Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, leader of the coup makers (National Council for Peace and Order – NCPO), explained that the council had taken over the authority of the House and the Senate for the time being in case any actions required parliamentary approval. The council’s key objectives are to ensure a reform of political, economic and social institutions in order to bring out peace and order to the kingdom.
With a nationwide curfew (from Midnight to 4am hours) currently being the only implication on people’s everyday lives, life goes on as per normal in Bangkok and throughout Thailand.
Security has been stepped up in certain areas in the country, including at the provincial hall, train station, power station and bus station, to prevent ill-intentioned people from inciting violence.
Transport
All airports throughout Thailand, including at key international gateways – Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang), Phuket, Ko Samui, Hat Yai and Chiang Mai – are open and operating as per normal. Airlines continue to operate incoming and outgoing flights as per normal.
Air passengers with arrival and departure flights scheduled during curfew are allowed to travel to and from the airports at any time as usual.
Other modes of transport, by road, rail and waterway, are also operating as per normal throughout Thailand, including at key tourist destinations, such as, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Ko Samui, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.
But operating hours have been adjusted to comply with the curfew, i.e. the BTS Skytrain and MRT Subway systems in Bangkok are now operating from 06.00 – 21.00 hours while inter-provincial passenger bus services will not be operating during curfew.
Tourism-related businesses and services
All tourism-related businesses and services, including hotels, spas, restaurants, entertainment venues, cinemas, convention centres, shopping malls, superstores, convenient stores, as well as banks, petrol and gas stations, are open and operating as per normal, but operating hours have been adjusted to comply with the curfew. Hospitals and medical personal are permitted to carry on with their normal operating hours.
Telephone both landline and mobile and Internet services are available 24/7 as per normal.
In popular southern Thai beach destinations including Ko Samui and Phuket, all tourism-related businesses and services are operating as per normal, but curfew has been observed.
In key administrative and political strongholds including Bangkok and Chiang Mai, all tourism-related businesses and services are operating as per normal, but curfew has been widely observed. Particularly at these two destinations, tourists are advised to vigilant and check travel routing before travelling to avoid being inconvenienced by the anti-coup or soldiers’ movements.
To sum up, all attractions in Bangkok and other tourist destinations throughout Thailand are open and operating as per normal. But curfew has been observed, particularly at tourism-related venues that normally close after 22.00 hours.
Info for international visitors entering the Bangkok Metropolitan Area
The following measures are prepared for travellers travelling to Bangkok and the immediate vicinity:
- Individual travellers – both tourists and foreign residents – are advised to keep their passports and other travel documents handy at all times, in case they are required for inspection by security officers.
- Group travellers on tour coaches, accompanied by a tour guide or tour leader, are allowed to pass through the checkpoints without any worry.
- Taxi services at Suvarnabhumi Airport are available 24 hours at the Platform of the Passenger Terminal on the 1st Floor, Gates 4 and 7. There are 6,000 – 7,000 authorised taxis with Suvarnabhumi Airport stickers displayed on the front windscreen. Security checkpoint officers will allow access for these vehicles.
- Any passenger who cannot find a mean of transport out of Suvarnabhumi Airport during curfew may use the facilities available at the CIP Lounges 1-4, located on the 3rd floor of the Passenger Terminal.
- The shuttle bus service between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports are operating as per normal.
- For more information, contact Survarnabhumi Airport Call Centre Tel: 1722.
Visa and checkpoints
Tourists can continue to apply for visa as usual as the NCPO has called for civil servants at all ministries and government agencies to carry on with their normal duties.
All international checkpoints – airports, border checkpoints and sea ports – are open and operating as per normal. However, there may be a strong military presence at certain border checkpoints.
Tourist hotlines
Tourists visiting Thailand can contact the following numbers for further information and assistance:
TAT Call Centre 1672
Tourist Police Call Centre 1155
Traffic Police Call Centre 1197
BMTA (city bus and van service) Call Centre 1348
BTS Hotline +66 (0) 2617 6000
MRT Customer Relations Center +66 (0) 2624 5200
SRT (train service) Call Centre 1690
Transport Co., Ltd., (inter-provincial bus service) Call Centre 1490
AOT (Suvarnabhumi Airport) Call Centre 1722
Thai Airways International Call Centre +66 (0) 2356 1111
Bangkok Airways Call Centre 1771
Nok Air Call Centre 1318
Thai AirAsia Call Centre +66 (0) 2515 9999
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is closely monitoring the situation, and would like to inform tourists and the tourism industry that all concerned public and private agencies will exercise utmost efforts to ensure tourist’s convenience. Under the current circumstances, TAT will be providing updates on a daily basis at www.tatnews.org
