Major travel agents operating Thailand package tours met today (23 March), and in view of the latest information provided by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the industry’s business partners in Thailand and related organisations that protests in Bangkok pose negligible risk to tourists as the protests are far away from tourist attractions, as well as the wish of travellers to visit Bangkok as normal, package tours bound for Bangkok will depart as normal as from 24 March.

If any place originally planned for a visit by a package tour is affected by any protest, the itinerary will be changed to avoid visiting the affected place.

Travellers who have signed up for package tours to depart for Bangkok on or after 24 March 2010 may contact their travel agents for new arrangements of their tours.

Tour escorts will report to their travel agents daily on the latest situation of the tour groups in Thailand, and travel agents will provide the TIC daily with the numbers of the package tours and tour participants that head for and leave Bangkok.

The TIC will closely monitor the situation in Thailand, and will continue to keep in close contact with the Security Bureau, related organisations and travel agents, and disseminate latest news through the media and its website at www.tichk.org.