Foreign Office gives new warning to holidaymakers visiting Thailand

The Foreign Office has warned holidaymakers visiting Thailand to be extra vigilant after protests in Bangkok escalated into violence over the weekend.

It is also advising holidaymakers to ensure they have comprehensive travel insurance before visiting Thailand.

Several people were killed and many hundreds were injured when anti-government protestors clashed with security forces in the Thai capital on Saturday.

While the Tourism Authority of Thailand insists the protests are not aimed at tourists and they affect only a small part of Bangkok, the UK Foreign Office is advising British visitors to exercise 'extreme caution throughout the country'.

It has repeated earlier warnings to holidaymakers to avoid large gatherings and, if violence breaks out again, the Foreign Office said they should stay indoors and monitor the media and the Foreign Office website.

Some British holidaymakers have already altered their itineraries to avoid Bangkok, according to UK tour operators, but they are continued to sell holidays to Bangkok and the rest of Thailand.

Holidaymakers who want to alter or cancel pre-booked trips should speak to their tour operators but, as the Foreign Office has not issued a travel ban to Thailand, they are not obliged to offer free changes or cancellations.

Some festivities to celebrate Songkran, Thailand's new year, have been cancelled but the tourism authority said most were going ahead as usual in Bangkok and elsewhere across the country.

However, tourists who attend such celebrations should be extra vigilant following a red-shirt attack on a Songkran festival last year in which two people died.

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