The political unrest in Thailand continues to escalate, prompting Hong Kong to increase its threat assessment of the country, and recommending against travel to the capital city of Bangkok.
In Hong Kong, the Security Bureau has elevated its Outbound Travel Alert against Bangkok from “Amber” (see here for earlier report) to “Red”, meaning that visitors to the city face “significant threat”. Those with plans to travel to Bangkok are advised to postpone their visit and avoid any non-essential travel to the Thai capital at this point. Hong Kong travel agencies have also begun cancelling package tours to Bangkok, The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports.
An online report from this morning by the Bangkok Post stated that clashes between anti-government demonstrators and the police have intensified since yesterday, and have now spread to four different sites, leading to almost 100 protestors being injured. According to Thailand’s Public Health Ministry, most of the injuries have been caused by tear gas exposure, but there were also three people who were shot, one of whom remains in critical condition. These figures mean that a total of 221 people have been injured since Saturday, when the first signs of violence occurred. A further three have been killed.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who remained silent during the last couple of days, made her first televised appearance yesterday, in which she emphasised her duty to the country, and rejected protestors’ demands for her immediate resignation and a re-election. "I don't want to hold on to power. Anything I can do to bring back peace, I'm willing to do ... but what I can do must be under the constitution," SCMP quoted her as saying.
For more information, visit www.sb.gov.hk
Clement Huang
