Is Bangkok safe for tourists ?
16 countries recently issued warnings about traveling in Thailand because of anti- government demonstrations in Bangkok, so the question is. Is Bangkok really dangerous for tourists ?
The answer is clearly NO! At least for now. Actually no country advises not to travel to Thailand, the warnings are for Bangkok< It is better to avoid areas where demonstrators gather . All attractions in Bangkok are still accessible and all services in the city are operating normalIy. Yesterdqy I even took the foolish risk to go to Democraty Monument, where protesters settle for days. It was a calculated risk of course as I suspected that the alarmist realeases of this 16 countries does not reflect the reality. They are in their role, applying the precautionary principle. In 2010 already , I walked among the Red Shirts demonstration and they were extremely peaceful and friendly ( they even offered me food ) and it is only when the repression by the army after two months started that thinks got ugly.. The risk, the real one, in my opinion, is there. As long as there is no repression , you will not tqke big risk even if you walk among the demonstrators. I can tell, I was there today.
So this morning , I went to Democraty Monument . And I must say I was very surprised to see the place was almost deserted and only a few dozen demonstrators sat in two large playgrounds installed for the occasion. 11am, it is very quiet . Noon, still quiet, 1 pm, same same …
It was only in late afternoon , around 4 pm that leaders speak out on the stage and chairs begin to fill . The street in front a bit too. It is true that in the night of Monday to Tuesday the Senate rejected the amnesty bill which is the reason why demonstrations started and that government promised not to represent the bill so protesters won and some demobilization was expected.
Everything went peacefully since the beginning of the movement and the organizers want to keep it that way! No violence.. And as long as the police or the army do not come to dispert the protesters , there is no reason why it turned into riot. The protests are still mobilized but but less numerous. Their goal: to overthrow the government that showed its corruption and disrespect for democracy and justice by proposing and pushing the amnesty bill.
After more movement will last , the more likely the government will take action to end it. But this is not for the next days. That’s why , yes, it is advisable not to go where protesters are. But Bangkok is, for the moment anyway , definitely not a city in chaos as suggested by some very uninformed sources. What is true is that it is unclear how the situation will evolve. The movement may stop in the coming days or get stronger with new revendications . Let’s say you need to keep you informed if you come to Bangkok in the coming days to know where the protests are and avoid them just by precaution . In the rest of Thailand, you will not have any problems at all. .
I’ll try to keep you informed the best I can even if I leave Bangkok today…
UPDATE 18 November 2013: The situation in Bangkok may become more tensed in the next days. It is better to avoid places where rallies are taking place. See article here.
