The outbound travel alert for Bangkok in Thailand has been upgraded to black due to the rapidly worsening situation in the city.

Speaking to reporters tonight, Acting Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok urged Hong Kong residents to avoid all travel to Bangkok. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and avoid protests and large gatherings of people.

The Government today again issued SMS over mobile phones to Hong Kong residents with roaming services in Thailand to notify them the outbound travel alert for the city had been raised to black and they should attend to their personal safety.

Mr Lai said about 300 Hong Kong people are now on package tours to Bangkok and will return home tomorrow. It is estimated that about 1,000 Hong Kong people, who are not on package tours, are still in the city.

Airline services

The airline services from Bangkok to Hong Kong remain normal, he added. There will be 12 flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong tomorrow and about 80 vacant seats are available for booking.

On Monday, there will be 14 flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong and about 200 vacant seats are still available.

Hong Kong residents in Bangkok who need assistance may call the 24-hour hotline (852)1868.

Close watch

The Security Bureau together with other relevant government bureaux and departments are monitoring the situation in Bangkok and surrounding areas.

They have been in close liaison with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong and the Chinese Embassy in Thailand. Any update will be issued through the media and the outbound travel alert webpage.