Up until this point Bangkok— which is in the midst of political turmoil— has been deemed relatively safe for tourists, provided that they were cautious and stayed away from demonstrations.
But now the Associated Press is reporting that the situation has escalated and that travelers may want to reconsider their plans. According to the Associated Press, "Thailand's bloody political crisis has been scaring away tourists for weeks but took a new turn this week when some of the capital's finest hotels sent guests packing for fear of violence at their doorsteps."
The Grand Hyatt and InterContinental hotels in Bangkok are among some of the hotels requiring guests to leave.
"No more 'Land of Smiles' — the image has been destroyed," Apichart Sankary, from the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations, tells the Associated Press. "Tourists are frightened to see military personnel carrying guns. They can't believe this is Thailand."
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