FCO: Do some groundwork before taking a holiday

Make sure you don’t get caught out while abroad, the FCO advises.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised Brits buying cheap flights to Thailand to do a little research on local customs and appropriate behaviour before taking off.

This, it advises, can go a long way to make sure that they do not get into any trouble while abroad and can avert misunderstandings and run-ins with local police.

According to annual figures released by the department this week, 202 people were arrested while on holiday in Thailand last year. However, this figure rises to 294 in the United Arab Emirates.

Overall, 2.1 million enquiries were dealt with by British consulates last year.

Foreign office minister Chris Bryant stated: “Helping those who do get into trouble is a vital part of our job, but so many of the problems we deal with can be avoided with a little bit of preparation.”

The FCO offered further advice this week is for those taking cheap flights to Thailand or other countries this summer to make sure they buy adequate travel insurance before they head off.