Friday, May 28, 2010

We're all celebrating in the Bangkok office, the Australian Government have dropped their level 5 travel warning on Bangkok which means that we can recommence our trips departing Bangkok.  We will be doing so from June 7th, for more details visit http://www.intrepidtravel.com/quicklink/ourtrips/safety/#Thailand.

The last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster ride for us all here in Bangkok.  We're all very happy that things have returned to normal.  It was a surreal situation throughout the time that I have been blogging as our life went on as usual for us all.  Turning up to work, going out for drinks with friends, spending time with our families etc...the exception being that we were dealing with re-routing trips, cancellations etc which we are not used to dealing with.  The staff in the office, our local leaders and our suppliers have been amazing, turning up to work every day and working hard to ensure that our travellers get the best "real life experience" they can under the circumstances as well as keeping everyone updated so that they had a safe experience.  With so many people here assisting us we had our ears to the ground and were able to stay one step ahead of the situation.  We were even ahead of the Australian Government, pulling all departures in Bangkok and diverting trips in country away from Bangkok a few days before the DFAT travel warning was raised to a Level 5 - "Don't travel to Bangkok".  At the forefront of our mind always, is the health and safety of our travellers and our staff and this was the reasoning behind our decision, we felt we needed to take the precautionary measure of avoiding Bangkok.  For staff that lived near or had to travel past the troubled areas in Bangkok to get to our office we provided them with rooms in one of our start hotels (our office is located in the same hotel) to ensure they were safe and were not risking their lives by travelling to the office.

Now we, our staff and suppliers are hoping that travellers return to Thailand ensuring they still have jobs and they can extend the hospitality and smiles that Thailand is so well known for and put behind the events of the last few weeks.  The government is working hard at healing the wounds both physical and emotional, the average Thai in the street are happy that peace has returned to Bangkok and want to get on with their lives and put the events behind them...this was evident when 4000 people turned up to the Rajaprasong area last weekend (main protest site) to volunteer and help clean it up - that community spirit that resonates throughout Thai society was evident as everyone chipped in to help.

Images that appeared in the news and on television over the last few weeks would have alarmed people around the world.  I can say from personal experience that although it was bad in the areas that were affected, it was very much centralised to one area and only spread in the last week of the protests to some other suburbs of Bangkok.  At no stage did I feel unsafe and I have a young family here in Bangkok.  When the crisis first flared I happened to be staying literally just around the corner from the main protest site and could hear the gunfire and explosions throughout the night.  For reasons I will not go into here I was unable to relocate for a few nights, these reasons were not due to the protests.  Even then I did not feel overly concerned, clearly we had to be smart about where we went etc.  I did feel sorrow though...the images that you probably saw on the television and in your newspapers is not the Bangkok and Thailand that I know and love.  I have called Thailand home for nearly 11 years, I have a family here and love and respect the people, their culture and their history.  I love the community spirit and sense of fun, I love how family orientated the people are.....and I looovvvveee the food.

From my family and the Intrepid family here in Bangkok, we look forward to seeing you back in the Land of the Smiles soon experiencing what we have the privilege of experiencing every day.

Intrepid Blog Bangkok.....signing off....Sawaat Dii Khrup.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Life has returned to normal for Bangkok inhabitants and so has the traffic.  A massive storm rolled in last night, which always spells disaster for the road conditions and it took me 1 hour to go 4 kilometres.  That's life... 

The government continues to work on a road map to reconciliation.  They are currently working on setting up an independent panel for an inquiry into the violence.  In addition to this it has been reported that the Prime Minister has advised that he has plans to have discussions with academics over which sections of the Constitution they feel need to be amended.  The constitution has been a bone of contention as it was brought in following the Coup that ousted the Taksin government in 2006.

Meanwhile the tourism industry and all those involved in it continue to hope that travellers will return to Thailand soon.

The Australian Governments Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) still has a no travel warning on travel to Bangkok which means we cannot start our trips here.  For more information on Intrepid trips in Thailand please visit http://www.intrepidtravel.com/quicklink/ourtrips/safety/#Thailand .

Monday, May 24, 2010

Life returned to the streets of Bangkok today in the area that the protests were staged.  Workers returned to work and students returned to school after an extended break.  Over the weekend some 4000 volunteers turned up to help with the clean up of the area.

As expected traffic was bad this morning as the school term started.  Now it's time to head home and brave the traffic again.

Intrepid have updated it's website on the latest status of tours departing Bangkok in the next few days.  For more information please visit http://www.intrepidtravel.com/quicklink/ourtrips/safety/#Thailand .

Sunday, May 23, 2010

I took my kids down to a park on the Chao Praya River and it was as busy as it usually is.  It would seem that life is doing it's best to return to normal in Bangkok.  The authorities continue the clean up of the affected areas of Bangkok and have announced an extension of the curfew til Monday night asking for understanding from people in Bangkok as they aim to find a balance between providing an adequate level of security in the capital while at the same time allowing people to go about their normal daily lives.


Tomorrow will see schools and government offices re-open after an extended break, so Bangkok's infamous traffic should return, it's going to take a lot longer to get into the office tomorrow.

The public transport system is back operating while inter-provincial buses and trains continue to operate normally as they have done throughout the crisis and Bangkok's International Airport remains open.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The cleanup continues in Bangkok.  It has been reported that the sky train will commence operations again tomorrow.  People here in Bangkok are enjoying the weekend as the government sets about the reconciliation process.  We have one more night of curfew tonight and we're all focused on the future and hoping that the wounds of the last few weeks events will heal quickly as Thailand moves forward.

Friday, May 21, 2010

It's been a traumatic week here in Bangkok for all of us.  Positive signs are starting to show with the authorities announcing the Rajprasong intersection may be open again this afternoon with electricity and water reconnected, this would also see a return of public buses.  This is significant as this was the heart of the protest zone a few days ago.  The skytrain and underground remain closed though.

From a Intrepid trip perspective, we are still taking the precautionary action of not bringing any groups into Bangkok and we are strongly advising travellers not to enter on their own and asked them to pay attention to travel warnings issued by their embassies and governments.  The airport remains open and is not subject to travel warnings, so travellers are able to transit through on their way home.  For more information on Intrepid tours please refer to http://www.intrepidtravel.com/quicklink/ourtrips/safety/#Thailand .

The weekend is ahead of us and Monday will see the return of masses of cars to the streets as kids return to school following extended school holidays. 

Hopefully now the healing process starts and Thailand as a nation can look forward, we will know more in the coming days.  Our leaders and suppliers are wondering what affect this has had on tourism, we're hoping that it bounces back quickly as it has done in the past...

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The authorities have now announced that the curfew will be extended for the next 3 nights, with the timing changed to 9pm to 5am.
The morning after, the streets are quiet with most people staying at home with family.  Over night protesters set buildings a blaze in and around the protest site.  There is an uneasy calm on the streets of Bangkok.  We have received reports that the authorities will be extending the curfew for another night.

We are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our passengers and our staff on the ground here in Bangkok. For updates please refer to our website http://www.intrepidtravel.com/quicklink/ourtrips/safety/#Thailand .

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The authorities have imposed a curfew on Bangkok from 8pm to 6am.  The protests areas are being cleared however sadly some elements of the protest group have attacked buildings in Bangkok setting them on fire.  As darkness falls the authorities have broadcast on local TV to explain the reasoning behind the curfew and asked for understanding as they bring control back to the capital. The government has provided transport for protesters who wish to return home.

Leaving the office tonight, the traffic was incredibly light as people remained indoors as the curfew approached.  A public holiday has been declared through to the end of the week. All of us are home with our families and hoping that tomorrow brings a new dawn for Thailand and the country starts down the road to reconciliation. 

As always we continue to monitor the situation in Bangkok.  For more information on our tours please refer to Intrepid's website www.intrepidtravel.com .
The Red Shirt leaders have turned themselves into police and the authorities have just made a broadcast on local  TV that the situation has now been brought under control by the security forces.

Intrepid have taken some precautionary action that involves the cancellation of tours starting in Bangkok until 31st May, for more information please refer to http://www.intrepidtravel.com/quicklink/ourtrips/safety/#Thailand .
This morning troops moved armoured vehicles into the protest area and there has been reports of gunfire around the Silom area.  Driving into work today I could see plumes of smoke off in the distance in the direction of the protest site as protesters continue to burn tyres.  Despite the violence having spread to other parts of Bangkok, a majority of the city remains calm and safe, where you can travel around freely.  The situation is receiving 24 hour coverage on the local news along with regular updates on local TV from the authorities.

We continue to monitor the situation and provide assistance to our travellers that are here in Bangkok.  For more information on Intrepid trips in Thailand please visit the safety update section of the Intrepid Travel website at http://www.intrepidtravel.com/quicklink/ourtrips/safety/ .

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

As the stand off continues between security forces and the protesters, today is another public holiday...this time declared by the government due to the violence.  It means that coming into work today the traffic was very light.  Sitting here 7km or more from the violence it is surreal...we're all going about our normal lives and looking ahead.  Our local staff, leaders and suppliers are all worrying about their futures and hoping that once the current situation is resolved that the industry bounces back quickly and people return to Thailand to help support them.

Monday, May 17, 2010

The violence continues in Bangkok and has spread to a number of locations outside the protest zone.  Despite none of these locations being near Intrepid's hotels we have taken the precautionary step of cancelling some tours that are due to start in the next few days - for full details please visit our website at www.intrepidtravel.com and refer to the Safety Updates section.

We continue to monitor the situation as the safety of our passengers and staff is of great importance to us.  As previously stated the Intrepid hotels are not near the areas that are affected as is our office.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

The stand off continues in the protest site area. The army considered imposing a curfew around the affected area today however decided against it sighting the fact they feel they have the situation under control.  There have been calls for protesters to leave the sight immediately we offers of transport to return them to their homes.

The skytrain and underground train services remain suspended as they pass through the affected area however public buses continue to operate in all other parts of Bangkok and the public transport infrastructure out of Bangkok to the provinces (buses and trains) remains unaffected and the airports remain fully operational.

Intrepid's operations team on the ground here continue to monitor the situation on a continuous basis.
An uneasy calm has returned to the streets of Bangkok.  Last night there were more clashes between security forces and the protesters.  There is an uneasy calm and silence in the area at the moment.  This morning on his weekly TV programme "Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit", the Prime Minister made comment that the government may announce a curfew to minimise losses.

Schools in the area were due to go back to school on Monday however this has been postponed to the 24th May as people are continually warned to stay away from the Silom area as the stand off continues.

The clashes continue to be centered around the commercial district of Bangkok.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Throughout the day there were skirmishes between Red Shirt protesters and security forces and now that night has fallen the skirmishes have stepped up.  The government and army have appeared on local TV explaining the actions and are determined to dislodge the Red Shirts with as little loss of life as possible. Unfortunately the Red Shirts seem determined to fight on. 

The violence is remains centered around the Silom area and the Intrepid group hotels are well away from this area and not affected.
The underground train service has also now been suspended.
It has just been announced that the whole skytrain service is to be closed for security reasons.
More violience has hit the streets of Bangkok.  By chance I am staying close to the protest and you could hear gunfire and explosions throughout the night as protesters and the army clashed in the streets.  The security forces are trying to bring an end to the protests following the breakdown of talks with the government.  An erie silence has returned to the streets with the break of day.  It is being reporting that 16 people have died and 157 injured.  The sections of the skytrain and underground service have been closed and we're all being advised to stay well clear of the protest zone.  Provincial train and bus services continue to operate and the airport is still open.  According to local Thai TV, the army have managed to surround and close of the protest area.  As has been the case throughout the violence has been isolated to the protest area.

We take the safety of our passengers, staff and suppliers very serious and our operations team continue to closely monitor the situation on a constant basis.  Our passengers are being given very clear advice by all our staff not to go near the protest area.  Intrepid hotels where groups stay are well away from the protest area and remain unaffected.  Our itineraries in Bangkok remain unaffected as the leaders are able to take our passengers out for meals, on the klong tour, visit Wat Po and Grand Palace and transport to the train and bus stations for transport out of Bangkok as these are all located well away from the protest site.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Troops have closed in on protesters and violence has erupted in the protest area.  The area has been sealed off as the army try to gain control of the roads surrounding the protest area.  For people living in Bangkok it is a surreal scene to see troops, sandbags and check points in an area recognised as the financial and business centre of Bangkok, Silom.  The violence is very much centered around this area.
After an eventful night here in Bangkok with the army moving in and sealing off the protest area an uneasy calm has returned to Bangkok. There were clashes between soldiers and protesters resulting in a number of injuries and 1 death. The army have now completely sealed off the area, people who work in the area have been advised not to turn up to work.

We continue to monitor the situation on a regular basis, something made easy by our presence on the ground here in Bangkok and our network of local leaders and suppliers.

Our travellers are advised to use common sense and avoid the protest area.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The government has cancelled the offer of elections on Nov 14 and ordered the Army to close off the protest site. Protesters will be permitted to leave however no one will be permitted to enter the site.

Intrepid tours remain unaffected however our travellers are being advised to show common sense and avoid areas close to the protest site.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

It would appear that the government is now losing patience with the protesters refusal to agree to the Roadmap, move forward and start with packing up and returning home. There are reports that at midnight tonight the power and water will be cut off to the protest site. Tomorrow is another day and I am sure we will learn more as the political saga continues in the “Land of the Smiles” as does normal life for those of us lucky enough to call Bangkok home.
The Red Shirts and the government negotiations have stalled however life continues on here in Bangkok.  Believe it or not, the traffic was worse coming into work this morning than it usually is...that's because of the big storm we had very early.  It has been abnormally hot for this time of year for quiet a few days now and during the rainy season this usually means a big storm is on the way...it builds and builds and then dumps...if you're caught out in it, there is no point running, you will get wet. 

Our tours continue to operate without any changes due to the protest and we're all hoping that an agreement is reached soon so that the protesters can go home and the country can move on.

Monday, May 10, 2010

It's monday and back to reality after a great weekend.  Intrepid's trips continue to depart without a hitch.

The government and the Red Shirts continue to negotiate on the roadmap to reconciliation with the government now giving the protesters 24 hours to make a decision on when they will break up his street rally or he will cancel the offer of an election on 14th November.  The ultimatum was that the decision be made by Monday so it will be interesting to see what happens today. 

Overall the streets remain very peaceful on our side of town and Intrepid travellers continue to enjoy the delights of Bangkok from the amazing street scenes to the mouth watering food available everywhere...

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Another weekend and more Intrepid trips are departing.

The Red Shirts have indicated that the protesters could be heading home as early as Monday however this has not been confirmed.  Sadly two policemen lost their lives overnight in a drive by shooting, the incident occurred very late at night near the Red Shirt protest site which is a good distance away from Intrepid's starting hotels. The government has asked that people refrain from the use of violence as the negotiate with the various parties on the best way forward to implement their road map to reconciliation.

Friday, May 7, 2010

It's Friday and it's a beautiful day outside and we're all looking forward to weekend of trouble free trip departures.  You have to love life in Thailand, clear skies outside and easily over 30 degrees, a Thai feast awaits tonight along with a few beers with friends...as for the political situation here, the various parties continue to discuss the options as they head towards an absolute agreement on the next steps towards national reconciliation.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

The government has indicated that it is considering a dissolution of Parliament in mid to late September, this is all the Red Shirts are waiting for in order to call of their protests - a definite date. Under the Thai constitution an election must be held within 45 to 60 days of the dissolution of Parliament.  Chatting with our local leaders and suppliers they're all relieved that an end is in sight, particularly a peaceful one and they're hoping to seeing more travellers in Thailand the near future...

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The United Front for Democracy (UDD and movement behind the Red Shirts) has resolved to accept the Prime Ministers road map for reconciliation.  They have put a condition on closing down the protest sites and that is that the Prime Minister set a date for the dissolution of parliament in the lead up to the November 14th election.  The Red Shirts have said that once a clear time frame has been set they will clear the protest site.  Numbers at the site have dwindled significantly with only a few thousand remaining.  Day to day life in Bangkok continues on...today is actually another public holiday...yeah we get a few...so the streets are quiet with Bangkokians taking the opportunity to spend time with their families...for us in the Intrepid office, our trips are running so the office is open and we're working.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The rainy season has arrived and the air has cooled down significantly...it would seem that the situation here in Bangkok has cooled down significantly as well.  Some key influential figures on the political landscape have made statements in favour of the reconciliation process and elections in November.  Though it is not definite chatting with friends and colleagues here in Bangkok, we all agree that we're a lot closer to what seems like a resolution...now I just have to remain cool while I face the traffic on the way home...
Last night Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva addressed the nation on TV.  The government offered to hold an election on the 14th November on the condition that five objectives of national conciliation are achieved.  These 5 objectives revolve around healing the divides that has brought the protesters out onto the street including implementing reforms that tackle economic disparities and inequalities.  The Red Shirt leadership has been reported as saying the proposal is "interesting" and they will consider it in consultation with various groups.  All of us here in Bangkok are hoping that this is the light at the end of the tunnel and the nation has started down the road to reconciliation...it certainly feels that way but we will know more over the coming 24 hours.

Monday, May 3, 2010

It's Monday morning and a public holiday in Bangkok, despite this traffic was still pretty bad coming into work this morning...yep no rest for us...ours trips are still running so we're still working.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Thai government has a cabinet meeting this morning at 10am, so we might hear more soon.  As it's a Sunday families are going about their business, enjoying time together and Bangkok remains quiet. 

Intrepid trips remain largely unaffected and our Operations team continue to monitor the situation.  We're privileged to have an amazing network of local leaders and suppliers, that combined with having our own office here in Bangkok is a huge advantage when trying to keep your finger on the pulse.  Sadly...these are the people being affected the most as they see their business levels drop, they're putting on a brave face but we know they're worried.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Bangkok remains quiet and our Group Leaders are preparing for their group meetings in half an hour. 
Just got back from doing the weekend shopping...just in time too as it just started to rain outside.  Looks like the rainy season is here...brings a nice cool change with it..gotta love that. 

No new news from the protest site this morning.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Back from my meeting, it was an interesting taxi ride across town as my meeting was one street from the protest zone...passed through a barricade of tires and bamboo poles - surreal.  Closing up the office now and heading home - TGIF.
Just leaving the office for a meeting, everything remains quiet here in Bangkok.
Intrepid trips are still running. Situation still tense but contained to an area away from any of our passengers. We're hoping for a peaceful outcome but it's tough to call.