Bangkok’s Current State of Emergency
Is Bangkok safe to visit?
This is a question that has been asked over and over again since 2005, when then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was deposed in a coup. I recently addressed whether you should cancel your trip to Thailand, but some facts have changed, so here’s a quick update. Please keep in mind that not everyone has the same threshold for personal safety. No one can tell you whether you should or should come to Bangkok or Thailand, but here are some facts to consider.
Almost everything below deals with Bangkok and not the rest of Thailand, which has not been significantly impacted by the turmoil. If you are considering a trip to Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai or somewhere else outside of Bangkok, chances are it’s going to be totally fine and you should not worry about canceling your trip.
The political situation could change at any time so keep an eye on the news. This is an essential safety tip if you are already in the country.
Thailand’s has been going through an on-again, off-again political tension since the military coup in 2006 that deposed Thaksin Shinawatra. Though some predicted that the coup would actually lead to greater stability, there have been numerous destabilizing events since then and others now argue that the situation is getting worse.
Most recently, anti-government actors have made it clear that they do not want democratic elections, scheduled for February 2, 2014, to go forward. Instead, it appears that they are asking the military to intervene and stage a coup.
This movement, called the Bangok Shutdown, has occupied various parts of central Bangkok, including large intersections along central arteries.
In early voting for those unable to make it to the polls in February, this movement physically prevented people from voting, shutting down all 50 polling stations in the capital.
Since 2006, the big events have included a mass occupation of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, which stranded thousands and thousands of people for more than a week, a week-slong mass occupation of the center of Bangkok, which ultimately culminated in a crackdown by government forces. Many were inured and killed and millions of dollars in property was damaged.
The current crisis continues to escalate, and with national elections already scheduled, but one major party vowing to boycott them and potentially physically stop others from voting, things may become more violent and unpredictable.
Americans have not been told by the US State Department that they should not travel to Thailand. Virtually no other countries are telling their citizens that Thailand is too dangerous a destination to visit. However, the US and other countries are issuing travel advisories or warnings, telling their citizens that there is some danger and that they should be cautious and/or avoid certain areas and activities.
A quick recap of past big events:
2010. Small pockets of violence, including a gun battle on Khao San Road, the country’s most famous backpacker neighborhood. Significant violence in the Ratchaprasong area of central Bangkok, with many protestors and others ending up injured and some killed.
2008. The airport siege, when anti-government protesters overtook the capital airport and stopped air traffic for more than a week as part of a larger demonstration against the democratically popular party.
2006. Military coup that overthrew current prime minister and installed an interim military government.
I've given this advice before, but it bears repeating:
If you do decide to come, exercise caution and use common sense. It might seem exciting to be in the middle of a big political demonstration that seems totally peaceful, but if you don’t speak the language, you really have no idea what people are saying or what is going on. Serious violence has erupted in places where no one was expecting it and you don’t want to get caught up in it with no way to get out. Recently, some anti-government and other demonstrators have deliberately targeted foreign journalists. Walking around a mob scene with a camera in hand may attract negative attention. Better to stay away from the demonstrations.
This is a question that has been asked over and over again since 2005, when then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was deposed in a coup. I recently addressed whether you should cancel your trip to Thailand, but some facts have changed, so here’s a quick update. Please keep in mind that not everyone has the same threshold for personal safety. No one can tell you whether you should or should come to Bangkok or Thailand, but here are some facts to consider.
Almost everything below deals with Bangkok and not the rest of Thailand, which has not been significantly impacted by the turmoil. If you are considering a trip to Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai or somewhere else outside of Bangkok, chances are it’s going to be totally fine and you should not worry about canceling your trip.
The political situation could change at any time so keep an eye on the news. This is an essential safety tip if you are already in the country.
Thailand’s has been going through an on-again, off-again political tension since the military coup in 2006 that deposed Thaksin Shinawatra. Though some predicted that the coup would actually lead to greater stability, there have been numerous destabilizing events since then and others now argue that the situation is getting worse.
Most recently, anti-government actors have made it clear that they do not want democratic elections, scheduled for February 2, 2014, to go forward. Instead, it appears that they are asking the military to intervene and stage a coup.
This movement, called the Bangok Shutdown, has occupied various parts of central Bangkok, including large intersections along central arteries.
In early voting for those unable to make it to the polls in February, this movement physically prevented people from voting, shutting down all 50 polling stations in the capital.
Since 2006, the big events have included a mass occupation of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, which stranded thousands and thousands of people for more than a week, a week-slong mass occupation of the center of Bangkok, which ultimately culminated in a crackdown by government forces. Many were inured and killed and millions of dollars in property was damaged.
The current crisis continues to escalate, and with national elections already scheduled, but one major party vowing to boycott them and potentially physically stop others from voting, things may become more violent and unpredictable.
Americans have not been told by the US State Department that they should not travel to Thailand. Virtually no other countries are telling their citizens that Thailand is too dangerous a destination to visit. However, the US and other countries are issuing travel advisories or warnings, telling their citizens that there is some danger and that they should be cautious and/or avoid certain areas and activities.
A quick recap of past big events:
2010. Small pockets of violence, including a gun battle on Khao San Road, the country’s most famous backpacker neighborhood. Significant violence in the Ratchaprasong area of central Bangkok, with many protestors and others ending up injured and some killed.
2008. The airport siege, when anti-government protesters overtook the capital airport and stopped air traffic for more than a week as part of a larger demonstration against the democratically popular party.
2006. Military coup that overthrew current prime minister and installed an interim military government.
I've given this advice before, but it bears repeating:
If you do decide to come, exercise caution and use common sense. It might seem exciting to be in the middle of a big political demonstration that seems totally peaceful, but if you don’t speak the language, you really have no idea what people are saying or what is going on. Serious violence has erupted in places where no one was expecting it and you don’t want to get caught up in it with no way to get out. Recently, some anti-government and other demonstrators have deliberately targeted foreign journalists. Walking around a mob scene with a camera in hand may attract negative attention. Better to stay away from the demonstrations.
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