Thai Tourism Hit By Overseas Snow Storms

[webfact]

Thai tourism hit by overseas snow storms

By Suchat Sritama

The Nation

The blizzards that blanketed much of the US and Europe will send shivers through the tourism industry here, as holidaymakers have been stranded there and cannot celebrate the New Year here.

"The heavy snow that hit key airports in Europe last week and airports in New York this week left many tourists with plans to visit Thailand unable to travel because of flight cancellations. And those already here will have to extend their stay," Surapol Sritrakul, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said yesterday.

Tourists with delayed departures will have to shoulder all the extra costs themselves, as this is a natural event and is not covered by travel insurance, he said.

Visitors from Europe and the US make up about 30 per cent of total tourist arrivals to Thailand.

According to the BBC, most airlines resumed flight operations at key airports in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Russia on Christmas Day, but it is unclear whether the storms would return.

Then a heavy storm dumped snow on the East Coast of the US. Hundreds of flights on Sunday were cancelled across New York, Washington and Boston and several states to the south have declared states of emergency. The storm is predicted to bring blizzard conditions to New York City.

A public relations officer at Thai Airways International said only one flight from Bangkok was diverted to St Petersburg in Russia, instead of Moscow, due to the inclement weather there.

As of Monday, all other international flights were running on schedule.

ATTA's Surapol urged hotel and tour operators in Thailand to communicate with their customers and operators overseas to prepare alternative plans in case snow in the US and Europe continues.

"If operators can offer customers more options in case they can't really come or have to postpone, that would help keep business, better than giving refunds," he said.

Prakit Shinamourphong, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said hotels in Bangkok have gained more business since last week as airports shut down in Europe.

However, the association hopes that tourists from Asian countries would come to Thailand during the festive season.

-- The Nation 2010-12-28

[LaoPo]

...

Thai Tourism Hit By Overseas Snow Storms

LaoPo

[wolf5370]

Some fewer people arrived for a day or so, but more people that were going to leave, stayed (and probably some of them paid for more expensive temporary hotels near the airport and incurred greater extra cost than they did sitting on a beach somewhere - BKK travel/food/etc). So, where is the "hit"? How many people actually cancelled their trip rather than delayed it a day or do?

[madmitch]

Maybe there is something lost in translation but I really don't know what this guy is talking about.

Firstly, many travel insurance policies will cover additional costs incurred due to delay and/or flight cancellation due to adverse weather conditions. some basic policies may not but it is not a standard exclusion.

And what are the alternative plans he's referring to? If there are no flights, there are no flights. It's as simple as that. what other options are there? a hotel in Bognor? A 36 hour train journey to the nearest operational airport? A speedboat to Thailand? Come in the European summer when there's no snow?

Or am I missing something?

[endure]

Thai tourism hit by poor exchange rates, rising prices and political uncertainty - see it's not difficult when you try...

[jonclark]

Is this really a news story??

[ginjag]

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Thai Tourism Hit By Overseas Snow Storms

LaoPo

Suppose you have to take the rough with the smooth, a few years ago it was the smooth, but now more rough. Ha Ha --now its the snows fault. Whats with these insurance company,s. no insurance claims cause its a natural occurance. Then volcanic dust--riots - wars. I never (stupid or not) purchase travel insurance, as it seems to difficult to claim, and receive some return, its all pay out, then you find out they are not paying BECAUSE !!!!!!...big money if you die----lose 3 legs. pay if your hospitalised for over 13 months, the claims people need, are delays,,lost baggage/damaged, sick or injured on vacation, the things that are normal. Small print and small pay-out (if your lucky). One can get individual small packages, but try it in Thailand. the next thing will be drought, weve had the floods, dissruption, scams, airport problems at BKK. most things seem to be here that are affecting the tourism, is it foreigners money thats down or the baht thats high, both at fault ?? no surprise to read now its the snow, big deal/a week or so ??

[madmitch]

Whats with these insurance company,s. no insurance claims cause its a natural occurance. Then volcanic dust--riots - wars.

Read my previous reply. The comment is not correct.

[Thailand]

A great opportunity for a crackdown on snowstorms.

[Sydebolle]

Do these clowns at ATTA, TAT and other "professional congregations of ignorants" really believe in this rubbish they say?

For a three months visa you require presently:

- proof of means = EUR 20'000/person,

- health certificate stipulating no AIDS and Syphilis (went down very well with my 74 year old mother's doctor who rang me and asked me, if my mother had suffered mental brown-outs lately?)

- clean sheet by your local secret service

while i.e. Malaysia and Macao stamp 90 days with a smile and an English "Welcome"

Thailand suffers from the same old rubbish; cheating and rip-offs of tourists starting at the airport, closing of airports two years ago, pouring blood infront of the parliament, randsacking the PEACH of the Royal Cliff Hotel over Easter weekend, torching of shopping centres, burning of (Bangkok) banks. The political ice became thinner and thinner, and nobody knows when the whole filigrane structure will simply cave in.

All Thailand did was increase prices and ensured, that the selected few (i.e. AoT = Airport Authority of Thailand) kept their pockets very well lined. Ah, and before I forgot, remember the stints at King Power's Duty Free Emporium where tourists were accused and threatened with mind-boggling jail sentences for "crimes" they never did.

I can only wish a gruesome low season when NO tourists come at all; maybe then (most likely though not) these clowns will get the message.

And no, the weather has ZERO influence on Thailand's ailing tourism industry compared to the f..k-ups the Thais did to these geese-laying-golden-eggs-called-farangs! Malaysia has double the arrivals and 68% more "Farangs" which are nicely called "Aliens" in the Land of the Free. And Bali as well as Vietnam is ...... fully booked!

[QED]

Do these clowns at ATTA, TAT and other "professional congregations of ignorants" really believe in this rubbish they say?

For a three months visa you require presently:

- proof of means = EUR 20'000/person,

- health certificate stipulating no AIDS and Syphilis (went down very well with my 74 year old mother's doctor who rang me and asked me, if my mother had suffered mental brown-outs lately?)

- clean sheet by your local secret service

while i.e. Malaysia and Macao stamp 90 days with a smile and an English "Welcome"

Wow, where do you come from? None of these are stipulations for any visa from the UK, even 1 year visas (non o-a retirement visa excluded).

[laurentbkk]

Thai tourism hit by poor exchange rates, rising prices and political uncertainty - see it's not difficult when you try...

Totally true , its too easy to think that snow is the cause ....Let say people dont want to come to Thailand for other reason ... its always better to put your head in a bag and forget about real problems.

[MJP]

Thai tourism hit by poor exchange rates, rising prices and political uncertainty - see it's not difficult when you try...

. . . or the deepest recession in the West since the 1930's?

[geriatrickid]

Visitors from Europe and the US make up about 30 per cent of total tourist arrivals to Thailand.

I wonder what part of the tourism total expenditures they account for? i.e. does this segment account for 50% of all tourist revenues? Does anyone know? If so, then a dip of let's say 5% in this segment's arrivals would have an impact on tourist revenues wouldn't it?

As a side note, alot of the US traffic was rerouting through Canada which did not have any airport closures and handled many of the European flights that couldn't get to the states. However, it does highlight the weakness of the airlines' obsession with hubs.Once JFK, ORD and EWR went down, the USA was paralyzed. Same thing for FRA, LHR and AMS last week that paralyzed air traffic in the EU. There has to be a better contingency plan.

[nocturn]

...

Thai Tourism Hit By Overseas Snow Storms

LaoPo

If you have nothing to say, why even bother posting? Your reliance on smileys instead of actually contributing is both a waste of bandwith and the time of others.

given what i am seeing on the islands.

I have one set of renters who paid in full months ago arriving 8 days late for a 1 month rental because they were unable to travel.

Two other owners of houses for rent in my area are facing the same situation.

As for arrivals from Europe and USA making up 30% of the total. I would say it is much closer to 80% for destinations like Koh Phangan, Perhaps less on Samui.

Edited December 28, 2010 by nocturn

[londonthai]

all eu airlines, as well as those flying to eu, are obliged to give or reimburse for accommodation and food whatever circumstances are.

some tourists simple cancelled their holidays for the full refund, because they wanted avoid all the hassle with waiting at the airports and uncertainty.

many those who did travel, lost their hold luggage, they might not get them at the destination, because of the huge backlog and further flight problems. It's a spoiled holiday for them.

some travellers might be disappointed with thailand, after it's national carrier, thai airways, did simply cancell many flights from the UK and they had to postpone or take another carrier for an inflated price.

as to "snow storms" in europe, it was shortage of de-icing fluid which largely caused delays and cancellations at heathrow and paris (airport authorities did fail to buy it, despite warnings of the harsh winter coming). Paris airport had to bring it from germany by roads and from usa by airplane

[oldsailor35]

Thai tourism hit by poor exchange rates, rising prices and political uncertainty - see it's not difficult when you try...

. . . or the deepest recession in the West since the 1930's?

Tourism is "Rock Bottom" in SE Queensland at the present time, so Thailand is not the only country with low tourism rates.

[MJP]

Thai tourism hit by poor exchange rates, rising prices and political uncertainty - see it's not difficult when you try...

. . . or the deepest recession in the West since the 1930's?

Tourism is "Rock Bottom" in SE Queensland at the present time, so Thailand is not the only country with low tourism rates.

Exactly. Fact is, even if the Baht was 30% weaker, people in the West simply do not have the money for such travel and holidays.

[Bagwan]

A great opportunity for a crackdown on snowstorms.

Thailand - the hub of no snowstorms.

[dezrat773]

Just adds to the total of tourists who are not comming to Thailand and going elsewhere. The snow storms may hinder some from getting here, but most are going elsewhere. I was in Laos over the weekend to visit friends and westerners were all over the place. Thailand's bean counters have become smug, but the real proof will be the number of tourist who choose to make Thailand just a place to change planes for other countries. Snow, rain and natural disasters are expected, but the stupidity of the Thai government and is many cases the Thai people themselves are getting in the way of real tourism increases after years of decline.

[Felt 35]

What a show to keep the uncomfortable truth away

[ryladie99]

...

Thai Tourism Hit By Overseas Snow Storms

LaoPo

Suppose you have to take the rough with the smooth, a few years ago it was the smooth, but now more rough. Ha Ha --now its the snows fault. Whats with these insurance company,s. no insurance claims cause its a natural occurance. Then volcanic dust--riots - wars. I never (stupid or not) purchase travel insurance, as it seems to difficult to claim, and receive some return, its all pay out, then you find out they are not paying BECAUSE !!!!!!...big money if you die----lose 3 legs. pay if your hospitalised for over 13 months, the claims people need, are delays,,lost baggage/damaged, sick or injured on vacation, the things that are normal. Small print and small pay-out (if your lucky). One can get individual small packages, but try it in Thailand. the next thing will be drought, weve had the floods, dissruption, scams, airport problems at BKK. most things seem to be here that are affecting the tourism, is it foreigners money thats down or the baht thats high, both at fault ?? no surprise to read now its the snow, big deal/a week or so ??

Thanks for sharing and you are 100% right. Too bad at this time, one airline canceled 600 flights already and many people had to stay at the airport in order to catch the next flight otherwise they had to stay put at the hotels at least 2-3 days before they can travel..well the storm was really bad I did drive my son to get a fresh pizza and I was afraid to drive in the storm...Happy New year 2011.

[snowgard]

The Rules for aLONG STAY: NON-IMMIGRANT VISA A-O: (365-day stay) in Berlin, Germany

Please note that holders of this visa have to report every 90 days to the Immigration Office in Thailand. If you have go out and re-entry again during your stay, so you have to leave before the Immigration office reported a Re-entry Permit request, so that a re-entry is possible.

Pensioners:

• 3 fully completed visa applications

• Original passport (must be at least 18 months validity)

• Copy of passport

• 3 passport photos

• A copy of the retirement decision with mntl. Amount of mind.1200, - €

• If this amount is not met, evidence of further assets of at least 16.000, - €

• Health certificate from doctor

• Copy of police clearance certificate (public office)

• CV (in English)

• the applicant must be at least 50 years old

• 130 € Visa fee

[asiawatcher]

More deliberate misinformation to cover the truth.