BKK shopping malls remain closed
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The continuing anti-government protests in Bangkok have led to some of the city’s most popular department stores being closed for a third day yesterday. CentralWorld, Gaysorn Plaza and Amarin Plaza all remained closed on Monday, as did the Siam Paragon, which houses cinemas, high-end retail outlets and the aquarium attraction, Siam OceanWorld.
The red-shirted protesters have vowed to hold their position, near Bangkok’s Chidlom Sky Train station, after a court declined to issue a legal order to evict them from the tourist hub. The demonstrators are calling for fresh elections. However the Thai government appears to be reluctant to try to forcibly remove the protesters, fearing violence that would further damage the country’s image.
“So far the government has no plan to use force to disperse the demonstrators,” government spokesperson, Panitan Wattanayagorn, was reported saying yesterday.
A statement issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday advised tourists to avoid areas where the protesters are gathering, including the Chidlom and Ratchaprasong intersections, in the heart of the Thai capital. These areas are closed to traffic. The vast majority of other shops and services in Bangkok are operating as normal however, and airport services into both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang are completely unaffected.
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