Taipei, April 11 (CNA) After the Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised its travel alert for Bangkok to red Sunday, Taiwanese tourists will have to sign responsibility waivers if they want to travel to the city, according to the Travel Agent Association of R.O.C, Taiwan.
The ministry raised its alert level to red after at least 20 people died and 800 were hurt in clashes between security forces and opposition protesters in the Thai capital.
A red alert -- the highest level in the system -- means that travel agents have to cancel all packaged tours to Bangkok from Monday and offer refunds to their customers after deducting visa and passport fees, said Hsu Kao-ching, secretary-general of the association.
Travelers who were scheduled to depart for Bangkok Monday were being informed individually, Hsu added.
The stipulations do not apply to passengers only transiting at Bangkok airport, Hsu said.
Refunds will likely include the cost of airline tickets and hotel deposits, a travel agent said Sunday.
Meanwhile, both China Airlines and EVA Air said they will offer full refunds to those who already booked tickets.
The announcement of a red alert stirred mixed reactions from outgoing travelers. Some at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport expressed concern about their safety and said they received the information too late to change their itineraries.
Others, however, said they weren't worried and would go on with their trips as planned.
By Chen Shun-hsieh and Y.L. Kao
Focus Taiwan
