Foreign Office advises tourists to avoid public demonstrations

British travellers in Thailand have been warned to avoid demonstrations and listen to news updates on the attempted coup.

The Foreign Office said: "The British embassy in Bangkok is monitoring the situation. There have been reports of tanks taking up position around the Thai government headquarters and blocking traffic."

More than 750,000 Britons visit Thailand each year. Cameron Cooper, the editor of Untamed Travel magazine, which is based in Bangkok, said there was "initial panic" when people heard of the attempted coup.

"Our access to the BBC has been cut off," he said from his office in Banglamphu, at the centre of the area where the attempted coup has taken place. "I had a walk through the area and there was relative calm on the streets. But we are waiting to see what happens."

The Foreign Office website said: "If you intend to travel to, or are in, Bangkok, you should monitor all available information. You should also avoid any demonstrations and large crowds. Movements around government buildings and in public may be restricted." They have not advised people to avoid travelling to the country.

A forum of the Lonely Planet website used by backpackers to ask advice and offer recommendations has posts discussing the situation. One traveller wrote: "All international news channels have been cut."

Another backpacker, who was planning a trip to the country at the end of the month, asked whether they would be safe to travel and received the confident reply: "Don't worry, it'll all be sorted out in the next week - it's just posturing."

A spokeswoman for STA travel, a student travel agent that sends 25,000 people to Thailand each year, said the company was working closely with the Foreign Office. "Obviously, customer safety is of utmost importance," she said.