BANGKOK POST and AFP

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/29Sep2007_news03.php

The military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Burma is taking a psychological toll on the tourism industry in Chiang Rai.

According to tourism operators, the violence in Burma has forced cancellations of package tours to not only trouble spots such as Rangoon and Mandalay but also tourist destinations such as Keng Tung, which is hundreds of kilometres away.

Thai and foreign tourists are suspending or cancelling trips along the popular Mae Sai-Tachilek-Keng Tung-Mong La route out of concerns for their safety, Naowarat Chantawal, of the Mekong Delta Agency Co, said.

Suranat Thaweesap, of PB Travel Agency, said if the troubles dragged on for a few months, it would spell doom for the local tourism industry with estimated losses of 100 million baht.

The Shan State Army (SSA) and six other rebel groups are considering military action on Burmese trade towns to pressure the junta to stop using violence against its people.

SSA leader Col Yodsuek said the alliance, which includes the Karen National Union (KNU), may resort to these measures if it deems them necessary.

"We may use military action in border trade towns to pressure the Burmese junta to stop killing people," he said.

Col Yodsuek also called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to expel Burma.

In a related development, the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry said yesterday Thailand was willing to evacuate Southeast Asian nationals from strife-torn Burma in the event of an emergency.

Tharit Charungvat, the ministry's spokesman, said Bangkok has agreed to the measure at a meeting of ambassadors of the 10-member Asean in Burma's main city Rangoon on Thursday.

He said the Asean ambassadors in Rangoon would make a decision on when the security situation deteriorated to the point their nationals needed to be evacuated and then transported to Rangoon airport to be flown home.

Thanks for the posting tayto,

Not sounding good is it .

Wiley Coyote

BANGKOK POST and AFP

Thai and foreign tourists are suspending or cancelling trips along the popular Mae Sai-Tachilek-Keng Tung-Mong La route out of concerns for their safety, Naowarat Chantawal, of the Mekong Delta Agency Co, said.

That's an amusing twist on the truth. There are very few tourists that ever take that route. I did it with 3 friends last February. We spent a week traveling from Kyiang Tong to Mong La and back to Mai Sai. we never saw another western tourist.

Of the many, many expats I know or have met in my travels, I only know of 3 that have ever been to Kyiang Tong.

What really prevents most tourists from going to Kyiang Tong or Mong La is that the Myanmar govt prevents you from visiting anywhere else outside those two cities. There are 6 checkpoints along the way where your driver (mandatory) has to sign in. The time is recorded and you're expected to make it to the next checkpoint in an appropriate amount of time. Allowing some, even if very limited, independent travel where your every move isn't recorded and scrutinized, might increase tourism slightly. That's when and if the current situation ever improves.

BANGKOK POST and AFP

Thai and foreign tourists are suspending or cancelling trips along the popular Mae Sai-Tachilek-Keng Tung-Mong La route out of concerns for their safety, Naowarat Chantawal, of the Mekong Delta Agency Co, said.

That's an amusing twist on the truth. There are very few tourists that ever take that route. I did it with 3 friends last February. We spent a week traveling from Kyiang Tong to Mong La and back to Mai Sai. we never saw another western tourist.

Of the many, many expats I know or have met in my travels, I only know of 3 that have ever been to Kyiang Tong.

What really prevents most tourists from going to Kyiang Tong or Mong La is that the Myanmar govt prevents you from visiting anywhere else outside those two cities. There are 6 checkpoints along the way where your driver (mandatory) has to sign in. The time is recorded and you're expected to make it to the next checkpoint in an appropriate amount of time. Allowing some, even if very limited, independent travel where your every move isn't recorded and scrutinized, might increase tourism slightly. That's when and if the current situation ever improves.

I find that extremely interesting and well worthy of a larger article.