Thais reclaim Khao San Road

[webfact]

Thais reclaim Khao San Road

By   WICHIT CHAITRONG, 
JAKRAWAN SALAYTOO 
THE NATION 
 

Sanga
 

THAIS have booked out the budget hotels in Bangkok’s Khao San Road precinct – long a haunt of foreign tourists – during the period of the Royal Cremation ceremonies that begins today, said Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Business Association.

Thais started booking rooms in May and June to ensure participation in the Royal Cremation ceremonies for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, from October 25-29, said Sanga.

 

Surprisingly, about half the bookings are from Bangkok residents, with the rest from other provinces, he said. Together, they have booked almost 100 per cent of the 800 rooms available in Khao San Road, an area that was put on the international tourist trail by backpackers.

 

Foreign tourists were expected to return to the precinct after the end of the mourning period, Sanga said.

 

The tourism high season has just begun and will last until April, when tourists flock to celebrate the Songkran Festival in Khao San Road.

 

Sanga expects to see a rising number of foreign tourists in this high season, particularly from Europe and Asia. European travellers account for 70 per cent of the tourists who stay in Khao San hotels, with the rest mainly from Asia.

 

Tourism spending dropped about 30 per cent this month as outdoor entertainment was temporarily closed, as well as with the month-long closure of the Grand Palace – the most popular drawcard for tourists – near the Khao San area. 

 

Sanga estimates about 50,000 people will stay in the Khao San area during the Royal Cremation period, as people want to stay close to the ceremonies and ensure they have a chance to pay their last respects to their beloved late King.

 

Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Thai Association of Travel Agents, said the number of tourists visiting Thailand this year was expected to reach 35 million, up from 32 million last year.

 

As the global economy continues to recover, this would spur inflows of tourists from many countries, especially in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Canada, India, China and Asean, Vichit said. 

 

Floods in some provinces have had little impact on the tourism industry as some visitors may postpone visits to the affected areas for a few days or few weeks, he said.

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s move to open representative offices in Brazil and Canada has also contributed to a rise in tourist numbers, he said.

 

However, he drew a distinction between a focus on the absolute number of tourists and the need to ensure that efforts were not focused on a just a few popular destinations. The country needed to earn more from tourism and the promotion of attractions in less popular provinces would serve this goal, Vichit said.

 

European tourists usually stay about 14 days in Thailand, leading to more spending. While spending per head of Chinese tourists is high, at about Bt40,00-50,000, they typically spend less time in the country, about 6-10 days.

 

Aquila and Jonattha, a young couple from Brazil who checked in at the Buddy Hotel on Khao San Road on Monday, said they wanted to have a chance to watch the Royal Cremation ceremo-nies as well as visit the many beautiful temples in Bangkok before going north to Chiang Mai, in order to experience natural sightseeing. 

 

Meanwhile, shops in the Khao San area have adjusted their opening hours, and many are closing from October 24-29. Entertainment operators are also shutting their doors during the period, in deference to the Royal Cremation ceremonies.

 

The Royal Cremation will take place on October 26. From the street, the frontage of many of hotels has been adorned with black ribbons and some are displaying the late King's portraits for mourning. Thais are wearing black.

 

Warapa Chantanayont, head of the waitresses at Tom Yum Kung Restaurant in the Khoa San Road area: said: “Now, we play the late King's musical compositions and mourning songs and band music has been dropped for one month. We offer food only in the daylight hours.”

 

Monty Makelani Tuha, a Hawaiian tourist visiting Thailand for the third time, said he understood the current quiet situation at Khao San Road due to the mourning. “I respect the [Thai] culture and realise that Thai people really love their late King very much,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Tourism/30330037

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-25

[Get Real]

Actually sounds like a man that has his figures right. Nice to hear that once in a while. 

[hansnl]

25 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Actually sounds like a man that has his figures right. Nice to hear that once in a while. 

Differs a little from the TAT numbers, don't they?

Edited October 25, 2017 by hansnl

[Lupatria]

And most of them will go home with new degrees, certificates, and licenses.

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

European tourists usually stay about 14 days in Thailand, leading to more spending. While spending per head of Chinese tourists is high, at about Bt40,00-50,000, they typically spend less time in the country, about 6-10 days.

Surprises me, since we normally read about all the 0-bath Chinese tour-tourists...

[PETERTHEEATER]

Surprises me, since we normally read about all the 0-bath Chinese tour-tourists.

 

Really? Most Chinese  tourists that I see are  clean and well scrubbed if noisy.

[PAIBKK]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Together, they have booked almost 100 per cent of the 800 rooms available in Khao San Road, an area that was put on the international tourist trail by backpackers.

 

Sanga estimates about 50,000 people will stay in the Khao San area during the Royal Cremation period

50,000 Thai in 800 rooms.
That is on average 62.5 Thai per room. Sounds better and having more space than that mini van carrying 45 Cambodians.

I wonder how many 0.5 Thai they will find afterwards.

[Get Real]

2 hours ago, Lupatria said:

And most of them will go home with new degrees, certificates, and licenses.

Would you please like to share and clarify what you mean.

[Get Real]

47 minutes ago, PAIBKK said:

50,000 Thai in 800 rooms.
That is on average 62.5 Thai per room. Sounds better and having more space than that mini van carrying 45 Cambodians.

I wonder how many 0.5 Thai they will find afterwards.

Nice, try! 

What it actually says, is that 50000 Thais are going to stay in the Khao San area. Not 50000 people that booked or are staying in hotel rooms.
Maybe you at least can think of a better way to discriminate the people in the country you probably choosed to stay in, if you feel that you have too.

Otherwise, you can just be happy and go on or maybe contribute with some respect yourself.

[Jeremy50]

On 10/25/2017 at 2:38 PM, Get Real said:

Would you please like to share and clarify what you mean.

He was making a sarcastic comment that most ex-pat's would understand. Kao San Road has been a place where aspiring English teachers have been able to pick up a fake degree since the annals of time. There are/were also many other type of fake certificates for sale, and driving licences, dental diplomas, theses and doctorates. Thus the common phrase ' He earned his degree at KSU, HA HA!'  Many years ago, it was not unheard of for the more unscrupulous schools and agencies to take a minivan full of teachers down to Kao San Road to get them all qualifications to satisfy Thai employment requirements. 

[Get Real]

9 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

He was making a sarcastic comment that most ex-pat's would understand. Kao San Road has been a place where aspiring English teachers have been able to pick up a fake degree since the annals of time. There are/were also many other type of fake certificates for sale, and driving licences, dental diplomas, theses and doctorates. Thus the common phrase ' He earned his degree at KSU, HA HA!'  Many years ago, it was not unheard of for the more unscrupulous schools and agencies to take a minivan full of teachers down to Kao San Road to get them all qualifications to satisfy Thai employment requirements. 

I know that. I guess everybody know that. Thanks for the info anyway. Just clarifies that you are one of the knowing.
I did not think that it was time to be sacastic, when it comes to people going somewhere in respect for the late King.
Now we all know what you thought. By the way, I guess you are not laughing now?

[kingkenny]

53 minutes ago, Get Real said:

I know that. I guess everybody know that. Thanks for the info anyway. Just clarifies that you are one of the knowing.
I did not think that it was time to be sacastic, when it comes to people going somewhere in respect for the late King.
Now we all know what you thought. By the way, I guess you are not laughing now?

I think you need to read his post again, at no point does he laugh or condone the practice, he answered a question that need not to have been asked if the asker knew what the post related to, your initial question could be classed as sarcastic yet you criticise someone for being sarcastic.

[Get Real]

5 hours ago, kingkenny said:

I think you need to read his post again, at no point does he laugh or condone the practice, he answered a question that need not to have been asked if the asker knew what the post related to, your initial question could be classed as sarcastic yet you criticise someone for being sarcastic.

 

Edited October 27, 2017 by Get Real

[Rhys]

They still sell cassettes there....