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Crowds warning to Bangkok Britons Bangkok Britons warned after coup
(about 4 hours later)
Britons in Thailand are being warned by the Foreign Office to avoid large crowds and demonstrations after a military coup to oust the country's PM.Britons in Thailand are being warned by the Foreign Office to avoid large crowds and demonstrations after a military coup to oust the country's PM.
Martial law has been declared following the coup which took place while Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was at the United Nations in New York. Martial law has been declared following the coup, which took place on Tuesday while Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was at the United Nations in New York.
"Movements around government buildings and in public may be restricted," the Foreign Office is warning Britons. The FO is urging Britons planning trips to Thailand to monitor the situation but has not advised against travel.
It says the British Embassy in Bangkok is monitoring the situation closely. Those already in Bangkok should avoid moving around the city, it says.
The Foreign Office is urging Britons planning to travel to Thailand to monitor the local situation but has not advised against visiting the country. And it warns movement around government buildings and in public places may be limited.
Those currently in Bangkok should avoid moving around the city, the Foreign Office added. The Australian government is strongly advising its citizens to reconsider travelling to Thailand and urging "extreme caution" for those already in the country.
British tourists Britons living in Bangkok said it was quiet and calm on the capital's streets as the coup entered its second day.
British Airways said its service to Bangkok was "operating as normal" and that the last flight of the day to the city had left on Tuesday night. But with a broadcast news blackout in operation, many are relying on the internet for information.
Simon Calder, travel editor of the Independent newspaper, told BBC News that the flights from the UK would arrive in Thailand during the afternoon local time. The streets are very quiet but there is no panic, there are some military around the streets of Silom Sukhumvit but mostly it is centred around the Sanam Luang and Dusit areas of the city Barry Osborne href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5362228.stm" class="">Military grip tightens href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5362388.stm" class="">Britons tell of 'calm' coup
"Nobody quite knows what the situation will be then," he said. Wednesday has been declared a public holiday, with schools, banks, and the stock exchange closed.
There were between 10,000 and 30,000 British tourists already in Thailand - about 2,000 of them in Bangkok, he added. Barry Osborne, general manager of the British Club Bangkok said: "The streets are very quiet but there is no panic, there are some military around the streets of Silom Sukhumvit but mostly it is centred around the Sanam Luang and Dusit areas of the city."
About 750,000 British tourists travel to Thailand every year. And Mark Fraser, chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce, said there was a light military presence and it was a "little bit like a Sunday".
"It must be very tense there, and people who have relatives and friends in the Thai capital will be understandably concerned," Mr Calder said. British Airways said its service to Bangkok was "operating as normal".
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 airline is giving passengers booked on flights on Wednesday the option of postponing their trip or transferring to another destination.
But Simon Calder, travel editor of the Independent newspaper, told BBC News this did not apply to other airlines and that those who cancelled holidays would not be covered by their travel insurance.
He said there were between 10,000 and 30,000 British tourists already in Thailand - about 2,000 of them in Bangkok.
But as many of them were backpackers it was hard to tell exactly how many were in the Thai capital.
'Business as usual'
He said reports from tourist areas such as Phuket, where most Britons were likely to be staying, indicated that it was "business as usual" with tourists continuing their holidays unperturbed.
The Association of British Travel Agents' head of corporate affairs Keith Betton told BBC News that 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 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."
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."
The coup leaders have declared loyalty to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and it is unclear whether Mr Thaksin intends to return home.The coup leaders have declared loyalty to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and it is unclear whether Mr Thaksin intends to return home.
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Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
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