Thailand Low Tourist Season Starts After Violent Clash

[webfact]

Low season starts after violent clash

By Suchat Sritama

The Nation

Some foreign revellers linger on Khao San Road despite the violent clash on Saturday which led to the cancellation of the Songkran celebration

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok will be virtually devoid of any organised Songkran celebration this year after the Khao San Road merchants' association cancelled its plans following the bloody clash nearby and the Tourism Authority of Thailand had pulled its own activities earlier.

That leaves revellers TAT's events set for 13 major cities nationwide.

Visiting Thailand is banned by Japan, following the killing of a Japanese reporter on Saturday. Japan has joined 7 other countries that have raised their travel warnings to the highest rank.

"Roughly 600-700 Japanese come to Thailand per day. I think nearly 100 per cent should cancel or postpone trips following the violence," Anake Srishevachart, president of the Thai-Japan Tourism Association, said yesterday.

Charoen Wangananon, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, said overall arrivals should plunge throughout this week as the political turmoil is far from over. The violence marked the beginning of the low season, he said.

Surat Wongchanspil, president of the khao san Business Association, said hotel guests fled the area while shops and restaurants closed, so the party was scrapped and this would lead to an estimated Bt500 million in damage.

Khao San, a major celebration venue for years, had anticipated up to 400,000 revellers. Last year, festivities were also cut short due to fighting between police and anti-government protestors.

Many tourists have checked out and headed to the provinces, he said.

Wiwatchai Boonyasak, TAT's director of tourism products, said that although all key events in Bangkok were called off, the celebration is on at temples around the Rattanakosin Island until Thursday. Bathing rites are the focus, rather than water splashing.

"I believe that lots of Thais and foreigners will join the event in Bangkok and upcountry," he said.

The provincial events are planned in Ayutthaya, Chon Buri, Samut Prakan, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom and in the South, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phuket. Most events are scheduled to run through this week.

Some places such as Pattaya and Sri Racha will observe Songkran until the middle of next week.

In Hat Yai, hotels and related business would earn Bt200-300 million during the season, which will be 30 per cent higher than last year, according to the local chapter of the Thai Hotels Association.

Chiang Mai, usually the most popular provincial destination for the water festival, was suffering from demonstrations in the city and the chronic haze.

Kasikorn Research Centre forecasts that most Bangkok residents would spend Songkran in the South or abroad, and only 8 per cent will join merrymaking in the capital.

Total spending during the festival is expected to reach Bt23 billion, with B17 billion generated by domestic revellers.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[dcutman]

WOW!

I really feel sorry for the small buisness owners in Bangkok that was depending on this week for a boost to there bottom line going into the slow season.

It is amazing how desperate people can be to be so loyal to such a self serving, former PM. Is all Thaksin did was hand out 500 baht notes for votes and promise village mayors of endless prosperity, that never happend.

As with most countries, farmers are either poor or not that well off. Why now do the poor farmers think that Thaksin will all the sudden make them anymore than they always have been. They where poor when he was the PM and they will be just as poor with the next PM.

This guy would rather bring this country to its knees and to the brink of civil war, than see another leader bring them out of a terrible ressesion and on the way to economic prosperity.

As these weeks go by, I truly believe he is handing out those 500 baht note again, and people believe he is the allmighty savior. When in reality he is just the same self serving dictator he was in the past, now with something to prove to the world.

I guess you give a desperate people a ray of hope they will follow you to the end of the Earth, and sacrifice all to serve him.

Reminds me of a couple of others in history. Hiltler, Stalin, Mucalini to name a few

[gotlost]

Chiang Mai, usually the most popular provincial destination for the water festival, was suffering from demonstrations in the city and the chronic haze.

What demonstrations ??? Air Pollution yes. Demonstrations no. Get your facts straight.

[AliasJohn]

WOW!

I really feel sorry for the small buisness owners in Bangkok that was depending on this week for a boost to there bottom line going into the slow season.

It is amazing how desperate people can be to be so loyal to such a self serving, former PM. Is all Thaksin did was hand out 500 baht notes for votes and promise village mayors of endless prosperity, that never happend.

As with most countries, farmers are either poor or not that well off. Why now do the poor farmers think that Thaksin will all the sudden make them anymore than they always have been. They where poor when he was the PM and they will be just as poor with the next PM.

This guy would rather bring this country to its knees and to the brink of civil war, than see another leader bring them out of a terrible ressesion and on the way to economic prosperity.

As these weeks go by, I truly believe he is handing out those 500 baht note again, and people believe he is the allmighty savior. When in reality he is just the same self serving dictator he was in the past, now with something to prove to the world.

I guess you give a desperate people a ray of hope they will follow you to the end of the Earth, and sacrifice all to serve him.

Reminds me of a couple of others in history. Hiltler, Stalin, Mucalini to name a few

I was in Khao San on business Friday and saw for myself a line up of people about 200 metres long, at a booth and I can tell you they were not getting som tum vouchers. The money was been handed out like it was going out of fashion.

Taksin should be ashamed at the lose of life just for his ego.

So sad for the majority of Thais who can't celebrate their new new because of these narrow minded people.

Edited April 12, 2010 by john1956

[Oberkommando]

Demonstrations no. Get your facts straight.

Hundreds of red-shirted opposition supporters also reportedly forced their way into government offices in the northern cities of Chiang Mai and Udon Thani in protest at the crackdown in the Thai capital.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8612783.stm

[Mekhong]

WOW!

I really feel sorry for the small buisness owners in Bangkok that was depending on this week for a boost to there bottom line going into the slow season.

It is amazing how desperate people can be to be so loyal to such a self serving, former PM. Is all Thaksin did was hand out 500 baht notes for votes and promise village mayors of endless prosperity, that never happend.

As with most countries, farmers are either poor or not that well off. Why now do the poor farmers think that Thaksin will all the sudden make them anymore than they always have been. They where poor when he was the PM and they will be just as poor with the next PM.

This guy would rather bring this country to its knees and to the brink of civil war, than see another leader bring them out of a terrible ressesion and on the way to economic prosperity.

As these weeks go by, I truly believe he is handing out those 500 baht note again, and people believe he is the allmighty savior. When in reality he is just the same self serving dictator he was in the past, now with something to prove to the world.

I guess you give a desperate people a ray of hope they will follow you to the end of the Earth, and sacrifice all to serve him.

Reminds me of a couple of others in history. Hiltler, Stalin, Mucalini to name a few

I was in Khao San on business Friday and saw for myself a line up of people about 200 metres long, at a booth and I can tell you they were not getting som tum vouchers. The money was been handed out like it was going out of fashion.

Taksin should be ashamed at the lose of life just for his ego.

So sad for the majority of Thais who can't celebrate their new new because of these narrow minded people.

I was in Rajaprasong on Saturday night and while most of the people looked like up-country reds, being paid or not to be there, there were certainly thousands of local Bkk reds on motorcycles and in taxis, who were there of their own accord. Many of them wear that red bandana saying 'Mie die jaang maa, goo maa eng' - I wasn't hired, I came by myself

[IsaanAndy]

WOW!

I really feel sorry for the small buisness owners in Bangkok that was depending on this week for a boost to there bottom line going into the slow season.

It is amazing how desperate people can be to be so loyal to such a self serving, former PM. Is all Thaksin did was hand out 500 baht notes for votes and promise village mayors of endless prosperity, that never happend.

As with most countries, farmers are either poor or not that well off. Why now do the poor farmers think that Thaksin will all the sudden make them anymore than they always have been. They where poor when he was the PM and they will be just as poor with the next PM.

This guy would rather bring this country to its knees and to the brink of civil war, than see another leader bring them out of a terrible ressesion and on the way to economic prosperity.

As these weeks go by, I truly believe he is handing out those 500 baht note again, and people believe he is the allmighty savior. When in reality he is just the same self serving dictator he was in the past, now with something to prove to the world.

I guess you give a desperate people a ray of hope they will follow you to the end of the Earth, and sacrifice all to serve him.

Reminds me of a couple of others in history. Hiltler, Stalin, Mucalini to name a few

At least he (Thaksin) was elected at the ballot box unlike the current PM who has never received a public vote. I fail to see how you can compare a dictiorship to free democratic elections in which the majority of the Thai people take part in.

[OzMick]

In the far NE at the moment. Gf's family saddened by deaths, but happy that they will soon receive B100,000 when Thaksin re-instated. Incredible that they believe this.

Also believe violence caused by army. TV pictures of black-clothed men carrying assault rifles amongst red-shirts NOT believed. I ask them who gains from violence? Nice people, probably like many in BKK, but naive, and being used and deceived.

[whiterussian]

Demonstrations no. Get your facts straight.

Hundreds of red-shirted opposition supporters also reportedly forced their way into government offices in the northern cities of Chiang Mai and Udon Thani in protest at the crackdown in the Thai capital.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8612783.stm

This is what we call in England.. a pork pie..

lie.

see: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Reds-Seized-...ll-t355018.html

photo: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a110754...y-hall.jpg.html

Edited April 12, 2010 by whiterussian

[wallhigh]

thais destroying the lives of other thais....

sad and pathetic, i weep for the future of this nation.