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link services to and from the Makkasan City Air Terminal will be increased to 78 Express and 161 City Line trains per day. Journey on the Express Line takes 15 minutes while the City Line takes 30 minutes. Trains will run every 12 minutes during rush hours (06.00-09.00 hrs. and 17.00-20.00 hrs.) and every 15 minutes during normal hours. Volunteers and rapid Tourist Police units will be deployed to assist tourists who may require travelling through the protest areas. In addition, accommodation near the airports will be reserved for tourists waiting or arriving late for their flights. Tourists can seek assistance by calling the following Hotlines: Tourism Authority of Thailand                        1672 Thai Tourist Police                                        1155 Suvarnabhumi Airport Operation Centre        02 134 4077 Don Mueang Airport Operation Centre          02 535 3431 Tourist Assistant Centre (temporary)            02 401 1111 Or, sending emails to: Touristcenter13@gmail.com

Situation Update: Thailand Political Developments

The ongoing anti-government demonstrations in Bangkok have been normal to peaceful and are mainly taking place at the Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue. The anti-government demonstration group has announced plan to mount pressure on the Caretaker Yingluck Shinawatra Government to step down by organising massive demonstrations in a peaceful manner in Bangkok on 13 January 2014. The group has been organising a daily peaceful rally to different parts of the city since Sunday (5 January 2014).

Life in Bangkok and throughout Thailand continues as per normal. Local residents and foreign tourists are getting out and about with their daily schedules within Bangkok, as well as between the Thai capital and other Thai cities as per normal. All roads in Bangkok, excluding some lanes near the anti-government demonstration sites, are open to traffic at all times. Businesses, including banks, petrol and gas stations, hotels, spas, restaurants, entertainment venues, cinemas, convention centres, shopping malls, superstores, convenient stores, pharmacies, hospitals and the likes are open and operating as per normal. Telephone - landline and mobile - and Internet services are available 24/7.

All local and national events and festivals will be held as scheduled, including the Children's Day on 11 January, 2014 and the Chinese New Year celebrations from 24 January to 4 February, 2014 at various major destinations across Thailand.

All means of transportation are open and operating as per normal at all times. In Bangkok, residents and tourists can use all public transport, including BMTA buses and vans, BTS skytrain, MRT subway, Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link’s express and city lines, water-transport (ferries, boats, long-tailed boats and hotels’ converted rice barge cruises), and taxis. Elsewhere in the country, all means of inter-provincial transportation are also open and operating as per normal, including rail services by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and bus and van services by the Transport Co., Ltd.

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

In preparation for the massive demonstrations in Bangkok on 13 January 2014, several agencies have prepared measure as per the following:

Suvarnabhumi International Airport:

·         Advise air passengers to allocate more time before flights depart or at least four hours and to avoid routes nearby and around the protest areas. Air travellers are also advised to use BTS skytrain, MRT subway, Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link and the SRT rail services.

·         Prepare a contingency plan in case of air passengers being unable to travel to and from the airport, such as, change of routes for Shuttle Bus between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports.

·         Prepare to appoint airport personnel and information boards to advise passengers using public taxi and airport limousine to avoid the protest areas.

·         Prepare to operate the Long Term Parking area as a public car park and to provide Shuttle Bus services for those wishing to travel in and out of Bangkok, to and from nearby public transportation stations, such as, the Airport Rail Link, BTS skytrain and SRT.

·         Prepare to operate an Airport Operation Centre to coordinate with all organisations and agencies within the airport, such as, public bureaus, state agencies and airlines. The Center will open 24 hours daily, with various airport personnel available at all times to assist and facilitate passenger. The Center will locate behind check-in counter row R, Departure Hall, 4th floor of the Passenger Terminal, Tel: 66 (0) 2132-9950 or 2, Fax: 66 (0) 2132-9951.

·         Prepare to allocate waiting areas for passengers missing their flights due to the travel uncertainties from Bangkok downtown, if occur.

·         From 10 January, 2014, Suvarnabhumi Airport will deploy a group of facilitation personnel, from various organisations such as the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Association of Thai Travel Agents and the Thai Hotels Association to assist passengers near the AOT Information Counter, Arrival Hall, 2nd floor of the Passenger Terminal.

·         For further information, please contact AOT Information Counters at Suvarnabhumi Airport or its 24/7 Call Center 1722.      

Thai Airways International:

Thai Airways International THAI has confirmed that, starting on 13 January 2014, the airline will operate as normal with no flight cancellations, no unplanned flight delays, and no reduction of staff in operational areas.

·         Passengers can visit THAI through Facebook (www.facebook.com/ThaiAirways), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ThaiAirways), and THAI website (www.thaiairways.com), or call THAI Call Center Call Center at 02-356-1111 for information. 

·         To avoid arriving late for flights, due to some street closures, THAI advises passengers to leave for Suvarnabhumi Airport at least four (4) hours prior to their scheduled flight departure time.

·         Passengers can check flight status at www.thaiairways.com, and choose Flight Info.  Or, through the smart phone application THAI Flight Check at http://bit.ly/THAIflightcheck.

·         On 13 January, 2014, the ticketing services at THAI head office and at the Government Complex (on Chaengwattana Road) will close due to the street protest in the area.

·         Other THAI ticketing locations in the city such as Larn Luang, Silom, and at Suvarnabhumi Airport are open as normal for business.

Air travellers with flights arrive in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang International Airports) can seek advice from the above airport or airline information counters. For those who wish to see Thailand’s wealth of cultural and natural attractions outside of Bangkok, they can make use of the many domestic flights to get to the following destinations directly:

Chiang Mai: Located 716 km north of Suvarnabhumi Airport or 7 hours 44 minutes by car or 1 hour 10 minutes by air. Attraction highlights: Wiang Kum Kam, Doi Inthanon National Park, Doi Suthep-Doi Pui National Park, Ang Khang Royal Project, Ratchaphruek Garden and Chiang Mai Zoo.

Phuket: Located 865 km south of Suvarnabhumi Airport or 9 hours 50 minutes by car or 1 hour 25 minutes by air. Attraction highlights: various beautiful beaches and a trip to nearby gorgeous Phang-nga Bay, exquisite pool villa accommodation and luxury spa treatments.

Pattaya: Located 120 km southeast of Suvarnabhumi Airport or 1 hour 17 minutes by car. Attraction highlights: beautiful beaches, Lan Island, entertainment shows, zip line adventure, boxing lesson, shopping opportunities, floating market and various theme venues.

Hua Hin: Located 227.5 km southwest of Suvarnabhumi Airport or 2 hours 40 minutes by car. Attraction highlights: beautiful beaches, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Kaeng Krachan National Park, Maruekhathaiyawan Palace, floating markets and vineyards.

Ko Samui: Located 804 km southwest of Suvarnabhumi Airport or 10 hours 34 minutes by car and ferry or 1 hour 5 minutes by air. Attraction highlights: beautiful beaches, Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park, pool villa accommodation and luxury spa treatments.

Khon Kaen: Located 458 km northeast of Suvarnabhumi Airport or 5 hours by car or 55 minutes by air. Attraction highlights: Thai Silk Centre, Chang-kra Orchid Garden, King Cobra Village, temples and Phu Wiang National Park - which demonstrates that the Isan Plateau was once home of dinosaurs.

Sukhothai: Located 439.7 km north of Suvarnabhumi Airport or 4 hours 50 minutes by car or 1 hour 15 minutes by air. Attraction highlights: Sukhothai Historial Park, Si Satchanalai Historical Park, Sangkhalok Museum, Wat Maha That, Wat Phra Si Ratana Maha That and Wat Si Chum.

For tourists visiting Bangkok, it should be stressed that tourists have not been targeted in the ongoing political demonstrations. Tourist attractions and activities in Bangkok and throughout the country are open and operating as per normal, but tourists are advised to be vigilant and avoid areas where crowds may gather. This is because there may be traffic disruptions or delays, thus causing inconvenience.

The 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.

Useful contact numbers:

TAT Call Centre 1672

Thai Traffic Police Call Centre 1197

Thai Tourist Police Call Centre 1155

Bangkok Tourism Division Call Centre +66 (0) 2225 7612-4

Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (city bus service) Call Centre 1348

State Railway of Thailand Call Centre 1690

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

Airports of Thailand (Suvarnabhumi & Don Mueang 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

Tourists can also keep up-to-date with the tourism situation in Thailand through Application Line: Amazing Thailand.

For live videos of various attractions in Thailand, tourists can download the Thai Live Cam mobile application available now in iOS and Android. See more at: http://livecam.tourismthailand.org/