OTTAWA — The Canadian Embassy in Bangkok has temporarily shut its doors to the public as escalating violence in the Thai capital has increased security concerns in the area.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is warning travellers to "exercise a high degree of caution" in the country, which remains largely under a state of emergency due to ongoing violent political demonstrations.
"The Thai government continues to deploy significant numbers of police and military forces and future violent clashes remain a real possibility," the warning on the department website reads.
It says all consular emergency situations will continue to be addressed and said the "embassy will resume normal operations as soon as the situation permits."
In case of an emergency, affected Canadians are asked to call 001-800-156-220-0142, 02-636-0540 or 613-996-8885 or e-mail sos@international.gc.ca.
A Bangkok-based Canadian journalist working for a French television station was shot multiple times Thursday, but remains in stable condition. Two Thai journalists were also shot Thursday.
On Friday, Thai troops fired upon rioting antigovernment demonstrators in an attempt to throw a security cordon around their protest site, turning Bangkok’s commercial district into a bloody battlefield.
Troops fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds at the protesters who hurled gas bombs and launched homemade rockets on roads surrounding an area of luxury hotels and shopping malls they have occupied for nearly six weeks, witnesses said.
With files from Reuters
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