UPDATED: Is It Safe to Travel to Thailand?

Updated January 22: On the evening of January 21, the government of the Kingdom of Thailand declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. "The decree provides the government additional authorities to deal with security challenges, such as impose curfews, ban certain assemblies, detain suspects without charge, and restrict information. The government has not yet specified what authorities it will invoke under the decree. We continue to advise citizens to avoid protests, demonstrations and large gatherings," the US Embassy in Bangkok said in a statement.

With departures for the Spring Festival holiday set to begin in earnest this weekend, many holders of air tickets to Thailand are wondering: is it safe for me to travel there, in light of large political protests in Bangkok?

The answer is, probably yes. We've previously written about this quite a bit in Talking Travel, but now is the time to make a definitive decision, barring any turns for the worst there, which we'll address a bit further down.

"The risk in Bangkok is still minimal. There's more chance of being hurt in a traffic accident. But, play safe by avoiding any protesters," tweeted Richard Barrow, a full-time travel blogger based in Bangkok whose Twitter feed has become a real-time commentary on the situation in the Thai capital. Barrow's message has been consistent since the current round of protests started: don't cancel your plans, but stay away from areas where protests are taking place. People have been killed during the protests, and it is possible that these mostly peaceful gatherings could turn in a negative direction.

On Sunday, the US State Department issued a Thailand Travel Alert: "The US Department of State alerts US citizens of the potential risks of travel to Thailand, particularly Bangkok, due to ongoing political and social unrest ahead of Thai parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place nationwide on February 2, 2014," the alert said.

Visitors should understand that the protests are disruptive by nature, and will result in road closures, subway stop or line closures, and other transport problems that may affect movement around the city, all of which may diminish enjoyment of a Bangkok visit.

Travelers who will only be transiting through Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang International Airport on their way to other areas like Ko Samui and Phuket should expect no disruptions, as protests are confined to Bangkok. Theorhetically, there shouldn't be any disruptions at the airport, although protesters in late 2011 occupied Bangkok's airports and didn't permit incoming or outgoing flights for weeks. As of this writing, everything is normal, although passengers should check with their airline for any changes. Thai Airways already has a page dedicated to flight changes and cancellations due to the protests.

Now, all of this assumes that the situation will not change. The protests are unlikely to end before February 2, when national elections in Thailand take place. Demonstrations in 2008 ended peacefully, although the occupation of airports stranded thousands of passengers. Protests in 2010 ended with demonstrators burning major Bangkok shopping malls and landmarks including the historic Scala cinema.

So, for now, continue with your plans, keep an eye on the situation, stay with the Beijinger for updates, and for people headed to Bangkok, avoid protest areas. Ask at your hotel or pick up local papers like the English-language Bangkok Post to stay abreast of planned protest activities and areas for the day.

Photo: ChannelNewsAsia