Bangkok protests continue as tourism chiefs fail in bid to change FCO's 'unnecessary' blanket travel ban

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has failed in its appeal against the Foreign Office's travel advice for tourists visiting the country, branding it 'unnecessary'.

The FCO this week extended its warning from Bangkok to the whole of Thailand, where at least 27 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 hurt in anti-government clashes.

Several thousand Britons are already on holiday in Thailand and have been warned to stay indoors, follow the news and check FCO advice if violence breaks out where they are.

The TAT and the Royal Thai Embassy asked for a meeting with the FCO to look at revising the warning, which took place yesterday.

But as it emerged that the FCO had decided to uphold its countrywide travel ban, a TAT spokeswoman told TravelMail that the violence was just confined to Thailand's capital.