Holiday Business As Usual for Tourists in Thailand

Thousands of British tourists in Thailand were continuing their holidays today largely unaffected by yesterday's military coup, according to UK travel agents.

Keith Betton, the head of corporate affairs at the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), said: "It's very much business as usual, with flights to and from Thailand continuing as normal.

"It's really only Britons who are in the centre of Bangkok who are likely to be affected by the coup. These people will need to be aware of what's going on and should not, for example, take pictures of the military."

Around 20,000 British expatriates live in Thailand and about 750,000 UK tourists visit the country each year, many of them spending time in Bangkok, the capital. However, it is currently low season for travel to Thailand, with just 2,000 Britons currently on holiday there: half of them on packages and most at coastal resorts well away from Bangkok.

Mr Betton said: "This is a quiet time for UK tourism to Thailand and is in contrast to the period coming up. There will be around 8,000 to 9,000 Britons out there in December."

The Foreign Office said today that Britons in Bangkok should avoid moving around the capital wherever possible.

The government's travel advice continued: "If you intend to travel to, or are currently in, Thailand, you should monitor all available information on the local situation and keep in contact with your tour operator.

"You should also avoid any demonstrations and large crowds. Movements around government buildings in Bangkok and in public may be restricted until the situation becomes clearer."

However with the coup apparently bloodless and no reports so far of Britons getting into difficulties, diplomats stopped short of advising UK nationals not to visit the country.

Thomson Holidays said it had 194 clients in Thailand. A Thomson spokeswoman added: "All our people out there are fine. Most are in coastal resorts. We have a flight going out to Thailand from the UK today and everyone due to travel will be doing so."

Another holiday company, Thomas Cook, said it has around 200 Britons in Thailand. A spokeswoman for the company said: "All our clients have been contacted by our reps.

"The coup does not seem to have had any impact on tourists. Our flights in and out of the country are continuing and everything is carrying on as normal."

British Airways said its services to Bangkok were "operating as normal", but the company was monitoring the situation.

Long-haul specialist Kuoni also said its customers in Thailand were continuing with their trips and excursions as planned for the time being.

"We have received reports this morning from our local agents in Bangkok to advise that all clients in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand are continuing with their holidays as normal and excursions are operating as planned," read a statement on its website.

"None of our clients in Thailand have asked to amend or curtail their travel plans in any way."