Holidaymakers urged to avoid storm-hit parts of Thailand
British travellers have been told to stay away from southern areas of the country as tropical storm Pabuk made landfall.
Holidaymakers have criticised a lack of information from officials as the worst tropical storm in 30 years has battered southern Thailand.
Storm Pabuk made landfall at 5.45am GMT on Friday over Pak Phanang, a district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province in the south and has moved west over the mainland.
Some British tourists are currently sheltering in hotels on popular islands off the east coast and have said they have received “absolute no advice from officials”.
Dominic Campbell, 32, an account manager from Croydon, travelled to the island of Koh Tao on January 3 with his girlfriend.
They arrived just as everyone was fleeing, but with their onward travel pre-booked they decided to stay and wait out the storm.
“I have to say, it’s very alarming when you see thousands of tourists flee the island, but you’re the one who isn’t,” Mr Campbell said.
“But the locals on this island don’t seem too bothered.”
“We have had absolutely no advice by officials,” he added.
“Like I said, everybody on this island don’t seem too bothered.
“Other than laying down a few sandbags there hasn’t been much prep.”
Katie Preston, 23, and her partner Liam Bland, 29, from Hartlepool are currently stranded on the island of Koh Phangan after they were allowed to take the last boat out before services were stopped.
“We hadn’t heard about any storm and none of the staff we spoke to at Samui airport or at the boats mentioned it so we didn’t know it was going to happen,” Ms Preston said.
“When we were walking to the hotel we thought it seemed quiet but didn’t think much of it until we read everyone had left and ours was the last boat over to Phangan before they were suspending [the] service.
“We haven’t heard anything from any officials, I’ve only asked the hotel receptionist what we do if we need to leave, asking if someone will get us all out or if we make our own way – he said to just go ourselves and when I asked where to he said he’s not sure.”
Britons make over one million trips to the country every year to visit popular islands such as Koh Phangnan, Koh Samui and Koh Tao.
Over the winter period visitor numbers increase as many head there to catch some winter sun.
Nick Entwistle, 30, from Manchester, who runs an advertising agency, and Jack Sewell, 29, a plumber from Stockport, are currently battened down in their hotel on Koh Samui.
Mr Entwistle said: “We received mixed advice from local officials and public. Some were not worried at all as there are regular storm warnings on the island.
“Some advised us to get away from the beach as soon as possible. To stay safe we booked a hotel a bit further into the mainland.
“We thought it’s better to be safe than sorry and get away from the beach after a local told us to go into mainland due to possible ‘big wave’.”
Mr Entwistle said they are trying to get updates online but their Wifi is “intermittent”.
“We’ve got a lot of worried people messaging us from back home and we are currently locked in our hotel listening to the torrential downpour outside,” he said.
The Foreign Office has advised British nationals against all but essential travel to provinces on the Thai-Malaysia border, including areas such as Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
The storm was expected to bring five-metre high waves and winds up to 46mph, the Thai Met Office warned.
Forecasters have also warned of possible flash flooding in certain areas caused by “forest runoffs” from the rain.
David Schofield, 30, a concert pianist from Cheshire, has been staying at the Bangsak Merlin Resort on the western side of Thailand since December 22. He was slightly delayed leaving for his holiday due to the Gatwick drone disruption and is booked to fly home from Phuket at 9am on Saturday.
Mr Schofield has been tracking the storm himself via weather apps and like other tourists has received no official guidance.
“I’ve resorted to gathering my own information through apps (Windy, and Global Monitoring) as we have had zero information from the hotel and TUI our tour operator,” he said.
“I am hoping the lack of information is that they hope that the storm will dissipate before reaching our side.”
A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) told the Press Association now is a popular time to visit the country for British travellers.
“People on holiday in the region are advised to monitor news reports and follow any advice or instructions issued by the local authorities, their travel provider and their accommodation providers,” the Abta spokesman said.
