Australia, Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States all issued travel advisories to their citizens to stay at home and avoid moving about the city. They also warned that more attacks were possible in coming days.

New Zealand's foreign ministry issued a travel warning saying there was some risk to security and recommended tourists to exercise "a high degree of caution" in Bangkok following the bombings.

The ministry on its travel safety website advised New Zealanders in Bangkok to avoid unnecessary travel within the city and said terrorist attacks may also occur elsewhere in Thailand, including tourist areas.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also issued a travel advisory on its website, saying: "There is a possibility of further attacks in coming days. Australians are urged to avoid unnecessary travel in Bangkok."

Earlier, the United Kingdom's Foreign Office warned British travellers not to travel around Bangkok "unless absolutely necessary".

Other countries also warned their nationals via CNN broadcasts to exercise extra caution when travelling in Thailand.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called a meeting yesterday to prepare an explanation to other countries about what happened.

They also distributed an English translation for embassies here of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's comments to the media, following his meeting at the Internal Security Operations Command headquarters on Sunday night.

Three Serbian, two British, and four Hungarian tourists were among the wounded.

Meanwhile, Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani said he had instructed Tourism Authority of Thailand offices worldwide to explain the bombs and to formulate working plans to restore confidence in Thailand.

Suvit yesterday visited badly injured tourist Marina Kovassco, from Hungary, who is being treated at Bumrungrad Hospital.

Kovassco was recovering from  surgery but did not have a leg amputated, as widely reported earlier. She was one of two foreigners still in hospital.

Agence France-Presse reported that, while some tourists admitted to being stunned by the bombings, others said they would not let them ruin their holidays.

Emi Supati, 37, from Singapore, in Bangkok to see in the New Year with his wife, said he was stunned when he heard about the Central World Plaza bomb. They had walked by the site of the blast half an hour before it happened, he said.

"We wanted to enjoy the party, but it hasn't happened that way."

Karmen Skender, a tourist from Slovenia, backed the government's decision to cancel the New Year party.

"For those who were victims and their families, they will definitely think it's appropriate," she said.