The bloodless military coup in Thailand has put the country on a growing watch list of potentially unstable winter-sun destinations. Last week, Thailand appeared to be calm, with the Foreign Office merely warning tourists to avoid government buildings and large crowds. Thai Airways is allowing passengers due to fly before Wednesday to postpone their travel up to October 6 free of charge. It says it has seen “very few” cancellations.

Tour operators, including Thomas Cook, Thomson and Hayes & Jarvis, said they had contacted clients in the country and none had wanted to return home. However, they admitted that bookings had slumped.

Price cuts could follow. Kuoni (01306 747008, www.kuoni.co.uk) said: “We think that Thailand will bounce back quickly, but if it doesn’t, we will be ready to cut prices to stimulate demand.” The operator already has a saving of £336 on a 10-night tour of Bangkok, Hua Hin and Hong Kong in November, which now costs £1,039pp.

Other winter-sun destinations are not faring so well. Turkey, Egypt and Jordan, where tourists have been targeted by terrorists, have seen heavy price-cutting. Thomas Cook (0870 111 1111, www.thomascook.com) is offering up to 80% off packages to Turkey. A week at the Alaiye self-catering apartments in Alanya, flying from Gatwick on October 15, is down from £285pp to £69pp. Thomson (0870 550 2555, www.thomson.co.uk) has a week’s self-catering at the Club Bozok apartments in Gumbet, flying from Luton on the same day, for £89pp, down by £156.

Prices for Egypt’s Red Sea coast are down by as much as half. In Sharm el Sheikh, a week’s B&B at the Sonesta Club, flying from Gatwick on December 14, is down from £835pp to £438pp with Hayes & Jarvis (0870 366 1636, www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk). An all-inclusive week at the Iberotel Club Fanara, flying from Gatwick on October 5, is down by £389 to £404pp with Libra Holidays (0871 226 7825, www.libraholidays.co.uk).

Jordan has been less heavily discounted because it is not served by charter flights, but the upmarket tour operator Cox & Kings (020 7873 5000, www.coxandkings.co.uk) has reduced its seven-night Splendours of Jordan tour, which departs on December 24, by £200 to £965pp.

Mark Hodson

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