Big C Bombing To Damage Tourist Confidence

[webfact]

Big C Bombing to Damage Tourist Confidence

BANGKOK: -- Representatives from Thailand's private sector have expressed concerns that the bomb attack at Big C department store at Ratchadamri will reflect poorly on Thailand's security and political instability, and will impact the country's recovering economy and tourism industry.

Thailand Chamber of Commerce President Dusit Nontanakorn said the bomb attack at the bus stop in front of the Ratchadamri branch of Big C department store that killed one person will definitely damage people's confidence in country, and will especially affect confidence in the investment and tourism sectors.

He added that the severity of the damage done to confidence is yet to be seen and will depend on whether the attacks continue.

Honorary adviser to the Association of Thai-Chinese Business Relations, Apichart Sangaree stated that the bomb attack is indicative of Thailand's security and political instability and will damage the recovering tourism industry as well as impact overall economic confidence.

In regards to the Chinese tourism market, Apichart said Thailand must wait to see whether China will issue travel advisories for Thailand. If it does, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand will decrease considerably.

Apichart went on to say that Thailand's image as a popular tourist destination has already been tainted by political unrest and the situation must be closely monitored.

If further violence continues, Thailand's tourism industry will be severely damaged and fall short of government's initial projections of 14.5 million tourists visiting Thailand this year.

However, due to the unrest, original projections have been revised downward to 10 million.

The Association of Thai Travel Agents President Surapol Sritrakul asserts that the private sector's efforts to restore tourist's confidence has been rendered futile with the recent bomb attack at the Big C department store.

He added that the tourism industry has been hit the hardest by the political unrest and economic crisis over the last two to three years. If the situation does not stabilize, the industry will need the government's assistance.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-26

[meithai]

no sh**t Sherlock

[animatic]

Well that would be part of the point, wouldn't it?

Drive the country into fear and economic malaise and blame the government for it.

An artificially created economic depression, to spite Korn who has pulled the national

bacon from the fire, in relation to much of the rest of the world.

Can't acclaim better times with Thaksin in the past, if things improve now.

The tourist industry already needs help, particularly the smaller venues and restaurants etc.

But this would only become roadshows and talkfests of spurious numbers to woo vacation

booking agents who are without the regular number of clients as it is.

Good news for many mom and pop stores though.

Shop around the corner and avoid the big target chains.

Edited July 26, 2010 by animatic

[on-on]

Tourists everywhere will stop frequenting Big C stores. This is our concern, dude.

[cardholder]

Tourists everywhere will stop frequenting Big C stores. This is our concern, dude.

This one wasn't actually open, so I doubt that Big C shoppers were the 'target'.

I was actually outside there on Saturday - lucky what a difference 24 hours can make !

There were not many tourists around - I only went out of curiosity to see what damage the red shirts had created.

[rich54321]

It would be amazing if the police etc would eventually make a reasonable assumption why, what the target was? - no one actually believes it can be big c - however in nearly all these type of cases we will never find out.

As far as affecting the tourism - the currencey exchange here is affecting tourism more than anything!!!!!!! the price to come here is very expensive - ie the GBP is at 48 baht - 4 years ago it was 76 - i know, its when i first came here.

Anyway the golf courses have increased their prices every year etc etc - there is definately no incentive to come to Thailand - who really cares if the visa payment is free the rest of the spending in the country is high!

Visit a national park or attraction - there are prices for Thai and Foriegner - example - national park enterance fee Thai 40 baht- foriegner 400 baht - RIDICULOUS!!!

What about the 150 baht rip off at the ATM cash points - there are so many things stopping tourists coming out here, all the confusion with the government only adds to it.

There will be some idiot reading this saying foriegners can afford it - rubbish the world is in financial turmoil -

Edited July 26, 2010 by rich54321