Story ID: 
ASA Group Inundated During Thailand Protests
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: The ASA Group, an executive-aviation security services provider with a base in Bangkok, said it has been inundated with requests for assistance from travel
Word Count: 195
The ASA Group, an executive-aviation security services provider with a base in Bangkok, said it has been inundated with requests for assistance from travelers and security companies concerned about violent clashes in Thailand between troops and anti-government protesters. At press time, news reports said the protest violence was waning, though ASA managing director Simon Wagstaff said the situation remains “fluid.” This week, ASA has moved several people, including families and exchange students, away from troubled areas. “Many people are frightened about what is happening here,” Wagstaff said. “It is important to stress that people want to move as much for convenience as for safety. Their daily lives are affected by the lack of facilities available.” According to ASA, it is difficult to enter and exit the hotspots, where shops are closed and utilities such as running water, electricity and Internet are intermittent or nonexistent. “We are warning our clients to stay away from the troubled areas,” Wagstaff said. “Some tourists have unwisely been going to the protest sites to gawk and take photographs.” ASA is urging visitors to watch the news closely and, as a precaution, make alternate plans to get out of the country.