Canadians should 'avoid all travel' to parts of Thailand
The Canadian government has issued a travel advisory for anyone currently in or planning to travel to Thailand.
According to the government’s statement, Canadians should “exercise a high degree of caution” in the country as a whole but should “avoid all travel” to four southern provinces - Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala.
#Thailand: explosions have been reported at three locations in Bangkok. Remain vigilant at all times and follow the advice of local authorities. https://t.co/fiXXXORTaC
— travel.gc.ca (@TravelGoC) August 2, 2019
The reason for the advisory stems from ongoing political tensions and demonstrations in the country, particularly in Bangkok.
Last week, a series of bombs exploded in the city during a meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers and diplomats from around the world, including the U.S. and China. Other fire-bombs exploded in a central shopping district in Bangkok and three additional bombs went off on Saturday at three ATM machines.
"There are more than 10 people involved that need to be arrested, charged, and investigated for the cause (of the attack)," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday.
Thai officials have now linked the bombings to groups in the south, an area that has a history of fighting with Muslim separatist insurgents.
Thailand is an incredibly popular tourist destination for Canadians, with over 250,000 people visiting the country in 2016. The Canadian government estimates that there were 6,000 Canadians living in Thailand in 2017.
