East Asia / Pacific
Destination Report: Thailand
By JoAnne Green
September 2, 2008

Political Turmoil

September 2 Update:

"Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej declared a state of emergency in Bangkok on Tuesday, state radio announced, hours after clashes between opponents and supporters of his government left one dead," according to an AFP report on September 2, 2008.

Posted August 31, 2008:

A group of protesters in the capital city of Bangkok, Thailand, whish ironically calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, has since Tuesday, August 26, 2008, been demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej who was democratically elected just eight months earlier by a large majority. “The group began its occupation of the Government House compound on Tuesday and has blocked streets in the capital. It has had allies in state enterprise unions disrupt rail and air services around the country through strikes and blockades. Its leader for the southern provinces, Sunton Raksarong, threatened Sunday to have the group shut down seven airports in his region — which serve thousands of foreign tourists everyday — if the government imposes emergency rule. Three airports were closed by protest blockades Friday night, with the busiest, at the popular tourist destination of Phuket, reopening only on Sunday. Sunton threatened to block major roads to the South. Some roads in the south, north and northeast were temporarily blocked last week,” according to an Associated Press report on Sunday, August 31, 2008.

Travel Advisories

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs gives the following advice Australians who are traveling, working or living in Thailand: “Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas, organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy.”

The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office gives the following advice British people who are traveling, working or living in Thailand: “We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.”

The Canadian Foreign Affairs Office gives the following advice to Canadians who are traveling, working or living in Thailand: “Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover costs if you get sick or are injured while abroad. Out-of-country healthcare can be costly, and your health plan will cover only part of the bill at best. It is your responsibility to obtain supplementary travel insurance and understand the terms of your policy. Some credit card companies offer their holders health and travel insurance. Do not assume that coverage is automatically included or that the card alone provides adequate coverage.”

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade gives the following advice to New Zealanders “New Zealanders travelling or resident in Thailand should have comprehensive medical and travel insurance policies in place that include provision for medical evacuation by air.”

The U.S. Department of State gives the following advice to Americans who are traveling, working or living in Thailand: “We strongly urge you to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation and overseas medical services. Please keep in mind that Medicare does not cover any illness or injury that occurs outside of the United States.”

How We Can Help

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