Thailand tourism tumbles as U.S. warns against travel

Americans should avoid all travel to Bangkok, says the U.S. State Department, and delay all nonessential travel to the rest of Thailand.

The State Department issued the travel warning after violence intensified in recent days in Bangkok, where anti-government political demonstrations have paralyzed the heart of the city for weeks. Escalating clashes with security forces have resulted in deaths and injuries and, while tourists have not been targeted, the violence is unpredictable. The Thai government has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and other areas.

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok is mostly closed this week because of security concerns, with only emergency staffing. Thai authorities have shut some of the city's public transit to hamper the "Red Shirt" protesters' movements, and upscale shops and hotels in Bangkok's Ratchaprasong area, where protests are centered, are closed. The city's overall hotel occupancy rate has fallen to about 30 percent, and vacation and business travel has tumbled throughout the country.