Map and Updates on the Coup in Thailand
[Updated 14/June/2014] We went from Martial Law on Tuesday 20 May to a fully fledged military coup on Thursday 22 May. The takeover by the army is being called “bloodless” at the moment but this could change. The Red Shirts who support the government, originally said that they would rise up if the military attempted a coup. No sign of that so far. So, what does a coup mean for the average tourist and expat in Bangkok and Thailand? Well, the main hindrance for them was the nightly curfew. But this was dropped nationwide on 13th June 2014. Follow me on Twitter for latest information.
UPDATE: Curfew has now been dropped in Thailand.
SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST UPDATES on TWITTER >>>
When people talk about a coup they imagine the streets to be flooded with tanks and soldiers and bloody street by street fighting. Not so here in Bangkok. At least, not so far. At the moment, all of the tourist attractions in Bangkok are open as normal as are the government offices like Immigration. All of the shopping malls and markets are also open as normal. The skytrain, subway and airport rail link operate as normal. The airport and all flights are also operating as normal.
CNN International: Richard Barrow, a full-time travel blogger based in Bangkok, is a top source for those seeking news about the protests as well as travel advice for tourists. He can be followed at Twitter.com/richardbarrow
For the latest news, always check my twitter feed. I am tweeting 24/7 at the moment. Literally.
Please read my latest tweets above before asking questions.
[cetsEmbedGmap src=https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=210550963008557722983.0004ea041241da07d86cb&msa=0&ll=13.759894,100.532455&spn=0.146226,0.222988 width=450 height=425 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0 frameborder=0 scrolling=no]
Purple markers are main tourist attractions. Baskets are shopping areas. Red markers are popular protest sites but are empty most of the time. Flags are possible protest sites. This map is updated as and when there is an incident.
TRAVEL ADVICE FROM THE UK GOVERNMENT: You should take extra care and avoid all protest sites, political gatherings, demonstrations and marches in Bangkok [MORE] TRAVEL ADVICE FROM THE US GOVERNMENT: U.S. citizens are advised to stay alert, exercise caution, and monitor media coverage. You are advised to avoid areas where there are protest events, large gatherings, or security operations and follow the instructions of Thai authorities [MORE]
Feel free to post your questions in the comments below. But, don’t ask me to predict the future. No-one knows what tomorrow will bring! I don’t get paid to help tourists on twitter. If you would like to buy me a beer or make a donation, please use the form in the top left. Also, if you book your hotel on agoda by using this link, I get a small commission. It doesn’t affect your price. Thanks.
Hi Richard Barrow,
Thank you for all the updates. Your effort is much appreciated. I would like to check with you for the following places will stalls be opened for business?
1) asiatique the riverfront
2) Patong night market
3) chinatown
All open but they have to close before curfew at 10 pm. This may be lifted soon.
I’m due to have a baby in bangkok. If something were to happen in the middle of the night, how are medical emergencies handled under the curfew restrictions?
You can travel to and from hospital during the curfew.
We will be in Koh Samui early July, I have two young children, aged 7 and 10, would you advise us to cancel our trip, or is it safe? Thanks for all the prompt replies
No problem with Samui at all. and by July hopefully the curfew would have been lifted.
Hi Richard.
Your updates are proofing to be very helpful with nothing now being on the news?
Does the curfew still apply within hotel resorts? Staying at anantara Bangkok riverside for a couple of days.
Thanks
How accurate is this report:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2014/05/military-coup-thailand
Thanks again
Hi Richard, we are busy finalizing our plans to go to Koh Samui at the end of June. I have two young kids. Was really looking forward to experiencing Thailand, should we cancel, or just wait it out? Thanks for all your updates.
I’m due to have a baby there in july. If something were to happen in the middle of the night, how do I deal with the curfew restrictions?
Any help is much appreciated.
you are allowed to travel to the hospital during curfew.
Hi, just a Short question. Are The night Trains Leaving BKK at The Moment to ubon?
Yes until about 10pm when curfew starts.
Thanks for your fast answer. So we can take a night Train when it leaves bevor ten! Sounds great.
Hi Richard!
My 16 year old daughter is scheduled to fly with her friend to Thailand in July. She will be staying in the Chiang Rai area studying the elephants there. I haven’t heard anyone mention if this area is safe? Do you have any info?
Also, she will fly into the Bangkok airport, a facilitator will pick her up and they will stay one night in a hotel across the street from the airport (with the facilitator) before flying onto Chiang Rai the next day. From your reports, it seems like the airport and hotels surrounding it are safe?
Any info you have on this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
I haven’t heard anything about Chiang Rai and so I guess all quiet. I am actually flying there next weekend and so if you follow me on twitter you will get live updates with pictures.
Thanks, Richard. I appreciate you answering and look forward to following your visit to Chiang Rai.
Hi Richard,
I’m planning a leisure holiday to Koh Lipe. Gonna fly to Hatyai Airport and then take land transport to Pak Barra for a sea transfer. What do you think? Thanks
Transport outside of Bangkok is normal. Just be aware of curfew.
Hi Richard.
Flying out in honeymoon on 1st June to bankok then moving on on the 4th for 2 weeks in hua hin. Will any of the coup affect us? A,so what do you think the chances are of British stopping people fly to thailand and following Americas lead??
Thand
Good so far. I think the Americans were over the top with their travel advice. You should have no problem in Hua Hin as the King lives there.
Hi Richard, just come across your site and looks good well done. I read a rumour that the curfew will be lifted on Wednesday what do you think the likelihood is of that being true ?. I plan to be in Bangkok in three weeks for the Exhibitions do you hear if there is any plans to go ahead given a lot of people are advised not to travel?
That’s just rumour. The military junta doesn’t work that way. We will all hear at the same time during the TV announcements.
Hi, Do you know if the Laos border is open as usual? Near savannakhet. Thanks for all your hard work:)
I am getting mixed information on border crossings. Seems to be changing. I think all major ones are open though.
OK thanks Richard 🙂
Your Twitter will be such an important source of news when I go into Thailand in a few days. Thanks a lot! I really do want to go a lot, but these few days I’ve been so torn apart by the stress as I don’t have much travelling experience. Friends and family all told me it’s not worth the risk. What do you think?
If you are stressed then it is not really much of a holiday for you. But, a week in Phuket and skipping Bangkok should be worry free.
Hi Richard,
My family will be visiting Chiangmai on 28 May till 2 June. Is it safe for us to proceed with our travel? We will be travelling with kids. Pls advice. Thanks!
There have been some nightly anti-coup protests there. Isolated and not violent so far. Though a few scuffles. Mainly evening time.
Hello Richard!
I am planning on studying abroad in Bangkok at Assumption University. We plan to leave July 13th. I know you cannot predict the future, but how would you predict the US would handle study abroad students going over there during this time?
At the moment US Embassy is saying “no” to travel which means you must check your insurance if you come.
Thank you so much for your updates! They have been so helpful to us!!
As you mentioned on the map, the protest site is near the main attaction areas. Our plan is to take the river boat to panfa leelard pier and then walk to khaosan road. Next aboard the boat at phra ardith pier moving down to visit grand palace, wat pho, wat arun.. Is it okay for us to visit there? I mean with all the walking around there and photographing the surrounding areas..
Really appreciate your feedback!
Thank you so much!
Sorry, we are visiting there from 29may to 2june.. I haven’t mention it..
Thanks a lot!
That’s fine. there are no longer any protest sites in that area. I’m updating the map now.
I meant dmk airport above
How is the traffic from siam square to do airport. If I take a taxi should I choose meter or an upfront agreed fee? What is reasonable?
Always go by meter. Always find a taxi moving on the street. Don’t use one parked in front of your hotel.
Hi Richard, thanks for the updates. I’m so glad to come across your website.I will be leaving for bangkok this sunday 25/5. Due to the travel advisory, i would like to know the current situation there. I will be staying at glow pratunam, is it safe there? And what time will the shopping be closed? As i will be bringing my kids, is siam paragon near the protest site? Lastly, is the traffic alright? Sorry for the loads of qns. Thanks! Apprecite it lots.
There are no protest sites left in Bangkok. curfew is at 10pm and shops start to close at 8pm. Read my tweets for any news about latest protests which are always last minute.
Hi Richard
Wld like to say tks for ur prompt updates. Question, reaching Bangkok on 28th may 2014, and staying in Arcadia suite hotel, any activities in that areas? Shopping mall still runs as normal rite? Only curfew problem rite.
Nothing at the moment but keep up with my tweets for the latest news.
My small children and I are supposed to leave the country via Bangkok airport June 3rd. I realize you have no idea what the future will hold, but I’ve been keeping a close eye on all your updates and would like to hear your opinion. Would you get tickets changed to leave as soon as possible, or just wait for the original flights? Thanks for your input and tireless updates!!
The airport is actually in Samut Prakan province. It has hotels nearby. No need to even enter the city.
Hey Richard. We are planning to use Lomprayah overnight coach server from Bangkok tonight which leaves at 9pm and arriving at Koh Tao in the morning. They have confirmed travel is going ahead. Are we allowed to travel on a coach during the curfew?
I have heard the last coaches leave Bangkok at 10pm and so yes.
Is it true that curfew for May 23-24 is from 11pm to 4am, and for May 25-28 from 12mn to 4am? Thanks!
No, that is from the same date but back in 2010. We have had curfews before. Curfew is still 10pm to 5am.
We are planning on going to Krabi, Chiang Mai and Bangkok from August 13th-28th. I still want to go but one of my friends is really worried and wanting to book another country. Do you think it will settle down by August? Is it just Bangkok that is a worry? Do you suggest looking at other countries for a holiday?
Many thanks
Krabi is fine. all quiet. There has been some protests in Chiang Mai though.
Thank you so much for all your hard work and long hours. You are providing us with information I can’t get anywhere else!
We have plans to travel with a hired car (and our 3 young kids) in Isaan. I’m concerned about how things are going there as most of the details are about what’s happening in BKK. Do you think it’s safe for us to travel there in the upcoming weeks? (And this maybe a silly question but should we avoid wearing any yellow clothes while there?)
Thanks so much!!
Yes, very little has been said about Isaan. There will be roadblocks there for sure because that’s where many of the Red Shirt protesters come from.
Thanks for your response. Please be on the lookout for reports from Isaan. We need as much info as we can get to make a good (safe!) decision for our family.
THANK YOU!!
As with everybody else posting, thank you for the regular updates and efforts to keep everybody up to speed. They’ve been invaluable so far. We’re heading to Bangkok on June 1 for our honeymoon and will be staying in a hotel on the river in the Siphya, Bangrak area. Anything that you know of there we should keep an eye out for in regards to protests or similar activities? Also, is the curfew nationwide or just in Bangkok? We’ll be swinging down to Ko Samui for much of the trip and we’d like to plan accordingly.
No protesters left. They have all gone home. The curfew is nationwide.
Hi Richard! Thanks for your updates. I had book my flight ticket visit to Bobae Market on 26th May – 27th May and Pratunam on 28th May. And the flight is at the Don Muang International Airport. May I ask does these place safe to visit?
Thank You
No problem at this moment in time.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for all the updates so far!
Do you now if the curfew is affecting the whole country or just Bangkok? We are heading to Koh Samui on Saturday and want to be sure we will not be affected by this.
Thanks a mil!
Ana
It’s the whole country.
Hey Richard,
Im heading the Koh Samui with the gf in a day should we be worried about the coup and will the curfew effect us? Do you recommend we go somewhere else?
Should be no problem in Samui from the coup but they do have a nightime curfew. But any remote beaches won’t be strict.
Richard, thank you so much for all your work updating everyone on the situation. I am currently in Phuket and will travel into Bangkok on Sunday, staying for a couple of days before going on to Chiang Mai by train. I am considering changing those plans to stay only in Chiang Mai (waiting for more information tomorrow) to avoid Bangkok entirely, which I’d rather not do … however, my current reservations have me making the trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai by overnight train. Am I correct to assume that since this train departs at 7:35pm it is before curfew and should still run?
Thank you so much!
Correct, last train last night left at 10 p.m.
How does martial law turning into a coup affect us planning to travel to Thailand in two weeks, visiting koh phangan, but flying through Bangkok?
So far so good. We have a curfew at the moment but it might be lifted by the time you get here.
now that it’s officially a coup d’etat,did the situation become heated or the people still handle it calmly? thank you Richard!
Hi Richard
Been following your updates.
Quick question. What are the odds that the airport will be closed? I am travelling to Bangkok from 24th May – 26th May. My only worry is that we will be stranded should the airport be blocked.
100% the airport will NOT close.
Hi Richard! Me and my boyfriend are due to be staying at a hotel on Samsen 4 Alley, Ban Phan Thom. Do you think this is too close to the protest site?
There are no protest sites any more.
Based on the potential protest sites slated for this weekend, and assuming the protestors stick to their plans, that would make the main tourist areas of MBK et al, and Chatuchak Market still okay for shopping and sightseeing?
All protest sites have been cleared.
Hello Mr. Barrow,
First of all Id like to congratulate and thank you for the great job that you’ve been doing.
My question to you is, has Koh Samui been affected by this martial rule? Since Ive booked my air tickets and stay in Samui from 4th-8th of June for my honeymoon, wanted to get your expert opinion on the situation. Thanks in advance!
There is a curfew at the moment on Koh Samui but you will find more remote areas will be less strict.
Thanks Mr. Barrow!
Hi Richard! Thanks for your updates, your posts here and in twitter are really helpful. I am monitoring the situation there and weighing the odds for my scheduled trip in Bangkok this Friday. So far the Philippines raised alert level 2 for OFW’s and tourists like me are discouraged to travel. My relatives in Bangkok are telling me that it is relatively peaceful so far and no one seems to freak out about the current situation.
They are correct but if your government are advising you not to travel you might find it difficult to get any insurance.
Hi Richard, excellent work on the updates, finding it really useful.
We’re off to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan for Honeymoon end of June and have been monitoring news and your twitter feeds. In your opinion would those islands be affected at any of this? Or Bangkok airport?
Thank you
No problem on the islands and no problem so far at the airport. Have fun!
Hi Richard,
First of all many thanks for all the help and brilliant updates. Me and my girlfriend are reaching Bangkok on May 23rd (Friday lunchtime) for 3 nights until Monday then flying onto Koh Samui. As you mentioned, there will be a rally in Sukhumwit Road this Friday to Sunday and Sanum Luang this Monday. Is it going to be safe in Around the Samsen 2 alley near the Khao Sah road, and If the rally’s does go ahead would we be safe around this area?
Thanks for all you help.
Regards
Alex
The Sukhumwit rally has now been cancelled and they will stay on the same road as their rally site. It’s marked in red on the map. However, it is near Khao San. You will have to make the decision yourself if you want to be that near.
Hi Richard,
First of all many thanks for all the updates. We are reaching Bangkok on 26th morning (Monday). As you mentioned, there will be rally in Sukhumwit Road this Friday to Sunday and Sanum Luang this Monday. Is it going to be safe in Pratunam area.
Really appreciate all that you are doing.
Regards
Prashant
At the moment it is not confirmed that the rally will go ahead. I don’t think the army will allow it. But anyway, Pratunam is away from any potential rally on Sukhumwit and Sanam luang.
Hi Richard,
Many thanks for the update. Really appreciate.
Regards
Prashant
Hi Richard, appreciate all the effort you make in keeping people updated! We arrive in Bangkok on late Monday afternoon and leave again late Tuesday morning. We are currently booked into a hotel on Sukhimvit Soi 11 for the night, I know no-one can predict movements but is this likely to be an issue? Don’t have to pay this hotel until Saturday and can cancel and switch hotel up until then if appropriate.
At this moment in time it shouldn’t be an issue for you.
Hi Richard,
My friends and I arrive in Bangkok tomorrow afternoon.
But what exactly does Martial Law mean for tourists at this point?
Referring to your map,the rally sites and potentially danger zones seem to be pockets that travelers do not quite frequent.
With that being said, we will still be exercising extra caution and paying attention to developments should the situation escalates.
Really appreciate all that you are doing.
I am with you on Twitter.
Thanks,
J. Ng
At the moment, tourism and tourists are not affected. Everything is open as normal.
Sukhumvit road. I ha do planned to stay there Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and have booked a hotel. Would you advise canceling the booking?
We just don’t know if they will go ahead with this. Anyway, we are only talking about a few hours in the evening. Just go and watch a movie or go to bed early.
First, thank you for your work. You are our first source for anything & everything about Thailand. And your many links to information are beneficial & appreciated.
My wife and I are on Koh Yao Yai now, headed to Bangkok on Friday evening for one week. You have mentioned the 1 million protestor March taking place on Sukhumvit road. Are you aware of which portions of the road they will occupy? We need to get to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Friday evening around 8pm, from BKK airport.
Thank you sir.
They haven’t released any further information on this. It might not even go ahead.
Hi Richard,
From your tweets, i understand that the protesters are planning to move out of their designated rally site and gather at Sukhumwit Road this Friday to Sunday and Sanum Luang this Monday. In your opinion, will this lead to clashes between the protesters and the army? Because under the martial law, the protesters are supposed to stay in their designated rally area.
Btw, thanks for keeping us updated!:)
Hi Richard,
From your tweets, i understand that the protesters are planning to move out of their designated rally site and gather at Sukhumwit Road this Friday to Sunday and Sanum Luang this Monday. In your opinion, will this lead to clashes between the protesters and the army? Because under the martial law, the protesters are supposed to stay in their designated rally area.
Btw, thanks for keeping us updated!:)
At the moment I don’t think the army will let them do this. It’s a question of wait and see.
Thank you very much for the updates. Am following them closely as my family and I will be travelling to Bangkok next Thursday 🙂
Hi Richard,
I might be a little paranoid, however we are heading to Karon for two weeks Friday and was wondering if any of this has affected this area, I had read something about threats of Terrorist attacks on Westerners in the Southern Providences.
Should be no problem. The insurgency situation is only in the three provinces in the deep south: Pattanai, Narathiwat and Yala. Also parts of Songkhla. Elsewhere is fine.
Hi Richard, People need to check Travel Insurance, You may not be covered.
Do You suggest avoiding visit to Marblr Temple?
I was there last weekend and it looked safe. Just keep up with the news as the situation could change.
Hi Richard,
I have plan to visit Bangkok by 23 May up to 2 June 2014 and i will stay in Soi Kasem San 1.
Could you give some update the condition around MBK until Zen world?
And how about in Pataya?
Thank you very much for your update.
Best regards,
Richard Touw
No protesters in Bangkok or Pattaya.