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Australians urged to avoid violence-hit Thai areas
Canberra, Apr 30: Australians were advised not to travel to several provinces in southern Thailand following bloody clashes between Thai security forces and armed Muslim youths.
Canberra, Apr 30: Australians were advised not to travel to several provinces in southern Thailand following bloody clashes between Thai security forces and armed Muslim youths.
Australia's foreign office urged its citizens to defer all non-essential travel to the provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla, and overland travel to and from the Malaysian border through these provinces.
The advisory came after Wednesday's unprecedented eruption of violence in which more than 100 people were killed in about 15 clashes, including a shoot-out at a centuries-old mosque. ''Violent incidents have been endemic in this region for many years although the intensity and co-ordination of these incidents in the region has been on the increase since early 2004,'' the department of foreign affairs and trade yesterday said in a statement.
Every year about 160,000 Australians travel to Thailand of which about 112,000 are tourists, according to Australia's Bureau of tourism.
Bureau Report
The advisory came after Wednesday's unprecedented eruption of violence in which more than 100 people were killed in about 15 clashes, including a shoot-out at a centuries-old mosque. ''Violent incidents have been endemic in this region for many years although the intensity and co-ordination of these incidents in the region has been on the increase since early 2004,'' the department of foreign affairs and trade yesterday said in a statement.
Every year about 160,000 Australians travel to Thailand of which about 112,000 are tourists, according to Australia's Bureau of tourism.
Bureau Report