Pictures of Bangkok Pratunam 25 Jan 2014

Pictures of Bangkok Pratunam 25 Jan 2014

We all know about the Bangkok shutdown and the emergency decree. It should be stressed that the emergency decree only covers Bangkok and some parts of nearby provinces as stated above and not any other destinations in Thailand. In addition, There is currently no curfew in place in Bangkok or any other parts of Thailand. Local residents and international visitors can continue to travel within Bangkok and other destinations in the country as usual.

It is business as usual in Thailand. I have a set of pictures of Pratunam Bangkok taken in 25 Jan 2014. The pictures are contributed by Happy Wong from Love Holiday Malaysia.

Business is as usual in Pratunam market and everyone is enjoying shopping. 

Business is as usual, shoppers shop in Pratunam and you can see the street food. Shoppers are busy shopping!

I missed this place. I travel to Bangkok almost yearly just to shop for clothes. You can get affordable and yet quality clothes from here,

Pratunam Market. 

Like usual, the traffic jam in front of Platinum Mall.

Busy traffic in front of Platinum Mall.

McDonald’s in front of Platinum Mall. 

While the demonstrations are taking place in the central Bangkok areas, life in the most parts of the Thai capital and throughout Thailand continues as usual. However, tourists are advised to be vigilant and avoid the demonstration areas for their own safety and security.

Bangkok is a large city and so it is possible for local residents and international visitors to avoid the demonstration areas. Traffic in the most parts of Bangkok is also moving normally since all other roads and expressways are not affected by the demonstrations.

All major tourist attractions in the Thai capital, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace and the Temple of Dawn, are open normally. Tourists can visit all attractions using the usual means of transport, including buses, vans and car transfers by tour companies, taxis, the Skytrain, the subway or the boat and ferry service.

Businesses, including banks, petrol and gas stations, hotels, spas, restaurants, entertainment venues, cinemas, convention centres, shopping malls, superstores, convenient stores, pharmacies, hospitals and the like are open and operating as per normal. However, shopping venues in the rally areas may change their opening hours while some businesses, including bank branches and petrol stations – may be closed. Telephone – landline and mobile – and Internet services continue to be available 24/7 as per normal.

(Story is sourced from TAT Malaysia at: https://www.facebook.com/tourismthailandkul)

Transportation

All airports in Bangkok and throughout Thailand are open and operating as per normal. Air passengers with flights departing out of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports are advised to allocate at least four hours prior to their scheduled flight departure time and to check the flight status prior to travelling.

For tourists travelling within Bangkok, the available means of transport are as follows:

• The BTS Skytrain runs between Mo Chit and Bearing Stations (Sukhumvit Line), and between the National Stadium and Bang Wa Stations (Silom Line).
• The MRT subway runs between Bang Sue and Hua Lamphong Stations.
• The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) operates several bus and van services throughout Bangkok. Many bus routes may be adjusted to avoid the protest areas.
• Boat and ferry services on Saen Saep Canal and the Chao Phraya River.

For tourists with flights arriving in or leaving Bangkok, the available means of transport are as follows:
• The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link’s SA Express and SA City Line trains run between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Bangkok downtown (Makkasan City Air Terminal and Phayathai Stations). From the two downtown stations, tourists can connect to and from their destinations using the Skytrain or the subway.
• The State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) northern train line runs through Don Mueang International Airport station to Hua Lamphong Station.
• About 6,000 taxis registered with the Airports of Thailand (AOT) have been given special stickers to show that the vehicles are carrying tourists, thus allowing them to be able to pass freely through intersections occupied by the demonstrators.

Elsewhere in the country, all means of transport are operating as per normal, including train services by the SRT and bus and van services by the Transport Co., Ltd.

Tourist assistance measures

• The Tourist’s Friend Centre (TFC) – operated by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS) in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) – is open 24 hours a day to offer assistance for tourists.
• There are two TFC branches located at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang International Airport.
• There are four TFC Help Desks located at the following BTS Skytrain stations: Siam, Phaya Thai, Ekkamai and Sala Daeng.
• There are three TFC Shuttle Bus Pick-up Points located at the Jewellery Trade Tower, Windsor Suites Hotel and Twin Towers Hotel. Each location has one bus, two vans and one boat on standby. However, the pick-up locations may change as deemed appropriate by the responsible agencies.
• A number of rapid Tourist Police units and 50 volunteers are also on standby to assist tourists who may require travelling through the demonstration areas.
• At Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the Airport Operation Centre offers assistance for passengers at check-in counter row R, Departure Hall, 4th floor of the Passenger Terminal. The Airport also deploys a group of facilitation personnel from TAT, ATTA and THA to assist passengers near the AOT Information Counter, Arrival Hall, 2nd floor of the Passenger Terminal.

More information:
• For instant updates, follow Amazing Thailand through the Application Line and Facebook or Twitter @ThailandFanClub.
• For information on tourist attractions and activities, visit:www.tourismthailand.org
• For live videos of attractions in Thailand, download the Thai Live Cam mobile application at: http://livecam.tourismthailand.org/
• For daily news on TAT and the Thai tourism industry, visit:www.tatnews.org
• Thailand is a festive country, celebrating numerous local and national holidays and hosting many regional and global events each year, to see the calendar of events and festivals, visit:
o www.tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/Events-and-Festivals
o www.tatnews.org/events-festivals/

Useful contact numbers:
Tourist’s Friend Centre +66 (0) 2314 1212
TAT Call Centre 1672
Tourist Police Call Centre 1155
Traffic Police Call Centre 1197
BMTA (city bus and van service) Call Centre 1348
BTS Hotline +66 (0) 2617 6000
MRT Customer Relations Center +66 (0) 2624 5200
SRT (train service) Call Centre 1690
Transport Co., Ltd., (inter-provincial bus service) Call Centre 1490
AOT (Suvarnabhumi Airport) Call Centre 1722
Suvarnabhumi Airport Operation Centre (temporary) +66 (0) 2132 9950 or 2
Don Mueang Airport Call Centre +66 (0) 2535 3861, (0) 2535 3863
Thai Airways International Call Centre +66 (0) 2356 1111
Bangkok Airways Call Centre 1771
Nok Air Call Centre 1318
Thai AirAsia Call Centre +66 (0) 2515 9999

Wilson Ng