Thailand's State of Emergency not scaring away tourists

[webfact]

Thailand's State of Emergency not scaring away tourists
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, March 6 - One-third of foreign tourists arriving during the so-called crisis period on anti-government protests have visited the protest locations, and more than half described the protest as rather peaceful, and while majority of them said that Emergency Decree has had little impact their travel plans, according to a survey released today.

The poll result was conducted by the research centre at Bangkok University, the Bangkok Poll, surveying 1,094 international visitors on tourism amid the protests.

According to the poll, almost 100 per cent of the respondents said they were aware of the protests even before travelling to Thailand, only 3.6 per cent were not.

One in three--33 per cent of those already knowing about the protests--said they visited the country because they could not miss certain destinations, 30 per cent said they did not plan to be near the protest sites anyway, 15.4 per cent said their tickets were already booked and 14.9 per cent said they viewed that the protests were non-violent.

Some 84.4 per cent of the people polled said Emergency Decree had little impact their travel decision, though the remaining said it had high impact on their decision.

Almost half of the tourists tended to avoid protest sites, though 34.6 per cent said they went with the flow and 23.4 per cent said they monitored the situation on a day-to-day basis before making plans.

60 per cent of the respondents did not have a chance to visit department stores near the protest sites. Up to 32.5 per cent asked for information provided by authorities, 27 per cent asked for a constant updates in English language and 14.5 per cent wanted better public transport and that the authorities are suggested take a close look at taxi and tuk tuk scams.

Asked if they would like to re-visit Thailand, 89.9 per cent said yes, 1.3 per cent said otherwise. Up to 94.6 per cent said they would recommend other people to visits the kingdom, while only 1 per cent said they would not. Some 60 per cent if the respondents said the protests were not as critical as they thought, while 11 per cent thought they were violent. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-03-06

[Costas2008]

All Hunky-dory then.

Lets keep the SOE, going.

Chalerm will be happy.

[Rob8891]

If you poll tourists who are actually here, of course you'll get a positive outcome.

What a stupid piece of BS that flies in the face of all the shirt-rending, hand-wringing statistics the TAT were pumping out not so long ago. A very shaky attempt to lure tourists back.

In addition, to say that the demo sites were peaceful shows scant regard for all those who were killed, maimed or wounded. But life is cheap here.

Thailand... open for business, same same. ?

[bigbamboo]

That certainly seems to be the case in Chiang Mai.

Foreign tourists seem to understand that the latest bit of Thainess is par for the course here. They know that the country is not run by politicians but by businessmen on the make who wouldn't last five minutes at home. Every so often the corruption, squabbling and the accompanying moronic violence breaks out until the army are forced to tell the political kindergarten it's time to stop and we have a few months peace and quiet before they are let out to play again.

As long as they avoid the bun fights in Bangkok, the busses, the trains, the jet skis, the late night tuk tuk drivers, the clip joints and the traffic police they'll be fine and have a great time.

Enjoy!

Edited March 6, 2014 by bigbamboo

[nkg]

One word:

Bullshit.

[greg71]

34.6 per cent said they went with the flow,i say that is 100 % crap ,Who the hell responds to a question like that these days .

[Lupatria]

Statistic is a whore willing to serve the host with the most!

[casualbiker]

i would say that mostly it's true. Any tourist already here will have the savvy to check things out OR as long as it doesn't affect their access to holiday destinations. BUT tourists who are not 100% sure about Thailand will go somewhere else, If they do come they will be very wary for the 1st few days, which is actually a good thing, in many ways!

[lostmebike]

Maybe word got around that Thailand's always in a state of emergency and this never really comes to much anyway (for the sane, reasonable folk that refrain from blowing whistles at protest sites that is)

[PaulHamon]

If you poll tourists who are actually here, of course you'll get a positive outcome.

What a stupid piece of BS that flies in the face of all the shirt-rending, hand-wringing statistics the TAT were pumping out not so long ago. A very shaky attempt to lure tourists back.

In addition, to say that the demo sites were peaceful shows scant regard for all those who were killed, maimed or wounded. But life is cheap here.

Thailand... open for business, same same. ?

AGREED, ofcourse it does not scare THOSE tourists...

[ginjag]

18% said they picked their nose with their left hand, a further 57% said they used their right hand. 5% said they never encountered any problems and 48% said they had problems but it was when they were walking on walkways. 103% said it was TAT that was the deciding factor that made them book, as they wanted to get married underwater, but 30% said they couldn't swim so opted for shopping at OTOP.

This poll was conducted by students wanting a future working for TAT.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Absolute crap!!! I work with hotels and the majority of 4 and 5 star hotels in Bkk are between 15% and 30 % occupancy. This has gone on since the SOE has been instituted. Note that during the last two months these same hotels should almost all have been between 80% to 95% occupancy. Dec through end of Feb are the 3 money making months for the hotels. This loss will not be made up within this year thus no hotel staff in Bkk will be receiving any annual bonuses. End this ridiculous SOE so that at least the corporate bookings can begin to return.

[thesweetsoul]

"Welcome to Thailand...will u be choosing to cancel ur trip to Thailand, granted you are already here, due to the the protests?" Come on!!! Even the people asking these questions must know what a useless question that is.

Why dont they ask tour/ticket agents in HKG and China and abroad how many cancellations there were, and how brisk sales are?!

[upena]

Another worthless poll

[craigt3365]

High season is way off here in Pattaya. Some of the higher end resorts are quite empty. Immigration was dead today. Even the lady at the copy shop was complaining.

[Travelman868]

All Hunky-dory then.

Lets keep the SOE, going.

Chalerm will be happy.

11% thought protests were violent so 89% were totally thick.

[Travelman868]

All Hunky-dory then.

Lets keep the SOE, going.

Chalerm will be happy.

11% thought protests were violent so 89% were totally thick.

[connda]

Actually, the average, smart-phone obsessed tourist doesn't have a clue as to what is happening two feet away from them, no less half-a-world away.

[harleyclarkey]

Pathetic...absolutely pathetic and utter nonsense. Doing a Putin? (We have no troops in Ukraine!). Bare faced lies.

We had to be there during the protests and stayed in the Centara Central World and the Dusit Tani Lumpini. Is this close enough to the protest sites?

Both hotels told us that their occupancey was 10%.....No, I am not missing a zero according to the idiotic survey.......TEN percent.

We both commented that Suckhimvit (sic.) was dead with hardly a soul around. So where were all these tourists? Hiding in their rooms?

I don't believe that they all fled to Phuket and Samui.

I also checked flights....there were plenty of seats at reduced prices. Odd isn't it? They reduce their fares when they are practically full.!! Like heck.....

Edited March 6, 2014 by harleyclarkey

[Robby nz]

Emergency Decree has had little impact their travel plans,

The SOE has had little impact on anything except those running it who are getting their meals from a 5 star hotel at 100,000 to 500,000 B per day.

And of course the hotel which loves the business and the eager tax payer who thinks it is great paying for these deserving xxxxxxx (bad language deleted)

[shaurene]

What are they all in with the live jackets????

[brit1984]

in other news, a recent poll of worshipers at a mosque found that 77.4% of them have not eaten any pork within the last 1 month, 5.5% had eaten some but only because Tesco's suppliers mixed it in their beef lasagne, 12.6% were not sure, and 4.5% of the results were lost by computer error / act of god / allah

[expat888]

As usual they are twisting the truth. The truth is tourism was down before all the nonsense protest began, so yes tourism hasn't been affected since the protest began.

It sucked before.

[madmitch]

Actually, it's the headline that is wrong.

Bangkok University have spoken to Bangkok visitors to gather their responses to a series of questions. The results are given in the article. Nowhere in this article does it state that potential tourists are not being put off by the current political crisis.

Unfortunately an over-zealous headline copywriter has managed to change the whole concept of this survey.

[mercman24]

yes total bullshit, totally useless survey, christ the people are already here, it ought to address the problem of the hundreds of thoudsands who have stayed away and not visited at all due to the upheavel, heeding the advice given by their respective governments.

[Equalizer]

Problem is there was only 1094 tourists here to question. We have a small business in Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens and i am telling you all now the place is around 90% down on tourist. This time last year there where at least 200 coaches per day arriving, not including mini buses, cars etc etc. Now they are giving free visits to the schools to make it look open.

[connda]

Pathetic...absolutely pathetic and utter nonsense. Doing a Putin? (We have no troops in Ukraine!). Bare faced lies.

We had to be there during the protests and stayed in the Centara Central World and the Dusit Tani Lumpini. Is this close enough to the protest sites?

Both hotels told us that their occupancey was 10%.....No, I am not missing a zero according to the idiotic survey.......TEN percent.

We both commented that Suckhimvit (sic.) was dead with hardly a soul around. So where were all these tourists? Hiding in their rooms?

I don't believe that they all fled to Phuket and Samui.

I also checked flights....there were plenty of seats at reduced prices. Odd isn't it? They reduce their fares when they are practically full.!! Like heck.....

Plenty of folks up here in Chiang Mai.

[ginjag]

Problem is there was only 1094 tourists here to question. We have a small business in Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens and i am telling you all now the place is around 90% down on tourist. This time last year there where at least 200 coaches per day arriving, not including mini buses, cars etc etc. Now they are giving free visits to the schools to make it look open.

Is there a question of overpriced entrance a Nong Nooch ???? how much now ?? car ? per person ?? Thais pay ??? double pricing ALSO scares tourists off.

[marcusd]

Pathetic...absolutely pathetic and utter nonsense. Doing a Putin? (We have no troops in Ukraine!). Bare faced lies.

We had to be there during the protests and stayed in the Centara Central World and the Dusit Tani Lumpini. Is this close enough to the protest sites?

Both hotels told us that their occupancey was 10%.....No, I am not missing a zero according to the idiotic survey.......TEN percent.

We both commented that Suckhimvit (sic.) was dead with hardly a soul around. So where were all these tourists? Hiding in their rooms?

I don't believe that they all fled to Phuket and Samui.

I also checked flights....there were plenty of seats at reduced prices. Odd isn't it? They reduce their fares when they are practically full.!! Like heck.....

Plenty of folks up here in Chiang Mai.

not according to the business people and hotel managers I know. Meridian was full but plummeted and has remained way below what get need. And Shangri la and many more where I know people not to mention shops and restaurants

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[Equalizer]

Problem is there was only 1094 tourists here to question. We have a small business in Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens and i am telling you all now the place is around 90% down on tourist. This time last year there where at least 200 coaches per day arriving, not including mini buses, cars etc etc. Now they are giving free visits to the schools to make it look open.

Is there a question of overpriced entrance a Nong Nooch ???? how much now ?? car ? per person ?? Thais pay ??? double pricing ALSO scares tourists off.

The same price as it was last year!!!