Chiang Mai Tourism Hit Hard

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Chiang Mai tourism hit hard

By The Nation

Tourism business operators in Chiang Mai reportedly organised an emergency meeting on Tuesday morning, in response to the expected, sharp drop in incoming tourists following the state of emergency in Bangkok.

Kanok Suwanvisut, chairman of the Thai Hotels Association in the North, said that 15 per cent of hotel rooms and tour packages have been cancelled as tourists fear of the widespread violence.

"The impact of the clash on Monday night remains unclear as this remains in the low season. But cancellation has taken place and the rate could rise to 30 per cent if violence remains in October when the high season starts. We have discussed with local operators and related associations on what to do, including to arrange a discussion with the government to handle the situation," he said.

Kanok said that there are about 200 foreign tourists in Chiang Mai, whose original plan to fly to Phuket was blocked by the Phuket Airport shutdown last week. These tourists are prepared to cancel the flights to Phuket, but opt to fly to Bangkok and catch a flight home, he noted.

He also fears that the number of tourists from Japan and Korea could drop, if the situation worsens.

"Korean Airlines cancelled the direct flight from Incheon to Chiang Mai 2 days ago," he said, noting that the authorities tried in vain to convince the airline to maintain the two flights-a-week schedule.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/09/02...ss_30082299.php

[wasabi]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Edited September 2, 2008 by wasabi

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

[iainiain101]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

My experience here has allways been that if business is bad, prices will go up...'I do not have so many guests so I have had to increase price'...'my house has been empty one year so I have increased rent 25%'.

The Thai logic seems "we would rather go bust than cut costs"!

Just my experience.

Iain

[KevinHunt]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

That's well worth people dying for.

Edited September 2, 2008 by KevinHUNT

[curiouspasserby]

At least there isn't demonstration activity going on in Chiang Mai. I am coming early next year and I hope there won't be anything touching this mountain town.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

That's well worth people dying for.

Don't ask me. Ask PAD etc why they are waging war in the streets.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I thought that was the obvious part; some because they get paid to be there, some because they genuinely believe that Bangkok (and Southern) people's votes should count for more than 'uneducated upcountry peasant' votes.

Either way, it's causing a huge economic hangover in all parts of the country, perhaps Bangkok and the South the most! (Because of reduced business & tourist arrivals; most tourists don't go to the North East, or even most parts of the North..)

Edited September 2, 2008 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Tywais]

At least there isn't demonstration activity going on in Chiang Mai. I am coming early next year and I hope there won't be anything touching this mountain town.

Actually there has been though more low key then Bkk.

[highonthai]

In town is dead...

Spoke with a few bar owners, and their thinking of closing for a month or so.(Or for good).

Feel sorry for them.

[KevinHunt]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

That's well worth people dying for.

Don't ask me. Ask PAD etc why they are waging war in the streets.

I must have read it wrong.

I thought you were saying that there is blood on the streets ( 1 person died) but we should Look at the bright side because Visa's will be easier to get and the US$ is flirting with 35 baht . Not to mention prices should go down a bit.

It was the PAD that said that, or was it Time magazine? Now I'm confused!

By the way , if ten people died what would the exchange rate be, I wonder?

Worth thinking about before you rush out to change your money.

Bad News - Good news.

The bad news is .... blood on the streets - 40 dead.

The good news is .... 40 baht to the US$ - flirting with 45.

So.................. All together now....... Take a look on the bright side of life.........

Edited September 2, 2008 by KevinHUNT

[catmac]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

That's well worth people dying for.

Don't ask me. Ask PAD etc why they are waging war in the streets.

I must have read it wrong.

I thought you were saying that there is blood on the streets ( 1 person died) but we should Look at the bright side because Visa's will be easier to get and the US$ is flirting with 35 baht . Not to mention prices should go down a bit.

It was the PAD that said that, or was it Time magazine? Now I'm confused!

By the way , if ten people died what would the exchange rate be, I wonder?

Worth thinking about before you rush out to change your money.

Bad News - Good news.

The bad news is .... blood on the streets - 40 dead.

The good news is .... 40 baht to the US$ - flirting with 45.

So.................. All together now....... Take a look on the bright side of life.........

Don't shoot the messenger.............

If the evil ringleaders of PAD hadn't spent the last 3 years trying to overthrow the last 2 elected governments, we wouldn't be in this mess. They had 2 general elections when they could have stood as candidates, have been elected and actually done something about the things they complain about. Both times they were too scared to face the electors, preferring to riot on the streets afterwards.

For those of you who have businesses in Tourism that face ruin now, my condolences. Now that the UK government have issued a travel advice re Thailand, it is almost mandatory for travel companies to cancel all bookings to Thailand, not to do so would leave themselves open to catastrophic damages claims should anything go wrong (which in my opinion is most unlikely to actually happen, but what business is going to take that risk?)

In 1998, Sondhi nearly bankrupted Krung Thai Bank by corruptly having billions of Bahts of his companies' debts to the bank written off by one of his cronies, so do you think he will shed a tear if your bar/restaurant/shop goes to the dogs?

[Ulysses G.]

In 1998, Sondhi nearly bankrupted Krung Thai Bank by corruptly having billions of Bahts of his companies' debts to the bank written off by one of his cronies, so do you think he will shed a tear if your bar/restaurant/shop goes to the dogs?

But isn't he the Abraham Lincoln of Thailand?

[PeaceBlondie]

I just got an email from Khun Boon at the Chiang Mai Friends Group. She enclosed a press release that includes this: "Mr. Chalermsak Suranan, Director of TAT Chiang Mai confirms that in Chiang Mai , Lumpoon, Lumpang, the political situation is normal. There is no violence here. The airlines, busses and trains serve the public as normal. Tourists are still coming here. It is safe and TAT would like to encourage visitors to come to Chiang Mai,..."

[sendbaht]

Wife and I arrived last night in CM. Business around town seemed like any September. Time will tell though.

Great to be here.

[Bill97]

the last 2 elected governments,

Elected governments do not mean much if the elections were invalid or fraudulent.

The current "elected government" may be dissolved because of election fraud committed by the winning party. The fraud has been decided by one court and now The Supreme Court has accepted the case for trial could result in dissolution of the winning party.

The previous "elected government" had its election nullified by the courts.

So to suggest that the recent governments are democratically elected is not really the case.

[wileycoyote]

We will just have to wait & see

[Ulysses G.]

the last 2 elected governments,

Elected governments do not mean much if the elections were invalid or fraudulent.

The current "elected government" may be dissolved because of election fraud committed by the winning party. The fraud has been decided by one court and now The Supreme Court has accepted the case for trial could result in dissolution of the winning party.

The previous "elected government" had its election nullified by the courts.

So to suggest that the recent governments are democratically elected is not really the case.

Therefore, there has never been a democratic election in the history of Thailand. What are the alternatives?

[BlackArtemis]

I saw a large demonstration against PAD tonight behind Wat Phrasing. Lot's of red and "Pantamip Auk Bai!".

[ThaiPauly]

In 1998, Sondhi nearly bankrupted Krung Thai Bank by corruptly having billions of Bahts of his companies' debts to the bank written off by one of his cronies, so do you think he will shed a tear if your bar/restaurant/shop goes to the dogs?

But isn't he the Abraham Lincoln of Thailand?

He may well be ..but you gotta admit UG.....CM is DEAD right now

I was in CR a couple of weeks ago and thats a Ghost Town..absolutley dead and desperate

[Mapguy]

Some interesting things are being said here, but I suggest that the topic stick strictly to the impact on tourism, especially local tourism. Kao jai mai?!

[davidgtr]

Yeah it's quiet everywhere alright, but we are now in September "always" the quietest month, no?

So, until the "high season" kicks in, you won't know how low the low was / is.

[KevinHunt]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

That's well worth people dying for.

Don't ask me. Ask PAD etc why they are waging war in the streets.

I must have read it wrong.

I thought you were saying that there is blood on the streets ( 1 person died) but we should Look at the bright side because Visa's will be easier to get and the US$ is flirting with 35 baht . Not to mention prices should go down a bit.

Don't shoot the messenger.............

The messenger - Cobrasnakenecktie (I'm not sure if that is his real name) said that the good thing about (or the 'bright side of') people dying on the streets in Bangkok was that exchange rates would be in his favour and prices would fall. I'm not sure if most people would look it like that. I know I don't. In fact I don't see a bright side to it at all.

Maybe he should explain the economics of death a bit better for us all. Possibly with the aid of graphs.

How many Thais does he want to die and at what exchange rate?

Now, what is your point? Shooting the messenger makes the exchange rate lower?

I'm lost!

Edited September 3, 2008 by KevinHUNT

[nickh]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

do you have a link for the Time magazine site

[LaoPo]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

do you have a link for the Time magazine site

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8...e-inline-bottom

LaoPo

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

That's well worth people dying for.

Don't ask me. Ask PAD etc why they are waging war in the streets.

I must have read it wrong.

I thought you were saying that there is blood on the streets ( 1 person died) but we should Look at the bright side because Visa's will be easier to get and the US$ is flirting with 35 baht . Not to mention prices should go down a bit.

Don't shoot the messenger.............

The messenger - Cobrasnakenecktie (I'm not sure if that is his real name) said that the good thing about (or the 'bright side of') people dying on the streets in Bangkok was that exchange rates would be in his favour and prices would fall. I'm not sure if most people would look it like that. I know I don't. In fact I don't see a bright side to it at all.

Maybe he should explain the economics of death a bit better for us all. Possibly with the aid of graphs.

How many Thais does he want to die and at what exchange rate?

Now, what is your point? Shooting the messenger makes the exchange rate lower?

I'm lost!

Maybe it's time you buy a book on philosophy. Learn about Yin and Yang and duality...

Here is a famous quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald

"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."

In the Chinese teachings of Confucius a famous saying is "crisis equals opportunity"

So yes there are many bad things about this political unrest but there are also likely positive things that develop like a new government and a better way of life. A decade ago Thailand's mismanagement of its currency paved the way to the beginning of the "Asian Financial Crisis" contagion. The currency crashed and property prices dropped sharply. The prices of condo's in Chiang Mai basically halved in value. This currency crisis meant a lot of money was lost, increase in crime and bankruptcy. These lower prices also formed a competitive base for the past prosperity of the last ten years. Of course all booms must return to busts in order for the cycle to continue. That's why they call it a business cycle. Is politics going to affect the business cycle in Thailand? It's quite possible.

My point is sure you can be depressed about all of this or look at the larger forces of creation, organization and destruction and the cycle of life. This balanced use of the brain can see the positive and negative perspectives simultaneously. This balanced philosophy is akin to Buddhism which strives for detached observation of the surroundings.

Please resume your normal simple minded clinically depressed outlook on life. My apologies for upsetting you.

The Time magazine piece I saw was a ten picture essay of the violence. I don't see them listed now but sure they could be searched for.

Edited September 4, 2008 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[BlackArtemis]

Give it a little bit, soon Tapae Gate will be flooded and the demonstrations I saw will be in the eyes of ever tourist and hurt us even more.

[wedders]

My point is sure you can be depressed about all of this or look at the larger forces of creation, organization and destruction and the cycle of life. This balanced use of the brain can see the positive and negative perspectives simultaneously. This balanced philosophy is akin to Buddhism which strives for detached observation of the surroundings.

Please resume your normal simple minded clinically depressed outlook on life. My apologies for upsetting you.

Yin/yang, cynicism, or plain realism? Yin yang if you prefer, but arguably, largely thanks to human nature, the 'larger perspective' you refer to will one day need to be viewed minus our presence on this planet, the way we're heading.

A recently deceased radical Russian author and gulag survivor once defined the term 'peace' pretty aptly. 'Peace', Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote, 'is a brief pause in time between two wars'. (Or words to that effect...)

It's sad that in a Buddhist society increasingly influenced by certain more negative Western values we see the same stupidity as elsewhere. A "clinically depressed outlook on life"?? I call it realism. Who gives a monkey's about the larger forces, if we're not around to observe them. Detachment isn't all it's cracked up to be, even if it has some merits.

[nickh]

I know several who have canceled their trips here.

Was just checking out the pictures on Time magazine site. Lots of people beating each other with sticks, blood on the streets. Definitely going to scale back visitors...

Look at the bright side. Visa's will be easier to get, prices should go down a bit with a more pronounced recession and a better exchange rate. The US$ is flirting with 35 baht now and might gain some more steam despite lots of BOT intervention.

do you have a link for the Time magazine site

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8...e-inline-bottom

LaoPo

thanks for the link,

typical (soft) photos by Time,

heres why some of the tourist are skipping thailand

Wall Street Journal Sept 3

Democracy Threatened by Protests

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...ges?q=thailand+

[Mapguy]

The WSJ article on this link is worth reading. there's much more there than a photo.