Former Greenhill School pupils, Lucia Hadley and Victoria Ward, are reported to be safe and well after getting caught up in the recent riots that erupted in the Thai capital Bangkok.

On Saturday, April 10, Lucia and Victoria, both 18, were staying in a hostel on the Khao San Road, a popular destination for backpackers, when thousands of red shirt anti-government demonstrators spilled out onto the road.

Thai troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the rioters, who were armed with guns, grenades and petrol bombs.

The rioting lasted about three to four hours and Lucia and Victoria literally had to run for their lives.

They said the area resembled a war zone. There were fires, broken glass from smashed shop windows, smashed cars, pools of blood and many wounded people lying in the road. The girls witnessed people getting beaten up and saw a girl shot just 20 metres in front of them.

"It was very scary," Victoria said.

The riots were the most violent political clashes seen in Bangkok for 18 years and left 21 people dead and over 840 people injured.

An uneasy calm descended the city the following day and Victoria and Lucia were very relieved to be able to leave the city for Chaing Mai.

Thailand is the first leg of their year-long travels. The girls will be travelling to Cambodia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Fiji and Australia, before returning home to Tenby in March 2011.