Aussies in Bangkok warned to stay inside

Canberra is urging the Thai government to resolve peacefully and lawfully its
growing political turmoil, with up to 55,000 Australians thought to be working or
holidaying in Thailand.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters the government was "deeply concerned"
at the latest round of political instability, which has seen troops use tear gas and
fire machine guns into the air to disperse anti-government protesters.
The government believes up to 55,000 Australians could be in Thailand and is urging
those not in the country to reconsider whether they need to travel to the popular
holiday destination.
On Monday afternoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade upgraded its travel
advisory, urging Australians to think about whether they should travel to Bangkok
and surrounding provinces.
"We urge Australians not in Bangkok to reconsider their need to travel to Bangkok,"
Mr Smith said.
"Those Australians who are in Bangkok, we urge them to stay within their homes or
their hotels, to certainly avoid demonstrations and to certainly avoid large
gatherings of people."
No Australians have so far been caught up in the violence, which has injured around
70 people.
At any time, the government believes up to 30,000 Australians are living or working
in Thailand and up to 25,000 Australians are there on holiday.
"The Australian government is deeply concerned at developments in Thailand," Mr
Smith said.
"At this stage, and I've just got off the phone to our ambassador in Bangkok, we
have no evidence of any Australians being caught up in these demonstrations or in
the violence," he said.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop called on the government to be
ready in case Australians needed to be evacuated.
"The opposition trusts that the Rudd government has a contingency plan in place for
all Australians currently in Thailand in the event that the situation deteriorates
further," she said.
On Monday, there was a major escalation in clashes between troops and demonstrators
who want to get rid of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Thai soldiers sprayed automatic weapons fire and threw tear gas to clear the
anti-government protesters in a crackdown to enforce a state of emergency declared
on Sunday.
Mr Smith called for a peaceful end to the political difficulties.
"We urge a peaceful and a lawful resolution of these political difficulties in
Thailand. We urge the political leadership in Thailand to resolve these matters
peacefully and in accordance with the law," he said.
In its travel advisory, DFAT recommends travellers "exercise a high degree of
caution because of the political instability in Thailand and the possibility of
political demonstrations".
"We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Bangkok and surrounding
provinces due to ongoing civil unrest," DFAT's smartraveller website warns.
"The state of emergency bans the gathering of more than five people (and) the
military may become involved in enforcing the decree and further violence is
possible.
"You should consider your need to travel to Bangkok or surrounding provinces at this
time. If you are in Bangkok or surrounding provinces you should avoid unnecessary
movement around the city or province."
The East Asia Summit of regional leaders had to be called off on Saturday when
thousands of Thai anti-government demonstrators stormed the hotel and convention
centre in the resort city of Pattaya where the talks were to be held.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was due to arrive in Thailand late on Saturday afternoon,
but his plane was turned back to Australia on news of the protest.
It was the second postponement of the summit meeting, after political turmoil in
Thailand thwarted a plan to hold it in December.