Hello,
We were planning a family trip to Thailand in Feb or March & now there is a travel warning there for Westerners visiting tourist spots. Does anyone have any info on this or know what it's really like there? I can't decide if we should just cancel our trip - I don't want to take my family where it could be dangerous. But then I hate that I am letting something like this control my life. We never know what's going to happen - something could happen here in my hometown or a trip to New York or Disney. I really want to still go but worry I am being careless with our lives. I need some thoughts from people who know what Thailand is really like & if it really is dangerous or being exxagerated.
Hi everyone, thank you so much for the responses you have given. It has definitely given me something to think about. This is the website that currently has the warning for US tourists. I found it by selecting Thailand from a pull down list of countries on the us embassy website.
http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/011312emergencymessage.html
It is not about the flooding anymore (which had concerned me for awhile!) but now it is for possible bomb threats that intelligence has picked up somehow. We do plan to go to Bangkok & I would not want to miss some of the amazing tourist spots they have there if we go. I would rather wait & go another time.
Here is a news article about the bomb, thank you to Bug for giving me the info to google it...it did come up that a bomb was being made that could have been used in a tourist destination.
http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/17/1017662...
Does this change anything for anyone?
The State Dept. issues travel warnings based on what they know, and they don't tell us everything. If they are saying Westerners visiting there could be in danger, i would take heed of that and not endanger my family.
My good friend is a Teacher in Syria.
I know that is not Thailand.....but things are unstable across the world right now.
She was told to come home via the school she was working for. Not unusual when things get rough over there.
When she went to apply for her VISA to go back...They told her there was a hold on ALL visa's to go back. She would have to keep checking back.
I would say staying state side for now would be the safer way to go. Some may call me crazy. I am ok with that title. Things are scary.
If my friend can not go back to the country she LIVES in because of the times....And she wants to be there right now.....Thailand is probably just as scary..maybe not as violent...but all the same scary.
You are so right, something could happen on any trip here in the US. The only difference, is you are protected differently in the US, then in other countries. You are also less of a personal target and stick out less in America. The likelihood of your family being targeted at Disney World, is far less then when you travel to Thailand.
The travel warnings are because of a very high terror threat. They stopped a bombing in a very high tourist area. There was a car with thousands of pounds of explosives. These are terrorist groups involved in these threats. We're talking Hezbollah. It was targeted (they believe) at the Israeli embassy and American tourists.
I can't see how it's worth it, honestly. There was literally a car bomb near tourist centers in Bangkok, that they were lucky enough to intercept. That's not exaggerating. It's really dangerous.
P.S.
The most recent warning, is because of terrorist unrest in the area. I really don't know anything about a natural disaster warning, so I have nothing to add about that!!
Do you know that the warning is because of the flooding? I would not consider that to be something that you should think in terms of not wanting it to "control your life". Natural disasters change the landscape of what you expect in your vacation and there are plenty of other wonderful places to go.
Find another place to go and in a few years when things are better, go to Thailand. You want to really have a good time - that's important as well as being safe.
Dawn
I cannot offer you any information from personal experience, but this is a website you might want to watch:
http://www.safetravel.govt.nz/destinations/thailand.shtml
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html - Current government issued travel warnings
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1766.html - Current government issued travel alerts
Unless I'm missing something, Thailand is not on the list of current travel warnings or alerts. Where did you get this information? If you are referring to the country specific information on the same website, it is more of a general warning and not linked to a specific threat. Just like you should be aware when visiting any foreign country. I'd go.
I'm going to India next week and there is a potential for terrorism there as well. Doesn't mean I will cancel my trip.
I wouldn't take the chance - I would cancel. Thailand will still be there - you can go another time.
I just got back from Bangkok last week and I did not perceive any danger. I went to many of the tourist sites and felt very safe. I also was alone on ferry boats and in taxis and felt perfectly safe. I checked the US gov travel watch site and there is not a current warning.
We came from Phuket (Thailand) not long ago - no problems there. Great beaches, great surf, great food, friendly locals. Some flooding was happening earlier in Bangkok but it is all cleared now. Friends of ours have a beach house in Phuket, they visited Chiang Mai and Bangkok recently with no problems whatsoever. Thai people are very friendly, smiley and love children. It is up to you, of course, but Thailand is generally safe if you stay away from seedy areas but be careful with pickpockets and people trying to steer you towards shopping areas. Good luck.
My father's over there now and has been for nearly 6 months. He's gone numerous times over the past few years for various lengths of time. Nary a problem. Currently he's having a grand time and there haven't been any safety issues. Mostly the weather has been a bit wild with flooding but it hasn't affected him. Happy travels.
Thailand is amazing! Definitely go and enjoy. Took a family trip last year and have been 3 times before. Obviously Phuket and ko samui are much safer than Bangkok so spend most of your time there you will enjoy it more anyway. 3 days in Bangkok was plenty for us and 10 days in Phuket. Thai people are very friendly and all 4 times we have been we have met and had dinner/visited temples/and hung out with locals we have met. Our 1st trip we meet a taxi driver who had 3 grandchildren and every time we visit he takes care of us driving us places, organising tours, great authentic food and invites us to his home. So just an example. Just take your precautions b4 you go register that you are travelling and have the US embassy info with you at all times and enjoy your trip.
My sister just arrived there a few days ago to visit my 2 cousins in 2 different locations in thailand, they say it's fine, and actually none of us have heard there is a travel warning right now!
Why would someone say Thailand is "scary" without having a reason for it, besides a vague "the world" is unstable? B.S.
Go with Amanda H's website on current government issued travel warnings. See what's on the list, click the country in question, and it will tell you what's up and why they've issued a warning. Thailand is not currently on that list. There was a really bad flooding in the Chao Phraya and in the Mekong River basin (don't go in monsoon season, which should be obvious), where about 500 people died, plus all the bad that comes with heavy flooding.
I facebooked my friend of 19 years who has been living in Chiang Mai with his family now for 7 years (because the Thai govt did say it was "all fine" before it was), and asked how it all was now, open for tourists, etc. His exact answer 22 minutes ago:
"It's all cleared up now. No problems except in a couple of provinces where tourists would never travel anyway. Why? Thinking of visiting?"
In November his mom made her first international trip ever to visit them in Thailand and he wouldn't have allowed that had it been questionable.
I say go and have a great time with your family. Take lots of pictures, and have some adventure! Although, I would probably steer clear of the Burmese border. Current news there is Aung San Suu Kyi has launched a bid for parliament which is AWESOME but it also means potential volatility since it's been a hard core military state for so long. I don't see the powers that be being sweet about handing over power when someone as loved as Suu Kyi is now free and wanting to step into politics. I have a friend near the Burma (Myanmar) border that works with refugees from there and it's not a place to visit with family. But the country is a big country. That's like saying don't come to the USA because there's drug issues in Brownsville.
My family and I just returned from a 2 week stay there with friends for the Christmas holiday and had a wonderful time. We were in Koh Samui and Bangkok. The people were warm and friendly and seemed happy to have tourists returning after all the flooding. There were lots of people from Russia, Australia, Germany...all over the world visiting. Crossing the street was really scary in Bangkok where cars and mopeds are zooming all over the place but I have felt the same way in Istanbul, Turkey. The U. S. can be a scary place for tourists from other countries because their perception is that everyone walks around with a loaded gun and yet they still come to visit. Every country has it's problems. If you are really worried about Thailand then you should keep an eye on the Gov't warnings and news and do what makes you most comfortable.
