Map of Bangkok Protest Sites in December 2013
UPDATED on 30th December 2013: It is now expected to be quiet over the new year holiday. Many tourists still reporting that they didn’t see any protesters during their holiday in Bangkok. It’s a big city and as long as you stay away from the rally sites and any large gathering you will be perfectly fine. Don’t worry. But, do follow me on Twitter for breaking news 24/7
After 2nd January 2014 we are expecting a big rally across Bangkok. Police are expecting it to be peaceful but it will cause gridlock. We don’t yet know which day or any of their intended targets. But we are expecting it to be more prolonged this time. Follow on twitter for more information as soon as I get it, 24/7.
This page will no longer be updated as we are in a new month already. Please visit: Everything You Need to Know about the Bangkok Shutdown.
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Follow me on Twitter @RichardBarrow for all the latest breaking news on these protests.
This page will no longer be updated as we are in a new month already. Please visit: Everything You Need to Know about the Bangkok Shutdown.
Hi there,
We’re a party of 4 traveling to Bangkok from Dec 14-17. I’ve heard from our travel agency that the protests have escalated. We’re quite worried if we should push through with the trip since we’re traveling with a senior citizen and a pregnant sister. With penalties, we should still be able to postpone the trip and make the arrangements by tomorrow, at the latest. But if we have a choice and the situation seems to be fine, we would really rather not. I just need an honest opinion. We’ll mainly be staying in the central area and visiting sites like the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Terminal 21, Platinum Mall, MBK, Siam Paragon, Siam Naramit show, the pier for a river cruise and possibly Ikea too. Thanks for your advice!
I am sure you will be fine but you need to follow me on Twitter for all the latest news 24/7
Hi Richard, I’ve planned a trip for full moon party for17th dec followed by Bangkok (eastin Bangkok hotel) from 20th to 22nd followed by pattaya for 4nights till 26th. Is it safe to go all the places?waiting for your earliest rpl.
I am sure you will be fine but keep up with the news on Twitter.
hi Richard,
we willl staying in hoilday inn in bangkok next week. is it close to the protest area?
is it still safe to shop in their shopping cente?
thank
chan
I am sure you will be fine. Tourists are not being targetted.
Hi Richard thanks for the update. I just came back from bangkok yesterday. I was there from the4th to the 8th of dec and stayed at baiyoke sky.. I went shopping to platinum mall, pratunam market and mbk. I had a great shopping experience overall and did not see the protesters at all. We shopped like crazy and everything was as per normal. Lots of tourists there as well
Hi Richard,
Thanks so much for the informative updates. I will be arriving in Bangkok with my family on the 11th Wed. We are staying at Evergreen Place, near Ratchadewi bts, seems pretty close to the protest area. Understand that you can’t predict the future, but do you think it’ll be fine? Thanks in advance Richard.
You’ll be fine in a hotel along the skytrain route.
Dear Richard i have a booking of 12th night dec 2013 at this hotel……….Prince Palace Hotel
488/800 Bo Bae Tower, Damrongrak Road Klong Mahanak, Pomprab, Khaosan / Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand
is this day time safe to travel to bangkok pls advice
regards
N.K.BHALLA.
There has been cancellations in that area as it is close to the rally site. But it has been more about traffic congestion than safety concerns. Up to you if you decide to stay there.
Many thanks Richard, for your constant update and especially the mapping of the protest areas. Glad to see shopping areas are not affected.
Hi Richard,
I am due to travel to Bangkok and stay in the Shangri la from Sunday 15th to 19th, before flying home to Ireland?
I am greatly concerned as my hotel doesn’t appear to be far from the main protest areas? Do you think I should re-consider my trip or my hotel?
Thanks
Lucy
You will be fine. Don’t worry.
Is it safe to go to grand palace,wat Pho, and wat arun today>
Richard,
Many thanks for all of your advice, I have been reading with interest.
I arrive in Bangkok on 15th, staying until 19th. I have never been to Bangkok before and I am staying in the Shangri La along the river. I am very concerned as this doesn’t seem to be far away from the danger areas on your map.
I would be really interested in your thoughts on this area or whether i should change location and if so, where too?
Thanks
Lucy
It’s far, don’t worry. Plus they have their own shuttle boat to the skytrain.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for all you are doing. Question about Conrad Hilton and Millenium Hilton please. Are both away from the protests? Would one be easier to travel to and from sites and avoiding traffic, etc?
Not going to January so hopefully all well be ok.
Cheers
Millenium Hilton is along the river and they have their own free shuttle boats. No problem. I don’t know Conrad Hilton.
Hi Richard, thank you for your timely updates. I am arriving in Bangkok on 9 Dec and staying in Novotel Platinum for 3 nights. Our first visit to Bangkok. Original plan was to take the Airport Link to Ratchaparok station and take a cab to Novotel Platinum upon our arrival in the afternoon. May I ask if this is still a good idea as 9 Dec was declared as the day the rally situation will escalate. Or should we just take a cab direct from airport to hotel. Also is the area around Novotel Platinum a rally site? Looking forward to your kind advice.
no problem.
Hi! Richard,
We will arrive on Dec 19 and will take train going to chiangmai. The train station at Hua lampong. Is it safe there and far from demonstration? We will get back on Dec 23 staying at sukhumvit Jasmine Grande Residence. My family would like to visit historical places like Vimanmek Mansion, Metal Palace,Grand Palace and some shopping malls. Are we safe to visit all those places? Thank you so much.
That’s all fine. Though you might want to skip Vimanmek Mansion as there are road closures in that area and it might be inconvenient to get there.
Thanks for all the updates.
Im due in bangkok on Friday and staying at the W hotel on Sathon Road – i know its not in the immediate area however could you advise if i should perhaps move further away from the main protest area?
Thakns
Perfectly fine. Don’t worry.
hi.. we are a group of 7 students.. travelling on the 17thdec… infact we got to pattaya on the 17th dec after .. and then come back to bangkok on the 20th dec.. we are staying at hotel ramada d ma… is it safe ?? or do we change our place or dates
Perfectly fine. Just keep up with news on Twitter.
Hi, Richard
We are planning to come to Bangkok around the 29th Dec and be there until the 2nd. We wanted to know whether it would be safe to come or should we cancel our plans. My sons wanted to visit the grand palace and the emerald temple. He was also interested in doing some shopping. Please advice as soon possible at divecdd@yahoo./com
I am sure it will be fine. Just keep up to date with the news by following me on Twitter @RichardBarrow. I update with breaking news 24/7 live from Thailand. Bangkok is a big place and it is easy to avoid demonstrations.
Thanks for all the info Richard,it really helps the tourist. . We enjoyed our stay in BKK last Dec 1-6. We saw the protest rally pass by pratunam market but overall it was peaceful….business as usual and we enjoyed shopping in that area…We stayed in Siam near MBK and Siam Paragon and enjoyed the Xmas displays and lights .Our vacation is all worth it..Everything went well …we also enjoyed the tourist attractions such as grand palace, Erawan shrine, wat po, asiatique,ancient city…etc… overall it erases our worries and enjoyed our stay in BKK.We are looking forward for our next visit. Keep it up!
Hi all.
I am currently staying in Bangkok since yesterday. Yesterday I visited Wat Pho and took the river express boat from central pier to Tha Thien and back. Then walked by the Holiday Inn Silom through to soi 4. Today visited the Erawan Shrine, Emerald Buddha at the Palace and china town. I have not seen any protest gathering at all. I passed by the Royal Thai Police HQ and the ministry of defense. No riot police. No red and yellow shirts. I feel more unsafe at the beer bars than anywhere else in Bangkok!!!
Richard, you are doing a great service to the tourist community. We rely so much on such up to date information. Keep it up. I am due to be in BKK over the new year and looking forward to it.Staying at the Holiday Inn Ploenchit.
Hi Richard,
I am planning to visit Bangkok with my family including small kids during 12th to 17th Dec. Will be staying in Pratunam area. Planning to visit Siam Paragon and Dreamworld with kids. Will it be safe to be in BKK during these days or should I cancel my trip. Thank you for your assistance. Regards/Stella
Sorry, cannot predict the future, but you should be fine.
Hi Richard,
I will be travelling to Bangkok on the 14th to 20th December 2013. Is it still safe to travel during these dates? Is soi 15 at Sukhumvit Road will be affected by the street demonstrations? Please advise. Thank you
I cannot see why you would need to cancel your trip. Bangkok is a big place. Just keep up with the news on Twitter.
Thanks for posting this info. I am scheduled to spend 3 nights in Bangkok Dec 31-Jan 3 and I’m staying at the Holiday Inn Silom Rd. I heard Silom Rd has been a mess but so far teh hotel not has been very helpful. There is a group of 7 os us and have hored private drivers for a couple of tours. I was wondering how difficult it will be to get to and from hotel with a car?
I am not sure what you mean by a mess. There is no rally site there but office workers have come out to protest a few times during their lunch break. All peaceful so far.
Hi Richard
My friend and I wil be travelling to bangkok today evening for a holiday and will be staying at baiyoke suite hotel. is it safer to take taxi or train from airport to the hotel. Also may I know if the area will be safe and is it safe to visit platinum mall as well as chatuchak tomorrow? Thank you for your advice in advance.
You should have no problem. Far from rally sites.
Hi Richard,Thanks for the daily update!greatly appreciate!
hi richard,im planning for my family trip wif my 4yr old daughter n 1 yr old boy from 12 dec till 16 dec n we r going to stay near to nana station which is soi 8. Do u think it’s safe to stay there?
Should be fine as it is near the skytrain which gives you good access.
Im Liz..we arrived here in Thailand last Tuesday ( Dec 03, 2013) and stayed at Chaleena Hotel Ramkamhaeng Soi 65..its relatively peaceful and we can go to the places we want to visit…we can also get tuktuk and taxi anytime we go out…we are about to leave for the Phils tomorrow at 11 in the morning…
Hi Richard
my family is making a trip to Bkk 13-17 Dec and we are staying at Novotel Ploenchit.
is the hotel near the demo sites?
or is any of the shopping area (such as Platinum, Terminla 21, MBK, CentralWorld) near the demo sites?
All of that is fine but sometimes there are peaceful demonstrations nearby for short periods of time. Nothing to worry about.
We arrive in Bangkok next Tuesday evening which I noted is Constitution Day and the truce for the Kings birthday will have finished then. We would like to get a Visa for Burma on Wednesday morning at the embassy. The embassy is on the periphery of your protest map. Do you know if they are open and it is likely to be business as usual? Not sure if places have closed for security reasons
Crissij
No reason for them to be closed. Life goes on in Bangkok outside the rally sites.
Hi Richard,
My wife and I are going to Bangkok tomorrow night (5/12/2013) until 8/12. We would like to ask a few questions:
1) Our hotel is located at National Stadium BTS, is it normal there recently?
2) Are shopping centres in Siam open as usual?
3) WIll you suggest us not to go to Khao San?
4) Is Asiatique The Riverfront ok these days?
5) How will you forecast the coming weekend?
Thank you very much for your always updated information!!!
Alan
One more question, is it likely that the Suvanabhumi Airport will operate normally in the near future?
Of course, why not?
Everything is fine at the moment. all quiet. We just don’t know what will happen next week. But I do know the weather will be good with little chance of rain.
Thanks Richard,
I am back to my home country yesterday.
You are right, everything is fine there.
Hi Richard,
I will be arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport on 7 Dec, Saturday noon at 13:30. Then will take express bus to Pattaya and be back to Suvarnabhumi on 12 Dec at Night 19:00 pm.
Do you think it is OK or I should postpone my holiday ?
Thanks,
Steven
Pattaya is fine and far from the rally sites.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for all your updates, really good to read and helpful!
I am in Bangkok Friday morning, and was hoping to stay in Khaosan road, would that be advisable?? Or should I look elsewhere
Thanks!
Great work Richard! I will be visiting Bangkok on New Year’s day and staying at Chatrium Residence in Sathorn. I know its a bit difficult to predict the situation then but appreciate your thoughts.
Cheers!
I would think it be fine. You have chosen a nice location as there is also boat access for you to go and come.
Hi Richard. My family and I are arriving in Bangkok on the 12th Dec staying in an apartment on Phaholyothin Soi 3, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai (right near the Sanam Pao BTS). Think we’ll be far enough away from the clashes to be ok? Thanks!
Yes, you will be fine anywhere along the BTS route.
Hi Richard,
Read that the protestors are marching to Royal Thai Police HQ on Rama I. Is it true?
Yes, but only for a few hours and they have already left. All peaceful as expected. If you follow me on Twitter @RichardBarrow you will get all breaking news like that.
Hey guys,
Just wondering have any flights been disrupted or is there any likelihood of it happening Leaving from BKK on Tuesday 10th from Suvarnabhumi.
Cheers
Flights and airports running as normal
Thanks Richard,
We are due to stay at the Baiyoke sky hotel and leave early Tuesday morning. In your opinion is this safe?? I understand you can’t predict the future but your info seems to be the most comprehensive.
Cheers,
John
Hi Richard,
My husband and I are about to book a trip mid Feb. Do you think that the protests will be over by then? We are planning to fly into BKK and were thinking of going to Chiang Mai then Koh Samui. Do you expect things to last that long or be dangerous in any of these places? Also, do you ever give advice on itineraries? As I mentioned the above was our initial interests but we are open to ideas… we have 8 days in Thailand.
Hopefully it will be over soon. Chiang Mai is perfectly fine. Clashes were only in an isolated area of Bangkok. All quiet today.
First off, thanks a ton for this website. This is better than any news media online.
My family and I plan to be in Bangkok from Dec 16-Dec 23. We are booked in the New Siam Riverside guesthouse at 21 Phra Athit Rd., Phra Nakorn. From your map it seems it is outside the danger zone. Is there a safer area in Bangkok that you would recommend?
Difficult to answer that as they move around. Your road is fine at the moment. Plenty of tourists there. Police know that. There is also a pier there than you can catch boats downriver if you need to do so.
I reached BKK on Dec 2 morning and had a lunch at Chaeng Wattana Avenue (nearby Gov complex), it had been peaceful thus far.
I stay at Marriott Courtyard (10 mins walk from Chit Lom BTS station). On Monday I could see the road closure on Rama I road (junction between Central world & police general hospital) & group of protesters there, as I walked from Chit Lom station to my hotel.
Everything returned to normal yesterday, road barricade removed at that site…. Could see nice Xmas decoration along Ratchadamri road as I walked back to hotel.
Hi Richard, can I check if Rot Fai Night Market is near any of the protests sites? Thanks alot!
On Srinakarin Road? Perfectly fine.
We’re going to bkk on 18 Dec . will be staying at Pratunam . will it be ok ? intend to go to floating market and train market . Can advise which places we should avoid ?
You will be fine.
Hey Richard,
Thanks for all your updates, they are brilliant and really informative!! Am in Bangkok Friday morning am I cool to stay in Khaosan Road still or maybe find another location to stay??
Should be fine. But you would need to keep an eye on the news as you are close to the main rally site at Democracy Monument. But far enough away from any of the clashes that took place earlier in the week.
Thanks mate!
Hi Richard. Thanks so much for the constant update. I have change my stay from Khaosan Road to Silom Soi 3. Do you know if Silom Soi 3 impacted by the protest? I am travelling with my wife and kids. Just want to be sure that we have a safe and fun trip.
They had a few lunchtime protests there but all peaceful.
Hi Richard,
I’m traveling to BKK this 8-dec till 11-dec for business trip, I was looking to stay at grand central terminal 21, the problem is my wife (7mth preggy) insist to tag along and she plan to do shopping while I was away on Monday and Tuesday. Although she is perfectly independent, I do not want her to shop near any protesting site. Does this mean she should not travel on BTS beyond chit lom station since is kinda near the protest site. Will it be better and safer to travel on bearing direction? BTW, I plan to visit Thailand motor show this 8-dec, plan to take BTS to mochit station and take shuttle bus from there, do you think is OK? Thanks
Should be no problem
hey richard, hows the situation over today?
There is a 48 hour truce until Friday
I’m visiting with family on christmas day. I don’t wanna cancel my trip. Thanks for valuable infos. Richard and all.
Hi,
we went to Central World and also Siam area in the morning yesterday. Left Siam square around 4pm. It was nothing there and life as usual. We even went to Asiatique and Patphong nearby Silom last night.
We are leaving Bangkok this evening. Hope you guys enjoy your stay.
Cheers!
Hi Annie,
Thanks for the valuable info. will be in BKK during xmas n new year.
Hi Richard,
Is it true they’ll be some kind of truce starting 5th Dec due to King Birthday? Anyway, do you know if Sukhumvit Soi 57 area impacted by this protest.
Thanks.
I am sure there will be a truce. Sukhumwit is fine.
Hi Richard,
The danger area you marked on the map is actually quite a distance from the shopping malls (Centralworld, MBK, Siam paragon etc.) Why are the malls closed despite the distance? Are they all open as of today?
Hi Richard,
Thanks for your updates. My family of six will be flying in to BKK on 14th Dec, we plan to spend 3 days in Hua Hin and 2 days shopping in Bangkok.. We will be staying in Sukhumvit area soi 19. Is there a problem getting a taxi to Don Mueang airport on my departure date?
Regards,
Jean T
Should be no problem
what would be the worst scenario based in past clashes?
Army on the streets with guns is the worst scenario and burning of buildings. Not there yet.
*2 adults* not 92 adults
Hi Richard,
we will arrive in bkk on sat. 7th dec. our hotel ist located 120 Boonsiri Road, Pranakorn, not far away from Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue.
Do you think we should take another hotel or is it possible to avoid the trouble there?
thanks and regards,
laura
I would. Not really because of safety concerns but mainly because of road closures and traffic congestion in that area.