Ministry discourages travel to Bangkok

The Swiss foreign ministry has toughened its tone and is now discouraging tourists from travelling to Bangkok after explosions rocked the Thai capital.

“Political tensions are acute,” the ministry said in an advisory updated on Thursday evening. “Tourist travel to Bangkok is not recommended. Flight transits are still possible.”

The warning comes after a series of grenade blasts hit the city’s business district, killing at least three people and wounding 75, as a showdown between troops and anti-government protesters continued.

Five explosions hit an area packed with heavily armed soldiers. Two foreigners were among those seriously wounded, hospital officials told Reuters.

The grenades had been fired from a shoulder-mounted launcher into an area where hundreds of pro-government protesters were gathering. They were the same type used on April 10, when 25 people were killed.

The government said the grenades were fired from an area with many “red shirt” protesters, who have been demonstrating for seven weeks to push for new elections. Red shirt leaders denied responsibility.

“Because of the ongoing political crisis in Thailand, ever-larger political demonstrations are taking place, particularly in Bangkok,” the ministry said. “More demonstrations are to be expected across the country.”

swissinfo.ch and agencies