Police use a magnetic tool as they examine debris in front of the Erawan Shrine at Rajprasong intersection in Bangkok, Thailand, as investigations continue the morning after an explosion
The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) stated yesterday that no Macau residents were found on Thai hospitals’ casualty lists following the bomb attack on Monday evening in Bangkok. As of yesterday evening, the Office had received a total of 91 inquiries, including two requests for help in arranging an early return to Macau.
The Substitute Chief Executive Wong Sio Chak – the Secretary for Security – issued a statement yesterday expressing the MSAR government’s “great concern” over the deadly incident.
After conveying sadness over the incident and voicing deep condolences to the families of the victims, the substitute Chief Executive appealed to individual tourists and package tour groups currently visiting Thailand from Macau to pay attention to the local public security and safety conditions, and to adjust their itineraries accordingly.
The statement further added that Wong had asked the GGCT and the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO)’s representative office in Thailand to follow up on the situation. It stressed that the MSAR government will pay close attention to any new developments concerning the incident, and will provide assistance to Macau residents who are there and require help.
Citing the security alert issued by the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, the GGCT also released a statement yesterday noting that the bomb attack occurred in Bangkok’s downtown business district on Monday evening. It resulted in a death toll of 19 with over a hundred injured by the early morning. Three Chinese tourists were killed and over twenty Chinese citizens have been injured, according to the Embassy.
The GGCT said it has sent text messages through Macau’s telecom operators to a total of 942 Macau mobile numbers currently roaming in Thailand to inform the travelers of the emergency contacts available. Apart from promising to pay close attention to the developments surrounding the incident, and that it would keep in close contact with Macau’s tourism sector and the MGTO’s representative office, the GGCT also appealed for Macau residents to cautiously assess the safety risk before traveling to Thailand.
The blast site was next to a large shopping mall and the popular Erawan Shrine tourist attraction, where foreign tourists are highly concentrated. Until yesterday, the scene was still blocked off as staff cleared fragments and debris and washed the street.
Following the incident, Macau’s tourism agencies have canceled all of the package tour groups that were scheduled to depart for Thailand on and before Sunday (August 23). About 250 departing travelers are affected by the cancelation of the more than ten groups.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Travel Industry Council has issued a red travel alert, and has canceled all of the 200 departing tour groups to Bangkok, comprising 4,000 tourists, that were scheduled over the rest of this month.
The president of the Travel Industry Council of Macau, Andy Wu, explained that the date of August 23 was decided upon after local travel agencies’ conducted negotiations with related airlines regarding trip cancelations and change of tickets. As for specific arrangements, customers will need to consult their respective agencies.
Additionally, Air Macau announced that all of its passengers who had booked a flight to Bangkok on and before yesterday (August 18) could reschedule their trip or change the destination free of charge to a departure on or before September 15.
As for Macau residents in Thailand who are seeking help, the GGCT has advised them to call any of the following: the Chinese Embassy’s 24-hour consular protection hotline at 0066-854833327; the 24-hour tourism hotline at 00853-28333000; or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ emergency call center for global consular protection and services at 0086-10-12308.
400 local group tourists safe in Thailand
information gathered from the tourism sector shows that there are currently about 20 package tour groups comprising over 400 tourists from Macau staying in Thailand. Mr Andy Wu said that most of the groups are in Bangkok, but they are all in safe areas and will avoid visiting the tourist attractions affected by bomb blasts.
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