Most inbound tour groups cancel city trips

SUCHAT SRITAMA

THE NATION

In light of the government's declaration of continuing flood encroachment and evacuations, virtually all tourist groups planning to visit Bangkok this month have cancelled.

"We still have many provinces that are safe and can be visited, but there is zero information about that. The government tells only the bad news that makes tourists afraid to come," Sisdivachr Chevaratanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said yesterday.

The association met to conduct a survey on the impact on inbound tourism and found that travel agencies in overseas markets such as Japan and China had dropped trips booked for Bangkok this month.

Travel firms decided not to bring groups to Thailand after hearing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and officials on television warn that Bangkok was at high risk of inundation. Authorities are also preparing to evacuate Bangkok residents to dry provinces.

Bangkok features prominently in daily reports that the flood is likely to spread and the situation may be out of control.

Thai tourism has suffered huge damage, with thousands of people deciding not to come.

Almost 100 per cent of tourists from China have opted out of trips planned for Bangkok this month.

Tourists from other countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia have also suspended their travel plans.

Anake Srishevachart, president of the Thai-Japan Tourism Business Association, said the Japanese were afraid to visit Bangkok as well as other destinations. The government's announcements on the flood crisis were the turning point that drove tourists away.

Thai Sin Express Co, one of the key inbound tour operators serving the Japanese market, said it witnessed a 100-per-cent cancellation rate this month, or about 30 groups.

Last month, more than 90 per cent of advanced bookings were pulled.

The ATTA urged the government to help rebuild inbound tourism as fast as possible after the flood crisis runs its course.

The Tourism Ministry also met with the private sector to discuss short- and long-term development strategies. Affected operators want help from the ministry in the form of financial assistance and tax breaks.

-- The Nation 2011-11-04

Yet the TAT says record numbers of tourists are pouring through Suvarnabumi airport daily. 50,000 or so . Who do you believe.

Edited November 4, 201114 yr by jalansanitwong

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

Yet the TAT says record numbers of tourists are pouring through Suvarnabumi airport daily. 50,000 or so . Who do you believe.

Good one.

Arrived from manila on Thues night took the taxi into town to soi 4 high and dry all of the way. You cannot see any water from the expressway. Back to airport on Wed. high and dry all of the way the only water I saw was in a canal by the airport and didn't pose any problem. Took the 1130 flight to Chiang Mai and it was 90 percent full with a large number of farang tourist on board, individual travellers. The drainage canals on the airport property not even half full, upon take off no water insight until north of the airport and it is an ocean for miles only trees and house tops visible above water.

There is still a large number of tourist coming thru the airport, when I deplaned on Tues. night there was a load of falangs getting off and heading for immigration. I got in line 5 people in front of me 5 min. latter at least 10 to 15 people behind me in line and the other lines had grown as well.

I didn't see that many asian deplaners other than the Philippinoes on my flight.

Edited November 4, 201114 yr by moe666

And this message is going hand in hand with the message from 2 weeks ago, saying tourism isn't hurt by the flooding.

Thais and numbers... Especially numbers concerning tourists....

Yet the TAT says record numbers of tourists are pouring through Suvarnabumi airport daily. 50,000 or so . Who do you believe.

Believe anything the TAT says, at your own peril. They have zero credibility. Everything from hotel bookings, to tourist arrivals is politically motivated. I stopped believing them years ago. I was at Suvarnabhumi a few days ago. When I remarked to the immigration agent how quiet the airport was, she said it was like a ghost town, and she had been seeing very few arrivals. I suppose she was lying? I saw it with my own eyes. The airport was nearly deserted. When I flew to Samui a few days later, the domestic areas were busy. Mostly Thais flying around. Very few farengs.

Whom said not long ago "the flood will have no effect on tourism"

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

Bangkok is not the whole of Thailand. Chiangmai is a lovely place and dry and cool.

In some ways nicer than Bangkok

With images like this CNN page who can blame them.

Before / After slider picture Nov 2008 Nov 1 2011

Far north east /west OK far South ok.

Central Thailand is Lake Ayutthaya.

Edited November 4, 201114 yr by animatic

His post was meant to be humourous (and I found it so). Think of a senior ex-PM currently resident in Dubai who is indeed anxious to visit BKK - once conditions (legal) improve.

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

Welcome to Thai Visa, how are you enjoying your first week?

His post was meant to be humourous (and I found it so). Think of a senior ex-PM currently resident in Dubai who is indeed anxious to visit BKK - once conditions (legal) improve.

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

It is just not funny if you have to explain it.

The fugitive was positively going to be in BKK in December, guaranteed. That was three weeks ago, pretty quiet on his travel plans now, busy orchestrating I suppose.

Whom said not long ago "the flood will have no effect on tourism"

What flood?

Spoke to two hotel gm's today in lower-mid suk who are overbooked at the moment because of a local campaign they are running with tha/tat offering discounted rooms to locals.

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

Welcome to Thai Visa, how are you enjoying your first week?

Thank you, very much so.

For the sake of MY continuing education, what do some posters (yourself included) get out of making snide, pointless and irrelevant references towards Thaksin? I always thought an internet forum was to exchange intelligent and informative views and points about relevant subjects, not just inane gibberish.

Gweiloman

With all due respect to you perhaps if you had lived here for at least ten years you might well understand the comments regarding Thaksin and his aims. I assure you in my twenty plus years here I have never seen anything decent coming from Thaksin,

Sadly it's all about what's in it for me as far as Thaksin is concerned.

He (Thaksin) is the sort of person who if you shook hands with him you would do well to count your fingers afterwards to make sure you still had four fingers plus your thumb on your hand that grasped his hand..

Edited November 4, 201114 yr by siampolee

Bangkok is not the whole of Thailand. Chiangmai is a lovely place and dry and cool.

In some ways nicer than Bangkok

It is terrible that tourists will cancel now that there is some water. The Press in Asia America and EU are to blame they not should report about the water this way tourist will keep coming.

They are doing the same with Real Estate if they told the public that housing is going up, the people will buy.

The public should be kept in the dark

Gweiloman

With all due respect to you perhaps if you had lived here for at least ten years you might well understand the comments regarding Thaksin and his aims. I assure you in my twenty plus years here I have never seen anything decent coming from Thaksin,

Sadly it's all about what's in it for me as far as Thaksin is concerned.

He (Thaksin) is the sort of person who if you shook hands with him you would do well to count your fingers afterwards to make sure you still had four fingers plus your thumb on your hand that grasped his hand..

Admittedly, I have not lived here as long as some other posters though I have a fairly good idea of what some think of Thaksin and what he has done or not done for Thailand. Fair criticism is fine, and should in fact be encouraged. Snide remarks, cheap shots and name calling just lowers the intellect.

Gweiloman

With all due respect to you perhaps if you had lived here for at least ten years you might well understand the comments regarding Thaksin and his aims. I assure you in my twenty plus years here I have never seen anything decent coming from Thaksin,

Sadly it's all about what's in it for me as far as Thaksin is concerned.

He (Thaksin) is the sort of person who if you shook hands with him you would do well to count your fingers afterwards to make sure you still had four fingers plus your thumb on your hand that grasped his hand..

Can you tell us how you know Thaksin so good were you in business with him. Or did you watch the football team that he owned at the local bar?

I liked Thaksin because in the UK I won lots of money on his team betting them to win and lose.

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

Welcome to Thai Visa, how are you enjoying your first week?

Thank you, very much so.

For the sake of MY continuing education, what do some posters (yourself included) get out of making snide, pointless and irrelevant references towards Thaksin? I always thought an internet forum was to exchange intelligent and informative views and points about relevant subjects, not just inane gibberish.

This is not gibberish - Where is that guy now after paying Isaan people to go to Bangkok? He could also now pay those in Isaan again or was that only so he can now make his profit from the mysery? I always warned that he is corrupt and is only looking for how much profit he can - no matter if others suffer!!!

Gweiloman

With all due respect to you perhaps if you had lived here for at least ten years you might well understand the comments regarding Thaksin and his aims. I assure you in my twenty plus years here I have never seen anything decent coming from Thaksin,

Sadly it's all about what's in it for me as far as Thaksin is concerned.

He (Thaksin) is the sort of person who if you shook hands with him you would do well to count your fingers afterwards to make sure you still had four fingers plus your thumb on your hand that grasped his hand..

Can you tell us how you know Thaksin so good were you in business with him. Or did you watch the football team that he owned at the local bar?

I liked Thaksin because in the UK I won lots of money on his team betting them to win and lose.

Welcome to Thai Visa Harry, hope you are enjoying your first month as a member.Looking forward to intelligent and informative views and points, caution this site may contain.inane gibberish, enjoy.

PM must herself believe the crap that's coming from TAT, that's why her government isn't concerned what's on the news and what tourists may think. TAT says it's good so it must be good.

double post

Edited November 4, 201114 yr by Shurup

1320406116[/url]' post='4821989']

1320405545[/url]' post='4821973']

Gweiloman

With all due respect to you perhaps if you had lived here for at least ten years you might well understand the comments regarding Thaksin and his aims. I assure you in my twenty plus years here I have never seen anything decent coming from Thaksin,

Sadly it's all about what's in it for me as far as Thaksin is concerned.

He (Thaksin) is the sort of person who if you shook hands with him you would do well to count your fingers afterwards to make sure you still had four fingers plus your thumb on your hand that grasped his hand..

Admittedly, I have not lived here as long as some other posters though I have a fairly good idea of what some think of Thaksin and what he has done or not done for Thailand. Fair criticism is fine, and should in fact be encouraged. Snide remarks, cheap shots and name calling just lowers the intellect.

Lets put it another way, Thaksin brings out the black humor in many, because they just can't say exactly what they would wish to. Secondly he generates such high levels of pain for many in manifold ways,That they REALLY need some way of venting that stress.

Edited November 4, 201114 yr by animatic

His post was meant to be humourous (and I found it so). Think of a senior ex-PM currently resident in Dubai who is indeed anxious to visit BKK - once conditions (legal) improve.

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

+1

Wonder how many tourists from Dubai have cancelled their plans to visit Thailand?

For the sake of your continuing education, tourists from Middle Eastern countries travel generally in July Aug due to the high temperatures in their own countries.

Welcome to Thai Visa, how are you enjoying your first week?

Thank you, very much so.

For the sake of MY continuing education, what do some posters (yourself included) get out of making snide, pointless and irrelevant references towards Thaksin? I always thought an internet forum was to exchange intelligent and informative views and points about relevant subjects, not just inane gibberish.

Always interested in your views.

Gweiloman

With all due respect to you perhaps if you had lived here for at least ten years you might well understand the comments regarding Thaksin and his aims. I assure you in my twenty plus years here I have never seen anything decent coming from Thaksin,

Sadly it's all about what's in it for me as far as Thaksin is concerned.

He (Thaksin) is the sort of person who if you shook hands with him you would do well to count your fingers afterwards to make sure you still had four fingers plus your thumb on your hand that grasped his hand..

Good post!!!

100% agree.

Stay safe and dry.

Gweiloman

With all due respect to you perhaps if you had lived here for at least ten years you might well understand the comments regarding Thaksin and his aims. I assure you in my twenty plus years here I have never seen anything decent coming from Thaksin,

Sadly it's all about what's in it for me as far as Thaksin is concerned.

He (Thaksin) is the sort of person who if you shook hands with him you would do well to count your fingers afterwards to make sure you still had four fingers plus your thumb on your hand that grasped his hand..

Admittedly, I have not lived here as long as some other posters though I have a fairly good idea of what some think of Thaksin and what he has done or not done for Thailand. Fair criticism is fine, and should in fact be encouraged. Snide remarks, cheap shots and name calling just lowers the intellect.

Lets put it another way, Thaksin brings out the black humor in many, because they just can't say exactly what they would wish to. Secondly he generates such high levels of pain for many in manifold ways,That they REALLY need some way of venting that stress.

Thanks for the quantum leap in the intellect level, always interested in informed views.