The change of government in Thailand is an internal matter, China said yesterday, and expressed hope for harmony and prosperity in the Southeast Asian nation.

"What happened in Thailand is its own internal affair. The Chinese Government has always upheld the principle of non- interference in other countries' internal affairs," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said yesterday.

As friendly neighbours, Qin said, it's China's wish that Thailand can ensure peace and security for its people.

The ministry told Chinese nationals planning to visit the country to be cautious; and advised citizens already there to be careful and avoid going outside.

The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) also issued a statement yesterday, advising Chinese tourists to closely follow the situation and schedule their visits to Thailand accordingly.

But an official at the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, who identified himself only as Mo, said the situation was stable in the capital.

"There are no reports of bloodshed, and the airport is operating normally," he told China Daily on the phone last night.

Longtai Travel Service, a leading travel agency in Bangkok, said it received three groups of Chinese tourists in the Thai capital on Tuesday night.

"This (yesterday) morning, the tourists left for Pattaya, a seaside resort, and Koh Samui, an island much favoured by visitors. None has returned to China," said Ah Bing, chairman of the travel agency.

Li Xiaojia, one of the tourists from Beijing who arrived in Thailand on Tuesday night, said before he boarded the bus for Pattaya yesterday morning: "It was nowhere as bad as we imagined a coup would be we heard no gunfire. I think it is safe to travel in the country."

Thailand is a favourite destination for Chinese travellers, and one of the most sought-after trips was to the "Land of Smiles" during upcoming "Golden Week" National Day holiday.

Despite the initial shock of seeing tanks on the streets of Bangkok, most tourists and travel agencies have decided not to alter plans.

Zhang Xiaojun, deputy general manager of the Outbound Department of the China Travel Service (CTS) Head Office, said his company has no plan to reschedule planned tours to Thailand unless it gets an official notice from the CNTA.

The number of tourists who have booked trips to Thailand through CTS during the National Day holidays has topped 1,000; and the first group is scheduled to leave on September 30.

Zhang stressed that the initial assessment of the security situation in Thailand suggested that the tours to the country would not be affected but admitted that a "small number" of tourists have demanded cancellations due to concerns over the unstable political situationl.

China International Travel Service (Shanghai) and Shanghai Jinjiang International Travel Co Ltd also said they have no plans to cancel tours to Thailand.

Similarly, Air China said there were no changes in the flight schedule to Bangkok, although only 31 of the plane's 181 seats had been booked yesterday.

But some tour agencies in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, have called off Bangkok tours for the next few days.

"We suggest tourists heading to Thailand to delay or cancel their plans," said Tang Qiting, a spokeswoman for Guangzhou International Travel Service Co Ltd.

Source: China Daily