Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has just raised its travel advisory for Bangkok to the second highest level: “reconsider your need to travel”. The advice for the rest of Thailand remains unchanged. This is the list of other places for which the Department provides the same level of warning: D.R. Congo, Angola, Haiti, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Pakistan…

There is one further rung on the scale of warnings. It takes in these holiday destinations.

One wonders how the average People’s Alliance for Democracy trooper would react to this clear statement of concern from the Australian government. Perhaps they would applaud it, and what it means for the Somsak government’s efforts to stay in-charge.

It is hardly a vote of confidence for mainland Southeast Asia’s major trade, transit and tourism hub.