Urgent advice for travelers to Myanmar, Thailand after earthquake

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake on the afternoon of March 28 was located near Mandalay - Myanmar's second largest city, famous for its UNESCO-recognized temple complexes and cultural relics. Therefore, the earthquake and its consequences have had a strong impact on tourism in Myanmar in particular and neighboring countries in the Southeast Asian region in general.

In the above context, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has just issued travel advice for British citizens in Thailand and Myanmar.

The FCDO advises UK nationals not to travel to certain southern Thai provinces, including Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla, unless necessary. Travellers should monitor the news regularly, follow the advice of local authorities and stay away from high-rise buildings until it is safe to do so.

British tour operators have also started to notify customers with current or upcoming trips to Thailand or Myanmar, allowing them to reschedule or cancel their trips. Meanwhile, many insurers are reporting an increasing number of claims for travel disruption coverage due to the earthquake.

The UK advisory could lead to wider advice across Europe, impacting advance flight bookings for April and May – a key tourist season in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, TTW said.

The Canadian government has also updated its travel advisory for Laos, which was severely affected by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, especially popular destinations such as Luang Prabang, Vientiane and areas near the Mekong River. Canada warns its visitors against travelling to some Lao provinces such as Xaisomboun, Bokeo and especially the Golden Triangle area where Myanmar and Thailand meet.

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) of Hong Kong (China) has also recently issued a Level 1 travel warning for Myanmar. Accordingly, Macao residents who are planning to visit Thailand, Myanmar or are currently in these countries are advised to be vigilant and update information regularly.

Macao's telecommunications service providers have also assisted in providing emergency contact information to 1,475 Macao mobile users currently roaming in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos.

Many countries with large numbers of visitors to Thailand, such as Australia, India, China and Singapore, are expected to continue to issue their own updated advisories. Similarly, embassies in Myanmar and Thailand have set up hotlines to support their citizens at this time.

AP said Myanmar is now on many countries ' "do not travel" lists after the earthquake, and this will further delay the country's tourism industry's efforts to rebuild its reputation and attract foreign investment.

While no airlines have issued mass flight cancellations so far, airlines are advising travelers flying to Mandalay, Bangkok or Chiang Mai to check their flight information regularly for updates. Travel experts expect the disruption to ripple across other parts of Myanmar and northern Thailand in the coming days.

"For tourists planning to travel to Thailand or Myanmar, they can consider alternative options to other countries in the same Southeast Asian region such as Vietnam, Malaysia or Singapore," TTW experts wrote.

(According to TPO)

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/226/347979/Khuyen-cao-khan-cap-voi-du-khach-den-Myanmar-Thai-Lan-sau-dong-dat.aspx