Continuing protests in Thailand’s capital Bangkok have led to an upsurge of violence which have prompted the temporary closure of the British Embassy in the country.

The foreign office has advised against all but essential travel to Bangkok.

The proximity of the British embassy to the scene of the violence between the anti-government Red Shirt protesters and the armed forces has been cited as the reason for the closure of the embassy.

Thailand, once regarded as a relatively safe tourist haven popular among western tourists, has undergone a period of political turmoil. Tourism is one of the mainstays of the Thai economy and it is considered that while no foreign tourists have been targeted by either side of the conflict, the unrest may extend beyond to the areas of Bangkok popular with tourists and affect their movements.

Tourist arrivals at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport dropped by a third this April, putting a brake on the government target of 15.5 million tourists.

Thailand’s golden welcome image has, increasingly, suffered as a result of these protests. It is expected that the other neighbouring countries including Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia will evoke more interest among tourists considering holidays in the region.

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Get more information here:
fco.gov.uk 
tourismthailand.co.uk

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Visiting Bangkok

Tags: Thailand, Bangkok, Travel advice, Travel warnings, Travel alerts, Travel updates, Violence, Protests, British Embassy