North, Northeast benefit

By Suchat Sritama

The Nation

Tourism this Songkran was generally quite bubbly, especially in the North and Northeast due to the serious flooding in the South, with nationwide spending expected to hit Bt5 billion.

"The overall tourism business was positive and better than the earlier forecast, when we were worried about the effects of many problems," Suraphon Svetasreni, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said yesterday.

Major provinces including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Songkhla, Phuket and Bangkok were popular among both local and foreign tourists during this festive season, he said.

However, some destinations in the South such as Samui, Krabi and Surat Thani were quiet this year, as tourists had cancelled their bookings.

Thawatchai Aranyik, TAT's deputy governor for domestic marketing, said that out of the total spending of Bt5 billion, Bt2 billion was in the 13 areas where TAT organised big events.

The festival drew about 1.05 million tourists - 900,000 Thais and the rest from abroad, mainly Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The foreign figure was higher than last year while the domestic count was similar.

Silom, Khao San Road and CentralWorld were the favourite areas in Bangkok where foreign tourists went to play in the water-splashing festival.

Saravut Saeteaw, president of the Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association, said visitors to Chiang Mai were up 10-15 per cent this year, as many revellers shifted their holiday from affected areas in the South.

"Chiang Mai remained crowded with some 100,000 visitors this year, who are believed to have generated income of Bt120 million," he said.

Maiyarat Pheerayakoset, president of the Association of Domestic Travel, said tourism in the South was slow as expected, due to room cancellations on well-known islands and in flooded provinces.

Reservations on those islands were down almost 100 per cent as tourists turned to the North and Northeast instead, she said.

Saipoyom Somsuk, head of the Tourist Service Centre in Samui, said fewer tourists went to Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Pha Ngan this Songkran for fear of flooding.

But many would return to the areas particularly Pha Ngan to celebrate the famous full moon party tonight, she said.

Surprisingly, Trang enjoyed a record flood of visitors. Hotel occupancy surged to 70 per cent from 40 per cent last month. Visitors dropped Bt50 million into the economy in the southern province.

-- The Nation 2011-04-18

It's a ill wind........

"... 100,000 visitors this year, who are believed to have generated income of Bt120 million..."

What they each spent 1.2M Baht each? The hub of useless bulls*it statistics!

"... 100,000 visitors this year, who are believed to have generated income of Bt120 million..."

What they each spent 1.2M Baht each? The hub of useless bulls*it statistics!

Sorry, but Bt 120 million divided by 100,000 is 1,200 baht per head.....:jap:

It's a ill wind........

Dust in the wind............:jap:

"... 100,000 visitors this year, who are believed to have generated income of Bt120 million..."

What they each spent 1.2M Baht each? The hub of useless bulls*it statistics!

Sorry, but Bt 120 million divided by 100,000 is 1,200 baht per head.....:jap:

So they were all cheap charlies then? 1200/visitor incl accomodation, food, pleasures etc. Something does not add upp here.

"... 100,000 visitors this year, who are believed to have generated income of Bt120 million..."What they each spent 1.2M Baht each? The hub of useless bulls*it statistics!

Sorry, but Bt 120 million divided by 100,000 is 1,200 baht per head.....

So they were all cheap charlies

then? 1200/visitor incl accomodation, food, pleasures etc. Something does not add upp here.

TAT------TELL A TALE-----------the best story teller since Enid Blyton

"... 100,000 visitors this year, who are believed to have generated income of Bt120 million..."What they each spent 1.2M Baht each? The hub of useless bulls*it statistics!

Sorry, but Bt 120 million divided by 100,000 is 1,200 baht per head.....

So they were all cheap charlies

then? 1200/visitor incl accomodation, food, pleasures etc. Something does not add upp here.

TAT------TELL A TALE-----------the best story teller since Enid Blyton

1,200 bhat a head, well that;s 2 night in an average guest house in Chiang mai. or 6 nights in a doss house, eqating what? drinking what?

interesting article, followed by useless rambling about costs - thanks fellas.