UPDATE: 14-17 May: situation very tense in Central Bangkok, high risk of unrest and violent clashes with security forced expected to try and clear out the protesters during the weekend. State of Emergency extended to 17 provinces (not Phuket or Surat Thani – Samui), Not all areas of Bangkok are unsafe, but the city is best avoided at present. Watch the press for hourly updates.
Thailand is once again in the grip of deadly political struggle that has reared its ugly head during the 2010 Songkran festival in April. Bangkok is under siege from protesting ‘red shirts’ and tourists are being advised by their country’s respective foreign offices to stay away. So is it indeed unsafe to visit Thailand?
It depends where you intend to visit. The country’s political stability is very much a tinderbox with both sides intent on fanning the flames of confrontation, but as always the standoff is confined to districts of the capital while the rest of the country goes about its business. On the islands or around the North the only heat you are likely to experience is the intense summer weather.
As before, during the previous flare-ups, tourists were able to enjoy the usual peaceful holiday, with welcoming Thai smiles. While events in Bangkok can and might turn deadly quite suddenly, those who have planned a visit to Thailand at present are unlikely to be at risk if they stay away from the capital.
The confrontation presently going on between the disenfranchised rural ‘red shirts’ and the government under a State of Emergency, is limited to a protest site in Central Bangkok near the Siam Square/Ratchaprasong area. This is a popular tourist and hotel area, though noted mainly for shopping rather than sightseeing. Those staying in the lower Sukhumwit road area will not be at risk but travel will be inconvenient.
The protesters have abandoned their site near the Democracy Monument, making it safer for tourists to visit the numerous exotic sights in the Rattanakosin district. It is realistic to spend several nights in Bangkok and entirely avoid the trouble, which is confined to one single district. The Silom area, noted for its Red Light District of Patpong is also at risk of being included. The protesters have also pledged not to close down the airport, as their rival Yellow Shirts did in 2008.
Although travellers needn’t cancel their trip entirely, nor put off plans to visit later in the year, the situation could spiral out of control quite rapidly. It won’t suddenly place tourists at risk, with a sudden need to evacuate, but foreigners are advised to keep an eye on their foreign office web advisories (usually overly prudent) and monitor events on local news sites such as the Bangkok Post and Nation Newspaper.
Background in brief
Anyone who regularly reads a newspaper will be quite used to hearing about Thailand’s political disagreements by now. Ever since the 2006 coup that chucked out popular prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the country has been besieged by protests, occasional violent confrontation and bizarre political developments.
With a background of unequal wealth distribution and opportunities, and a political system easily manipulated by money and dishonest politicians, Thailand is suffering the growing pains of democratic evolution. The current crisis is a battle to monopolise power, played out between the exiled Thaksin, and the Military who ousted him. The present government is a minority government with tacit support from the generals.
The latest round of confrontation is perhaps the most heated of several, involving protesters and governments allied at one point or another to both power players. The red shirts who are presently on the streets in a very militant manner, are mostly the poor who are pushing for a revolutionary shift of power away from the wealthy elite, but also admit to trying to bring back Thaksin who has since been found guilty on several serious counts of corruption.
An election will invariably return to power proxy allies of this hugely popular by ethically flawed leader, therefore the military are seen to be meddling in politics to prevent this. Ultimately Thailand needs a wholesale reform and tightening of law and order to ensure level playing fields and more accountable politics, but neither side seems interested in compromising their hidden agendas at this point.
Therefore a protracted cycle of elections, dodgy governments and ultimately more protests seems likely in the mid term. Meanwhile business confidence and tourism suffers with each periodic flare up and uneasy settlement. Watch this space…
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