Thailand Tourism Industry To Suffer If Protests Turn Violent

[krakatoa]

Quite frankly "who really gives a <deleted>" if the Thai tourism industry suffers

Som Nam Naa.

[hardy1943]

Thailand is rapidly becoming a NO GO TOURIST ZONE -- surrounding countries will be jumping with glee at the potential boost in tourist they will get from all the trouble and strife in the LOS -- this used to be the prime destination - but not any more -- the beaches in the south of Vietnam have as much and the whole country has more to offer if only they can develop their tourism infrastructure -- and then even Cambodia -- lovely coast line -- again lacking tourism facilities -- but sure that will come --- all tourists are really concerned with is safety and security and after the events of the past two years with airport closures and the events over songkran last year -- well nuff said -

I found the locals there extremly friendly,the TV heck of alot less bias,as a communist country found it more open in there thinking and the people 100 times more educated.I just loved it there.

[hardy1943]

Confidence in Thailand as a"safe destination " is disappearing quickly,the problem is that :

at this moment we neither know how bad nor how long this situation will last.

The only short-term hope is slash prices air/hotels to encourage tourists,but we will just have to wait & see how much damage there is and when is the best time to produce more long term strategies.

My experience in Thailand tells me that the tourism venues & traps will, in reaction to the tourist slump, RAISE PRICES! Greed reigns supreme in this country. The tourism thugs are constantly shooting themselves in the foot and blaming everyone else for their moronic and irrational behavior.

That is typical Thai mentallity.What gets me they do think we are stupid.

We all come back to get screwed some more from them

[featography]

Thailand is rapidly becoming a NO GO TOURIST ZONE -- surrounding countries will be jumping with glee at the potential boost in tourist they will get from all the trouble and strife in the LOS -- this used to be the prime destination - but not any more -- the beaches in the south of Vietnam have as much and the whole country has more to offer if only they can develop their tourism infrastructure -- and then even Cambodia -- lovely coast line -- again lacking tourism facilities -- but sure that will come --- all tourists are really concerned with is safety and security and after the events of the past two years with airport closures and the events over songkran last year -- well nuff said -

Yea but remember what it says; security is only a major issue with the Asian countries. Europe and N. America won't be effected as far as the flow of tourists. hahahahaha

I think Vn is doing quite well with their tourism infrastructere. There is even a law strictly enforced against natives harming int. tourists. Been there in the last 6 weeks, saw that, done that, quite impressed and will return.

[featography]

"forecast the number of foreign tourists entering Thailand in 2010 would increase by between 8 and 10 percent, or about 15 million over last year"

Maybe I'm just no good at maths but if an increase of 10% is 15 million doesn't that mean that last year 150 million tourists visited Thailand.

Really?

I thought the total number of tourists who visited Thailand last year was 13-14 million.

Dr. Sethaput Suthiwart-naru needs a proof reader.

OOOOH no, you need to take class at university to learn THAI math

[featography]

Thailand is rapidly becoming a NO GO TOURIST ZONE -- surrounding countries will be jumping with glee at the potential boost in tourist they will get from all the trouble and strife in the LOS -- this used to be the prime destination - but not any more -- the beaches in the south of Vietnam have as much and the whole country has more to offer if only they can develop their tourism infrastructure -- and then even Cambodia -- lovely coast line -- again lacking tourism facilities -- but sure that will come --- all tourists are really concerned with is safety and security and after the events of the past two years with airport closures and the events over songkran last year -- well nuff said -

I found the locals there extremly friendly,the TV heck of alot less bias,as a communist country found it more open in there thinking and the people 100 times more educated.I just loved it there.

Have not been to Cambodia, but speaking for Vietnam, I concur with your commments

[thaibeachlovers]

Quite frankly "who really gives a <deleted>" if the Thai tourism industry suffers

Som Nam Naa.

I agree. In fact, I'd love it if all those bl**dy families would stay out of Pattaya, and all the people staying in those sh*t expensive bungalows that are ruining every decent beach in LOS would go elsewhere.

If western tourist numbers dropped back to what they were 20 years ago, perhaps things might get back to being more like then, when tourists weren't just seen as ATMs to be ripped off, but might actually be welcomed.

[tonglen]

It might be all that bad for EVERYONE.......

Is this alllowed admin? Ive never added a news clipping. I suppose it deals directly with the topic.

Tourists to be routed to Phuket

PHUKET: Government sectors have teamed up to create the National Tourist Assistance Center (NTAC) to help tourists during the current mass rally against the government in Bangkok. Conducted by the red-shirted United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the 'rally' is expected to turn into heated protests, possibly with violence, this weekend.

According to the National News Bureau of Thailand, the NTAC will operate until March 23, when the rally is scheduled to end. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) spokesperson Sansern Ngaorungsi says the center is printing 200,000 leaflets recommending travel routes and attractions for tourists in the Kingdom during the rally period. The recommendatons are likely to include Phuket, since the island province is a calm zone in terms of national politics.

The leaflets are being distributed to hotels nationwide and will also be handed out at major airport and border immigration points.

[tonglen]

It might be all that bad for EVERYONE.......

Is this alllowed admin? Ive never added a news clipping. I suppose it deals directly with the topic.

Tourists to be routed to Phuket

PHUKET: Government sectors have teamed up to create the National Tourist Assistance Center (NTAC) to help tourists during the current mass rally against the government in Bangkok. Conducted by the red-shirted United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the 'rally' is expected to turn into heated protests, possibly with violence, this weekend.

According to the National News Bureau of Thailand, the NTAC will operate until March 23, when the rally is scheduled to end. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) spokesperson Sansern Ngaorungsi says the center is printing 200,000 leaflets recommending travel routes and attractions for tourists in the Kingdom during the rally period. The recommendatons are likely to include Phuket, since the island province is a calm zone in terms of national politics.

The leaflets are being distributed to hotels nationwide and will also be handed out at major airport and border immigration points.

Above post should say, might NOT be bad for everyone. Sorry, my proof reader is marching in Bangkok for the next few days

[ThailandTommy]

just 6 to 8 percent of GDP. According to Dr. Sethaput the government's efforts to ensure stability and safety during the mass rally in this weekend are just a short-term solution to the tourism problem."

the guy is contradicting himself, and there was no economic growth in thailand (nobody would expect, anyway, in this economic and political situation).

looks like an excuse, at the end of the year, to blame falling numbers of tourists on the street protests.

why not call a general election to stabilise the country?

They have tried that!!!

[ThailandTommy]

They deserve all they get! F$%K LoS, I hope it crashes and burns, give Cambodia and Vietnam a chance!

[ballpoint]

They deserve all they get! F$%K LoS, I hope it crashes and burns, give Cambodia and Vietnam a chance!

I don't know why the many Thai bashers here aren't lining up to agree with you. They could all open guest houses and restaurants in Cambodia and Vietnam to cater for the swarms of tourists that everyone says will flock over there. The English teachers could join them to teach the locals how to talk to the tourists in the manner expected by them, especially greeting them in English at the 7-11, (except there aren't any). They could all then join a local forum and post diatribes, lies, and rants about the government, safe in the knowledge that, unlike in Thailand, something will actually be done about it (they'll be deported, locked up or just shot on the spot). Of course, the pro Thaksin members will have nothing but praise for Hun Sen and his helpful police force. Please, nothing's stopping anyone from following the money, and maybe the rest of us will get a bit of peace.

[Tejas]

They deserve all they get! F$%K LoS, I hope it crashes and burns, give Cambodia and Vietnam a chance!

I don't know why the many Thai bashers here aren't lining up to agree with you. They could all open guest houses and restaurants in Cambodia and Vietnam to cater for the swarms of tourists that everyone says will flock over there. The English teachers could join them to teach the locals how to talk to the tourists in the manner expected by them, especially greeting them in English at the 7-11, (except there aren't any). They could all then join a local forum and post diatribes, lies, and rants about the government, safe in the knowledge that, unlike in Thailand, something will actually be done about it (they'll be deported, locked up or just shot on the spot). Of course, the pro Thaksin members will have nothing but praise for Hun Sen and his helpful police force. Please, nothing's stopping anyone from following the money, and maybe the rest of us will get a bit of peace.

They are not "lined up" for two reasons: bored with the Love Thailand or Leave it Crowd and most have already left for better places.......or soon to be better places.

Don't worry, that hole at the bottom of the ship is really not a hole........and water isn't coming in.........and the ship isn't sinking.........etc., etc.

[mommysboy]

Confidence in Thailand as a"safe destination " is disappearing quickly,the problem is that :

at this moment we neither know how bad nor how long this situation will last.

The only short-term hope is slash prices air/hotels to encourage tourists,but we will just have to wait & see how much damage there is and when is the best time to produce more long term strategies.

Certainly the planes from the UK will be empty @40 baht= 1 pound!!

The pound is down against many currencies. Thailand's inexpensiveness just makes it more attractive.

Interesting point- drugs is it?