Bangkok -- situation update

I flew into Bangkok last night (7 May) and was really pleased to see Sufannabum, Soovannapom, er, the international airport so busy. Actually I wasn't pleased -- it was so damn busy I had to queue five minutes to get a plate of pad thai noodles.

Anyway, it's a sign that things are back to normal in the City of Angels. (If the word 'normal' can ever be applied to Bangkok, that is.) Perhaps a lot of pent-up demand from business people and tourists that chose not to come here in the last few weeks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has put the following status update information together exclusively for you, the dear readers of Thailand JING JING. Jing Jing!

"In terms of inconveniences and disruptions to the general public, anti-government protests in Thailand are now largely confined to only certain locations in Bangkok, namely, around the Ratchaprasong Intersection. In particular, popular tourist destinations in most parts of the country remain unaffected, and the country’s transportation systems, including the two Bangkok airports (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang), are operating as normal.


"For foreigners living in or visiting the Kingdom, it is important to note that foreigners have never been targeted in political conflicts in Thailand. 

"Information regarding the overall political situation in Thailand is available on the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s website at . In addition, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has a 24-hour hotline at 1672 and general information for tourists is updated on its websites at http://www.tatnews.org and http://www.tourismthailand.org, while the Thai Tourist Police is ready to answer enquiries and provide assistance to tourists. The 24-hour Tourist Police hotline is 1155."

So the point is, come back to Bangkok now. It's a great time to squeeze hotels, car rentals, etc, for great deals, and you can enjoy a bit more space for yourself on the beaches of Thailand and in the usual tourist haunts.

Just to clarify: the airport was busy with people coming IN, not leaving. And the pad thai was well worth the wait. Not to mention the mango sticky rice, and the mango, lychee and apple smoothie ...