THAILAND: Tourists arriving in Bangkok say they feel safe despite the anti-government protests.

Record ID: 860006

  • Title: THAILAND: Tourists arriving in Bangkok say they feel safe despite the anti-government protests.
  • Date: 26th November 2013
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (NOVEMBER 26, 2013) (REUTERS) TOURISTS IN ARRIVAL HALL SIGN READING (ENGLISH): "WELCOME TO THAILAND" SIGNBOARD OF ARRIVALS TOURISTS ARRIVING TOURISTS WITH BAGGAGE DRIVERS WAITING FOR TOURISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM BRAZIL ELIANE GOMES SAYING: "I'm not scared, I don't know what's going on, so, but I'm very curious. Yeah." MORE OF TOURISTS ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM SPAIN ENRIQUE SAYING: "I don't know, I didn't know that. I just came for a few months here to have a good time." VARIOUS OF ARRIVAL HALL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SIGN TAXI STAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM GERMANY REGINA SAYING: "I've read about it, but, and I've heard about it, but, and I think it's safe for tourists, so." TAXIS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 11th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • City:
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Politics,Travel / Tourism
  • Reuters ID: LVA2ZQ9UAX8TE4TNVXI7LPIM3WR9
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Tourists arriving at Bangkok's international airport on Tuesday (November 26) were unafraid and mostly unaware of the anti-government protests that have plagued the capital all month.
    About 1,000 protesters forced their way inside the finance ministry building on Monday (November 25) in an escalating bid to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
    It came a day after 100,000 protesters marched the streets calling for the end to the "Thaksin regime."
    "I'm not scared, I don't know what's going on, so, but I'm very curious. Yeah," said Brazillian tourists Eliane Gomes.
    Yingluck said in a televised address that the protesters' actions "threaten the stability of the government" and added she has no plans to step down.
    The seizing of government buildings by protesters, led by the opposition Democrat Party, plunges Thailand into its deepest political uncertainty since it was convulsed three years ago by the bloodiest political unrest in a generation.
    But visiting tourists were not generally concerned about the protests.
    "I don't know, I didn't know that. I just came for a few months here to have a good time," said Enrique from Spain.
    "I've read about it, but, and I've heard about it, but, and I think it's safe for tourists, so," added Retina from Germany.
    The protesters accuse Yingluck of being a puppet for her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and convicted two years later of graft - charges he denies.
    Thaksin lives in self-imposed exile but exerts enormous influence over his sister's government.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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