Mob attacks Thai embassy

BANGKOK Thai travellers to Turkey have been warned to avoid gatherings and to exercise extra caution during their stay in the Turkish capital, following an attack on the Thai embassy in Istanbul.
A mob launched an attack on the Thai embassy, Wednesday night, over the Thai government’s decision to extradite Uighur asylum seekers to China, Thailand’s National News Bureau reported Thursday.
No one was injured in the attack. The incident followed the arrest of more than 200 Uighurs in Songkhla province for illegally entering the country.
The Thai embassy said in a statement that Thai tourist groups should avoid displaying the Thai flag and avoid all public gatherings in Turkey.
inside no 10There are around 1,000 Thais resident in Istanbul according to the embassy’s register.
During the last three days, a group of Asian tourists, mistaken for a group of Chinese nationals, were nearly attacked by unknown assailants in the Turkish capital.
The consular department of the Thai embassy remained closed on Thursday but other departments continued to carry out their duties as usual, the bureau reported.
Turkish Airlines flies daily from Bangkok to Istanbul, which is a popular gateway for Thai tour operators who use the airline to connect to other European destinations.
News of the attack on the embassy is likely to cause cancellations of tour departures, or a decision by tour operators to use other gateways and airlines to avoid Istanbul.

sourced:ttrweekly.com