Thai FM Surapong: 8 countries have already issued travel warnings

[warriorbangkok]

My God!

What a terrible photo.

He looks like some kind of hideous green mutant

Yes, I noticed that too. He could be a reptilian shapeshifter (BTW to anyone reading this - this is not a joke).

[little mary sunshine]

So the Foreign Minister admits we don't give a sh## about the safety of the Tourists, it's high

season and we want the money........Only in Thailand....incredable

[mrfill]

My god. For a country that does very little to acknowledge or at least protect tourists (aka foreigners), you can't see ANY discussion of Thailand's macro economy without significant mention of tourism.

Surely tourism accounts for a larger percentage than they would have us believe?

Tourism only represents 6% of GDP in Thailand. It is highly visible and probably has a larger effect on the poor than industries such as manufacturing (44% approx of the economy) because of its labor intensity and fluidity.

There are reasons why tourism seems to appear in economic discussions a lot more than other sectors, such as manufacturing. It is because some of the features of tourism (sensitivity to security, unrest, exchange rates, transport) are precisely those that also affect foreign direct investment.

Given that tourism only represents 6% of the economy, we should be thankful that the country has a police force devoted to tourists (few other countries have bothered to do that).

Admittedly without data to the contrary, I find the 6% figure difficult to believe given 1) how much attention the topic gets from very senior political and business leadership and 2) the fact that those figures cannot possibly account for the huge underground (grey/black) economy in Thailand which includes the sums contributed to the economy through various forms of the sextrade.

How many countries anywhere in the world go on so frequently RE tourism? I've lived all over the world, and I've not seen it to such a degree anywhere else.

As for the police force "devoted" to tourists, I'm guessing you are trying to get a laugh or perhaps you are being serious and meant "How many countries have 'needed' to do that"?

Spain - 2007 most visited country in the world, 2010 4th most visited. (34m tourists)

Tourism represents 6.4% of GDP there - so the figure for Thailand is comparable - and they have their Tourist Police....

[kruangfaifar]

I believe that the protesters at Democracy Monument, a stone's throw from that trendy Khao San Road area, will welcome tourists with open arms.

This is not 2010 at Ratchaprasong, there's nobody in another country inciting violence.

I was at Ratchaprasong and other locations in 2010 and their was friendliness there.

I was there too, and at other locations around, and I saw a lot of unfriendliness !

Do you get that feeling everywhere you go? If so you might want to change something about yourself::-)

[laocowboy2]

A coupls of years back the current government's followers nearly burned central Bangkok to the ground, they disrupted life in the center of the city of months on end. Now they are in power by purchasing the vote bank with their give-aways, and they can't tolerate a little protesting by those who cannot support fogiving convicted criminals? Why not just let every criminal go free and forgive all of them?

That's the plan!

[RogueLeader]

I walked through the demonstration on Ratchadamnoen near the Democracy Monument in 2010 when we got dumped off the no. 15 bus on Thanon Worachak with a group of Korean tourists. It was a little tense, especially around the stall where they were showing videos of police and army brutality, but if I hadn't known what it was all about I'd have thought it was some sort of festival. I've never seen McDonald's so busy. Everyone seemed quite relaxed, but I could see soldiers and police on the outskirts and I knew that if they decided to kick it off, we'd all be screwed.

Far worse was the young American on Khao San Road dressed up in full redshirt gear with a protest banner. We stayed away from him.

Edited November 6, 2013 by RogueLeader

[kawaiimomo]

I believe that the protesters at Democracy Monument, a stone's throw from that trendy Khao San Road area, will welcome tourists with open arms.

This is not 2010 at Ratchaprasong, there's nobody in another country inciting violence.

I was at Ratchaprasong and other locations in 2010 and their was friendliness there.

Even if you were wearing a yellow shirt???

Sent from my phone with the app thingy.

Try wearing a red one in this demonstration and tell me how friendly do you find those educated people...

[BlackJack]

500 baht for stabbing tourist = dangerous country

[wwex]

Why not just let every criminal go free and forgive all of them?

actually they do let many free to celebrate certain birthdays during the year

[Prbkk]

6% GDP does not take into account grey money. Even allowing for that, it is still a dodgy looking figure

[Bagwan]

Given that tourism only represents 6% of the economy, we should be thankful that the country has a

scamming

Police force devoted to ˄ tourists (few other countries have bothered to do that)."

[thaigold]

We live on soi Rangnam, and during the last riots we had to pass through protester's barricades to get food. Both the red and yellow shirts were friendly and only asked who I supported. I smiled and something nice in Thai and we went on our way.

Now during the Los Angeles riots I would have been beaten or shot (probably by the LAPD). Travel warnings? No problemo...

[kawaiimomo]

All this amnesty issue is already boring. I see 2 options here: Either people from both sides who committed crimes go to jail (and stay in it), or everyone is granted amnesty. It looks like most foreigners are pro yellow and I can't understand why, do you think you form part of that elite? LOL

Seriously, both sides committed crimes but only yellows has been released from jail. They call themselves democrats but they are far from being democratic, as it is usually the case with parties or groups that need to include such adjectives in their name. Nothing will change in this country until the 2 most powerful players stop messing in politics and mind their own businesses.

[ballpoint]

I believe that the protesters at Democracy Monument, a stone's throw from that trendy Khao San Road area, will welcome tourists with open arms.

This is not 2010 at Ratchaprasong, there's nobody in another country inciting violence.

I was at Ratchaprasong and other locations in 2010 and their was friendliness there.

Even if you were wearing a yellow shirt???

Sent from my phone with the app thingy.

Try wearing a red one in this demonstration and tell me how friendly do you find those educated people...

Well, the picture in the OP shows that it's ok to wear a yellow face in a red government.

[Papadragon]

Notice! he only talks about loosing money, Greed and corruption. The only creed these people think about.

Bahtism NOT Buddhism is the official creed of Thailand

[Papadragon]

Notice! he only talks about loosing money, Greed and corruption. The only creed these people think about.

Loosing ? I think you got too many O's in there the word is LOSING !

Edited November 6, 2013 by Papadragon

[Shaunduhpostman]

Demonstrations are the least of any tourists' worries, but it seems that if foreign governments issued warnings about any real dangers, say for example how the concept of safety is completely ignored, how trains that tourists might like to take to Chiang Mai are derailing at least once a month, then it might cause a few too many awkward diplomatic moments. I'm thinking of the U.S. Embassy not say the Australian Embassy and a few others who seem to care enough about its citizens to warn them of real dangers.

[Misterwhisper]

My God!

What a terrible photo.

He looks like some kind of hideous green mutant

More like a mischievous troll.

[TheGhostWithin]

What happens when a country/embassy issues a travel warning?

Do travel agencies cancel selling holidays due to insurance issues?

For a country like Thailand, Travel warnings have little current impact. However, it has a long term impact when countries are issuing warnings year after year as they have been for a multitude of issues (flooding, terrorist Islamic insurgencies, Political instability etc). The reason behind this is that as Thailand attempts to grow its' tourist market to attract more "quality" tourists, they will scare off the very people they are attempting to attract. "Quality" tourists are most likely to travel with insurance, as they both can afford and feel it better to have than not have insurance.

When a country issues a travel warning to an entire country, insurance is unable to be obtained from the day of the warning issuance. This means that "quality" tourists with heavy net worth will go somewhere safer, and guaranteed to have financial support should the worst go wrong. This is not so much the case for the middle income tourists Thailand currently attracts from the west. Unsure how the market is with other Asian countries.

The problem here is that TAT, Yingluck and the current cabinet are spouting about attracting quality tourists, however these same groups are antagonising not only their opponents but some of their own supporters creating the very instability which will undermine their attempts - in effect creating a stalemate for their country, ensuring a stagnant tourism industry relying on increasingly insufficient infrastructure to grow the market.

Edited November 6, 2013 by TheGhostWithin

[TheGhostWithin]

I believe that the protesters at Democracy Monument, a stone's throw from that trendy Khao San Road area, will welcome tourists with open arms.

This is not 2010 at Ratchaprasong, there's nobody in another country inciting violence.

I believe the warnings are a direct reflection on not only the arrogance shown by the current administration to push through self serving change regardless of any opposition (see Yinglucks response recently stating that if rejected by the senate the Reconsiliation Bill would be passed back to the house for 180 days and then submitted for Royal observation and approval) and also their confidence in the current Polical and Civil system to quell unrest without violence which may endanger nationals of the said countries more than them expecting protesters to be aggressive towards Tourists.

This in contrast with the Red Shirt protests of 2011 who were reported to be on multiple occaisions (and I personally observed, as well as a friend who owns a building within the old protest site at Silom and was refused right of passage through the cordon to enter her own apartment building) who did use violence against tourists, and any Thai person not directly serving their cause.

A slap in the face for the Thai government - one being from the same list of countries which they have just granted 30 day land border crossing stamps to. Amazing how that works.

Edited November 6, 2013 by TheGhostWithin

[Maestro]

...In 2006 I was working in CNX and again, at no time did I or anyone I know feel "endangered...

For the information of members who do not work in the travel industry, CNX is the code assigned to Chiang Mai International Airport by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). During past demonstrations in Thailand, I believe that with the exception of Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok no other airport was adversely affected.

[Jim walker]

I believe that once a government issues a warning against travel in a certain country that this can invalidate a claim against your travel insurance.

[tezzainoz]

Maybe some of you need look behind the scenes

a friend of mine and his family where due to come and stay with us for 2 weeks in december

Today he was informed thay his tavel insurance no longer covered him in Thailand.

so he cancelled his trip

Also my wife works for a large Thai food manufacturer

they have been building up stocks for the high season

If their is a big drop in tourists

no tourists means no sales

No sales mean food stay in the wharehouse

Food in the wharehouse means not enought money for the company to stay in the black

No money Company Lays off staff

Thaskin will not worry he will come home to his billions

But all the staff at her work not walking about marching in protest

I am sure there will be many other things that will hurt the working class Thai if tourist not come for the high season

[Maestro]

I have removed a troll post about "opposition Madam" and a post discussion a grammatical error in the OP.

[monkeycountry]

"however, they should consider the effects caused whether to the economy or the image of the country."

Sure, but so should the PTP, and so far it seems the PTP could not care less about the economy or the country's image, so why should anyone else?

If the PTP is so worried about the economy and the country's image, then simply withdraw the bill tomorrow. Then everyone will go home and the PTP won't even be blamed, as fresh polls, including polls for Isaan, show that most of the country is against the bill anyway.

Of course, withdrawing the bill is a problem for the PTP, partly because it will be a massive loss of face, and partly because it won't bring Thaksin back.

[klauskunkel]

My God!

What a terrible photo.

He looks like some kind of hideous green mutant

Yup, a Senior Mutant Ninja Turtle!

[MobileContent]

We have our office at Ratchaprasong/Soi Mahalek and things was just fine until Suthep started to be in charge of security.

Let's not forget what the yellow shirts did with the airport.

[Chao Lao Beach]

My god. For a country that does very little to acknowledge or at least protect tourists (aka foreigners), you can't see ANY discussion of Thailand's macro economy without significant mention of tourism.

Surely tourism accounts for a larger percentage than they would have us believe?

Tourism only represents 6% of GDP in Thailand. It is highly visible and probably has a larger effect on the poor than industries such as manufacturing (44% approx of the economy) because of its labor intensity and fluidity.

There are reasons why tourism seems to appear in economic discussions a lot more than other sectors, such as manufacturing. It is because some of the features of tourism (sensitivity to security, unrest, exchange rates, transport) are precisely those that also affect foreign direct investment.

Given that tourism only represents 6% of the economy, we should be thankful that the country has a police force devoted to tourists (few other countries have bothered to do that).

Well 6% of receipts, Thailand is a cash society, if you pay cash for a hotel, massage, many beers, tuk-tuk it ain't counted.

[Chao Lao Beach]

I believe that once a government issues a warning against travel in a certain country that this can invalidate a claim against your travel insurance.

Every country in the world has warning about Thailand's South.

So far this is an advisory, not an advice not to travel, which is when insurance policies kick in with a get out of jail clause.

[klauskunkel]

every group has the right to protest, however, they should consider the effects caused whether to the economy or the image of the country

ah, just like the government considers the effects of their actions and inactions to the economy or the image of the country...

just who has the greater effect, hmmm?

and, btw don't wear green, it's not your color!