WWYD: Thailand

[Deleted]

I've posted on here recently about a trip to Thailand over the holidays in December.  I've booked most of our lodging (which is mostly refundable with small cancellation charges) and am ready to book our flights.  It's still early, but I usually book holidays flights around this time because they tend to go up from here and more desirable flights book up.  I've been reading about the political situation in Thailand and I'm hearing mixed things about travel to Thailand.

I'm not so much worried about safety.  It sounds like the protests are limited in area, and I've traveled to countries with instability in the past.  My concern is more with transportation delays and things being closed.  We are planning on three weeks and a fair amount of travel within Thailand, including to some more remote locations.  On the one hand, I know I'm still several months out and I don't need to book this moment.  On the other hand, I hate to pass up reasonable airfare and/or the desirable flights and end up kicking myself in a few months.  I could look into travel insurance, but I'm skeptical about coverage for something like this.

What would the Travel Board do?  Also interested in any personal experiences or insight.

[frlcb]

We went to Thailand and Laos and Cambodia in May 2010 when there were huge riots in Bangkok. We waited until the last minute and ended up staying at a hotel by the airport and only staying 2 days instead of 4 and heading to Laos early. Our original hotel in Bangkok was actually shut down because it was in the middle of all the protests but honestly when we were there we didn't notice anything.

[Moe]

I was in Thailand in 2008, there was much political unrest, we were advised to stay away from the government house areas.

If you didn't know it, you wouldn't have known (i.e. all the temples, the palace, the transportation (tuk tuks, boats, taxis, etc) were fully functional). The hotels were operating, everything seemed totally normal.

I left the day before the airport was bombed, and still, while there was much security in the airport, everything moved smoothly.

[mdgirl]

I personally would not because transportation issues on vacation stress me out. Still being so far out I'd just plan for a different destination because I would literally spend the next 9 months worrying about it. But that's me. I'm sure most people would be more logical about it since it's very likely you'll be absolutely fine.

[katfco]

I agree to go ahead and book it; if for some reason you decide to not go to the places you were planning, you can always change plans and head down to Malaysia or Singapore for a bit. There's so much to do in that area of the world.

[Brit]

Feb 27, 2014 10:21:15 GMT -5 @mx said:

I'm planning a trip to Thailand and Laos in Nov/Dec and have no plans to cancel. If things really deteriorate substantially we can always shift our plans...

This exactly. Me too!

[Deleted]

Feb 27, 2014 14:37:36 GMT -5 Brit said:

Feb 27, 2014 10:21:15 GMT -5 @mx said:

I'm planning a trip to Thailand and Laos in Nov/Dec and have no plans to cancel. If things really deteriorate substantially we can always shift our plans...

This exactly. Me too!

When you say shift your plans, do you mean still fly into Bangkok but then catch a flight elsewhere in SE Asia from Bangkok?
I'm looking at about 1800pp to fly from New York to Bangkok with a stopover in Hong Kong.  I looked into cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance for the plane tickets and the price is crazy.

[Deleted]

I'm heading to Bangkok end of March/early April. I can let you know of any issues when I get back!

[frlcb]

You can fly so many places in SE Asia from Bangkok for relatively cheaply. That is what I would do if you end up not wanting to stay in Bangkok.