ID :
118543
Sat, 04/24/2010 - 21:57
Auther :

Japan raises travel advisory to Bangkok, agencies suspend tours+

TOKYO, April 24 Kyodo -
The Japanese Foreign Ministry has stepped up its travel advisory to Bangkok and
surrounding areas, prompting major travel agencies to suspend tours to the Thai
capital until Tuesday, just ahead of the holiday-studded Golden Week from
Thursday.
A day after deadly grenade attacks in central Bangkok, the Japanese ministry on
Friday raised its advisory by one notch to the second lowest level on its
four-grade scale, recommending that Japanese nationals ''seriously consider''
any travel plans to the affected region and ''take sufficient safety
precautions'' if they decide to make a trip.
Travel agency JTB Corp. announced Saturday that it has suspended tours to
Bangkok for departures until Tuesday booked by 158 people. It will make a
decision on Monday whether to go ahead with departures on and after Wednesday.
Tours to Phuket or other locations will not be affected, JTB said.
Another major tour operator Nippon Travel Agency Co. said it has suspended
tours to Bangkok for departures from Saturday to Friday, while KNT Co. said it
will continue offering tours provided that flights are operated normally.
JTB said 334 people on its tours are currently staying in Bangkok. It is
planning to request that they move out of the Thai capital.
==Kyodo

X