Major protest scheduled in Bangkok on 3 April

On 31 March 2010 the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) announced that it will hold another mass rally on 3 April, after refusing to meet with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for a third round of talks. The UDD has also refused the offer by Abhisit to hold elections within nine months, stating that the timing is too far in the future. The protest on 3 April is expected to attract nearly 100,000 people. The UDD stated that it will not disclose its plan of action until the day of the planned protest. The government has warned that violent unrest is possible at the rally on 3 April. Although the Internal Security Act has granted additional powers to military and police officials, the government has repeatedly stated that it will not use force to disperse the protesters. In light of the ongoing protest actions, travelers to Bangkok and northern cities in Chiang Mai and Udon Thani should exercise extreme caution and avoid primary target areas; in Bangkok these include the Government House, the Democracy Monument and Sanam Luang field. The Dusit Zoo in the northern part of Bangkok has also been affected by protests that began in early March. Although it is unlikely that the airports in Bangkok will be targeted, travelers should allot additional time for travel and keep abreast of local media to determine whether their travel plans remain unaffected. In addition, all gatherings should be avoided and secure transportation with a professional security-trained driver should be employed for the duration of stay to help mitigate the chances of being affected by the ongoing unrest in the country.