Land of Smiles beckons

New Zealand's official view is that there is "some risk" to tourists in Thailand, but that has been downgraded from the travel advisory of May and June when the country was considered "high risk" and we were advised to stay at home.
A "some risk" advisory should not deter tourists. After all, there is officially "some risk" to New Zealanders in Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Singapore, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, France and Italy.
Surprisingly though, at the height of the unrest in May when the Thai military cracked down on protesters encamped in Bangkok, New Zealand tourists were still flying in.
Thai Airways bookings from Auckland to Thailand in May were up 70 per cent over the previous May. Why?
One reason is that people who had already booked but had not taken out travel insurance at the time of booking, couldn't get their money back if they cancelled. Probably, though, the surge was largely because Thailand, in the midst of political upheaval, was a cheap place to holiday.
"New Zealanders love a bargain," says Thai Airways representative Ian Peddie.
We ignore "high risk" travel advisories at our peril.
Apart from issues of personal safety, some travel insurance becomes invalid if the holder travels against official advice. But "some risk" advisories should not keep tourists at home. They mean "take care", and "use common sense", rather than "don't travel". Don't get tangled up in political protests or rallies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which runs the safe travel website, advises tourists to Thailand.
Once there, the political goings-on in Thailand are below the radar for most tourists.
Thousands of us continue to pour into the Land of Smiles, to be welcomed by Thai people with gentleness, politeness and dignity. Eighty-eight thousand New Zealanders visited Thailand last year and the number may not be much different this year.
Tourists are welcome and well-catered for, and the country has endless attractions for all interests, from cultural to beach-going to adventure.
Beneath the smiling face, however, the casual observer can sense political unease.
Some Thais were outraged recently when a teenage singer in a popular Thai television talent quest - the local equivalent of New Zealand Idol - was forced to pull out of the contest because of derogatory comments on his Facebook page.
Some time before he entered the contest, the 17-year-old had on Facebook called the Prime Minister of Thailand a fool. Probably not enough to ruffle Kiwi feathers, but in Thailand ruling politicians don't absorb criticism.
The boy was pulled from the show "at the request of his parents".
A Truth and Reconciliation Commission is looking into the political unrest which killed 90 people during the Red Shirt protests and subsequent government crack-down, and the military-supported leader has promised "to give consideration" to holding democratic elections next year. Meanwhile Bangkok is still under emergency rule, restricting groups of people gathering.
Travel agents have attractive deals to Thailand. Return flights from Auckland to Bangkok cost about $1200 a person, and packages including a week's accommodation can be had for about $1500. For New Zealand Government travel advisories, see www.safetravel.govt.nz