Postpone trip to Thailand, Pinoys advised

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) advised Tuesday Filipinos planning to visit Thailand’s capital of Bangkok to postpone their trip in view of mass protest rallies in the area starting Friday, March 12, in support of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

“In view of the protest rallies being planned in key areas of Bangkok starting Friday, March 12, 2010, and for the duration of the rallies, Filipinos are advised to postpone all non-essential travel to Thailand, specifically Bangkok,” the DFA said in its travel advisory yesterday.

“Filipinos who are already in Thailand are advised to avoid areas that have been identified as meeting areas and staging areas for the rallyists,” it added.

Red-shirt supporters of the ousted former premier are staging a rally starting this Friday reportedly to dissolve the Parliament and conduct new elections. Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in September 2006 for corruption charges.

In February this year, the Supreme Court of Thailand ruled that $1.4 billion of Thaksin's $2.3-billion assets be stripped off from him, which will be the subject of the mass rally to be conducted by the red-shirts. (Madel Sabater)

Source: MB.com