DFA to travelers: Reconsider non-essential trips to flood-hit Thailand

The Department of Foreign Affairs advised travelers over the weekend to reconsider for now their plans to go to Bangkok in Thailand, due to the flooding problem there. Citing the advice of the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, the DFA said travelers should reconsider travel plans especially if their trip is “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 quoted the embassy as saying, in a news release posted early Saturday on its website. It added top officials in Thailand have asked residents to move their belongings to higher ground in preparation for possible flooding. According to the embassy, transport services have been suspended in some parts of Bangkok. “The bus and train stations have been jammed by crowds of people attempting to leave the city. Suvarnabhumi International Airport has also been jam-packed with people flying out of Thailand or to other provinces that are not flooded," the DFA quoted the embassy as saying. Meanwhile, the embassy advised Filipinos who are already in Thailand to keep a stock of foodstuff and water, keep lines of communication open, and to contact the Embassy immediately if they feel that they are in danger. The embassy continues to provide assistance to Filipinos affected by the flooding in Bangkok. PAL provides options for Manila-Bangkok ticket holders Flag carrier Philippine Airlines said it is providing options for passengers with confirmed flight bookings from Manila to Bangkok between Oct. 27 and Nov. 6. In a news release, PAL said tickets may be rebooked on the same class of service using the same booking class code without penalty. Tickets may be rerouted, subject to collection of fare/taxes/surcharges difference, if applicable. Change fee/non-user’s fee shall be waived, it added. “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," PAL said. It noted the Thai government has declared a five-day holiday starting October 27, to allow residents to prepare for a possible overflow of floodwaters. On the other hand, PAL said it continuously operates its 14 flights weekly between Manila and Bangkok, despite the flooding situation there. It noted Thailand’s main international gateway, the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, has so far been spared from catastrophic flooding. — LBG, GMA News