Travel to Thailand cancelled for a week

Hong Kong package tours to Bangkok have been cancelled for one week, while the Singapore government has announced that all citizens travelling to Thailand must register their travel plans online before they leave the country.

The Hong Kong travel red alert follows the Thai government’s announcement that it has placed the city and nearby provinces under the Internal Security Act in an attempt to curtail  violence during red shirt rallies over the weekend.

Under Hong Kong’s red alert, travellers are advised to avoid non-essential trips and adjust their travel plans because of a “significant threat.”

It is the first time such an alert has been issued in Hong Kong since the system came into operation in October last year. The highest level is black, or a “severe threat.”

Secretary for Security Ambrose, Lee Siu-kwong, urged people planning to visit Bangkok to adjust their itineraries.

Travel Industry Council executive director, Joseph Tung Yao-chung, said travel agencies were advised to cancel package tours leaving for Bangkok until next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Singaporean travellers are being told to register online, filing details of their travel plans to Thailand, as a precaution before they leave the country. The country issued a similar instruction in April 2009 when red shirts rioted in Pattaya forcing the Asean Leaders Summit to close.

Corporate travel from the region is also taking a hit as security warnings are issued by major corporations cancelling travel to Thailand. Most corporations hire security risk companies that provide recommendations on security based on monthly risk assessments. Leading US companies based in Singapore are already alerting their executives to postpone trips based on these independent assessments.