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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Crowds warning to Bangkok Britons | Crowds warning to Bangkok Britons |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Britons in Bangkok are being warned by the UK Foreign Office to avoid any demonstrations and large crowds, amid an attempted coup. | Britons in Bangkok are being warned by the UK Foreign Office to avoid any demonstrations and large crowds, amid an attempted coup. |
| Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has declared a state of emergency and tanks have surrounded the government headquarters, Government House. | Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has declared a state of emergency and tanks have surrounded the government headquarters, Government House. |
| "Movements around government buildings and in public may be restricted," the Foreign Office is warning Britons. | "Movements around government buildings and in public may be restricted," the Foreign Office is warning Britons. |
| It says the British Embassy in Bangkok is monitoring the situation closely. | It says the British Embassy in Bangkok is monitoring the situation closely. |
| The Foreign Office is also urging Britons in Bangkok - and those planning to travel there - to "monitor all available information on the local situation". | The Foreign Office is also urging Britons in Bangkok - and those planning to travel there - to "monitor all available information on the local situation". |
| But Simon Calder, travel editor of the Independent newspaper, told BBC News that would be "very, very difficult". | But Simon Calder, travel editor of the Independent newspaper, told BBC News that would be "very, very difficult". |
| "It is the middle of the night there and nobody quite knows what is going on." | "It is the middle of the night there and nobody quite knows what is going on." |
| A British Airways flight had left Bangkok for London on schedule at about 1700 BST and a return flight was due to leave at 2200 BST, he added. | A British Airways flight had left Bangkok for London on schedule at about 1700 BST and a return flight was due to leave at 2200 BST, he added. |
| People who have relatives and friends in the Thai capital will be understandably concerned Independent travel editor Simon Calder | People who have relatives and friends in the Thai capital will be understandably concerned Independent travel editor Simon Calder |
| "They have got no reason, they say, for cancelling that." | "They have got no reason, they say, for cancelling that." |
| Four 747 aircraft carrying a total of 1,500 passengers would leave the UK for Thailand tonight, Mr Calder told BBC News. | Four 747 aircraft carrying a total of 1,500 passengers would leave the UK for Thailand tonight, Mr Calder told BBC News. |
| "They will arrive in Thai time tomorrow afternoon and nobody quite knows what the situation will be then." | "They will arrive in Thai time tomorrow afternoon and nobody quite knows what the situation will be then." |
| There were between 10,000 and 30,000 British tourists already in Thailand - about 2,000 of them in Bangkok, he added. | There were between 10,000 and 30,000 British tourists already in Thailand - about 2,000 of them in Bangkok, he added. |
| "It must be very tense there, and people who have relatives and friends in the Thai capital will be understandably concerned." | "It must be very tense there, and people who have relatives and friends in the Thai capital will be understandably concerned." |
| The Association of British Travel Agents' head of corporate affairs Keith Betton told BBC News British flights to Thailand would be diverted to land in neighbouring countries if necessary. | The Association of British Travel Agents' head of corporate affairs Keith Betton told BBC News British flights to Thailand would be diverted to land in neighbouring countries if necessary. |
| Independent travellers should stay off the streets of Bangkok, he added. | Independent travellers should stay off the streets of Bangkok, he added. |
| I am confident I will be able to get out when I need to Engineer Steve Cowls | |
| A spokeswoman for travel agent Thomas Cook told BBC News there was "no apparent threat to tourists" and the main holiday resorts remained unaffected. | A spokeswoman for travel agent Thomas Cook told BBC News there was "no apparent threat to tourists" and the main holiday resorts remained unaffected. |
| But the company would continue to monitor the situation "very very carefully". | But the company would continue to monitor the situation "very very carefully". |
| Steve Cowls, 46, of Oxford, an engineer working on a Thai naval base 150km (93 miles) south-east of Bangkok told BBC News no one there was even aware of the state of emergency. | |
| "Everyone here is doing normal things - there is no indication that anything is going down." | "Everyone here is doing normal things - there is no indication that anything is going down." |
| Mr Cowls, who had been due to fly back to the UK from Bangkok on Thursday, added he was now considering leaving Thailand by travelling overland south to Singapore rather than attempting to enter the capital. | |
| "I will work out what is best for me - but I am confident I will be able to get out when I need to." | "I will work out what is best for me - but I am confident I will be able to get out when I need to." |
Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| You can send pictures and video from Thailand to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. | You can send pictures and video from Thailand to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |