Foreign Office cautions Filipinos against travel to Bangkok

Thai navy personnel carry evacuees on a boat in floodwaters in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. The complex network of flood defenses erected to shield Thailand's capital from the country's worst floods in nearly 60 years was put to the test Saturday as coastal high tides hit their peak. AP

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs advised Filipinos planning to travel to Bangkok to reconsider their trips due to the flooding in the Thai capital and elsewhere in the country.

The DFA, citing a report from the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, said travelers should seriously consider putting of their trip especially if it was “non-essential.”

“The extent of the flooding situation in Bangkok is changing very rapidly. No one is certain what would happen between today and November 1, when the flooding is expected to peak due to the high tides and the large volume of water flowing from the northern provinces through the Chao Phraya River, which is now traversing Bangkok itself,” the DFA said.

It added that top officials of Thailand have asked residents to move to higher ground in preparation for possible flooding.

Transport services have been suspended in some parts of Bangkok, the embassy said, adding that bus and train stations have been jammed by crowds of people leaving the city.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport has also been packed with people flying out of Thailand or to other provinces that are not flooded, the embassy said.

It advised Filipinos who are already in Thailand to keep a stock of food and water, keep lines of communication open, and to contact the embassy immediately if they feel that they are in danger.

The embassy said it would continue to provide assistance to Filipinos affected by the flooding in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, due to the situation in Bangkok,  Philippine Arlines and Cebu Pacific announced that they were providing options for passengers with confirmed flight bookings to the flooded city.

Thai residents ride military trucks to move to higher grounds at a flooded area in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. 2011. The complex network of flood defenses erected to shield Thailand's capital from the country's worst floods in nearly 60 years was put to the test Saturday as coastal high tides hit their peak. AP

PAL said for those with confirmed flight bookings from Manila to Bangkok covering the period October 27-November 6, tickets may be rebooked on the same class of service without penalty.

Tickets may also be rerouted, subject to collection of the difference in fare/taxes/surcharges, if applicable. Change fee/non-user’s fee shall be waived, PAL said in an advisory posted on its website.

“These options are being made available to PAL passengers in view of Bangkok’s flooding problem, which has prompted hundreds of tourists to make adjustments in their travel plans to and from the capital city,” the flag carrier said.

It stressed, however, that it continuously operates its 14 flights weekly between Manila and Bangkok.

On the other hand, Cebu Pacific said that while it continued to operate its 10 weekly flights from Manila to Bangkok and twice weekly flights from Clark to Bangkok, passengers with confirmed flight bookings to and from Bangkok from October 26 to November 2 may have the option to rebook for travel within 30 days without penalties.

“Passengers may also reroute to a different destination but subject to fare difference; or place the full value of their booking in a travel fund, for use up to 90 days,” Cebu Pacific said in an advisory.

PAL noted that the Thai government has declared a five-day holiday starting October 27 to allow residents to prepare for worse flooding.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, the country’s main international gateway, has so far been spared from flooding.