Several Countries Relax Thailand Travel Advice, Says Foreign Ministry

BANGKOK, December 5 (TNA) – Several countries have relaxed their advice on visiting Thailand, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. Mr. Sek Wannamethee, the Director-General of the Department of Information and spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the number of countries issuing advisories warning their citizens about travel to Thailand due to political protests in Bangkok remained the same at 34 nations and two special economic zones. However, he said, many countries started to change the content of their advisories, saying anti-government protests in Thailand were easing. Meanwhile, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Romania and Kazakhstan still advise their citizens not to visit Bangkok, he said. Regarding reactions of the international community, the director-general of the Department of Information said the United States embassy and the office of the European Union in Thailand supported democracy in Thailand and disagreed with the seizure of government offices and would like all parties in Thailand to refrain from violence and adhere to peaceful negotiation. Mr Sek also said that foreign media were monitoring political demonstrations and situations in Thailand and they found it difficult to analyze Thai politics. They also pay attention to Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's proposal for the private sector and academics to discuss national solutions in forums and they are monitoring the progress of the prime minister's initiative. (TNA)