Martial law scares off tourists, Thai official warns

[webfact]

Martial Law Scares Off Tourists, Official Warns
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK - A prominent trade organisation has claimed that the military's declaration of martial law has frightened many potential tourists away from Thailand, where the tourism industry was already facing a prolonged slump due to the political turmoil.

"The martial law has caused many foreign tourists to immediately cancel their plans to visit Thailand," said Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, chairman of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

Mr. Sisdivachr warned that Thailand could see a 50% decrease in tourists throughout the second quarter of year 2014.

Thai army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha unilaterally imposed martial over the entire country on Tuesday, with the stated aim of preventing violent clashes between pro- and anti-government protest groups.

The latest bout of political crisis in Thailand, which erupted in last November, has already cost Thailand millions of baht in financial damages, and experts have warned that the recent declaration of martial law will only worsen the situation.

However, Issara Wongkusolkit, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, explained that the invocation of martial law has achieved a short-term effect of raising the confidence of the public, namely by convincing the Thais and foreigners that a sense of order and authority has been restored.

Though Mr. Issara added that a long-term imposition of martial would likely hurt the country.

Sukree Sitthiwanich, a deputy director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)'s marketing and communications department, said the central administration has already instructed local TAT offices in 27 countries to "explain the facts" about the martial law to foreigners, in the bid to ease their worry about Thailand's situation.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1400677296&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2014-05-22

[chooka]

Travel insurance being void under martial law doesn't help encourage tourism.

[NeverSure]

Well we haven't heard from TAT yet. Tourism will be up 25%.

[trogers]

Ah...these tourists would not have been scared away when war weapons start being deployed and used on civilians on the streets of Bangkok...

The world should now ask why a political party, who is currently in power, amass war weapons for use in a capital city, while telling the world they want to preserve democracy.

[lemonjelly]

Is Khaosod the new TV sponsor ?

[jaltsc]

"Though Mr. Issara added that a long-term imposition of martial would likely hurt the country."

This appears to be less of an imposition for tourists than that of the crooked jet ski operators. At least here everything is up front.

Edited May 21, 2014 by jaltsc

[shirtless]

Yep Marshall law does that to tourism

[NongKhaiKid]

TAT offices in 27 countries will " explain the facts " to foreigners so what they say ?

" No scare you, not martial law is martial law Thai style not same, same. "

[chooka]

Ah...these tourists would not have been scared away when war weapons start being deployed and used on civilians on the streets of Bangkok...

The world should now ask why a political party, who is currently in power, amass war weapons for use in a capital city, while telling the world they want to preserve democracy.

I don't think the average person around the world who is planning a holiday knows about the details of the Demonstration. They only see the big picture with demonstrators trying to overthrow the government and martial law being imposed.

[ParadiseLost]

The crackdown on visa runs will have more of a dramatic affect on the 'tourist numbers' they love so much...

[Civil War]

Is Khaosod the new TV sponsor ?

Well they are Thaksin's mouthpiece over here. They also seem to be breaching the martial law of being critical of 'martial law'.

But for my own tuppence worth.

It is far more important to fix the Thailand for the Thai people than it is to worry about the Thailand for the 2 week tourist.

[BSJ]

The Phillipines had martial law during the Marcos era and that didn't seem to worry a lot of Aussies at the time.

[bristolgeoff]

_{i will frighten the people who have never being before,but the people who have being many times no problems.}

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Ah...these tourists would not have been scared away when war weapons start being deployed and used on civilians on the streets of Bangkok...

The world should now ask why a political party, who is currently in power, amass war weapons for use in a capital city, while telling the world they want to preserve democracy.

I don't think the average person around the world who is planning a holiday knows about the details of the Demonstration. They only see the big picture with demonstrators trying to overthrow the government and martial law being imposed.

Just your opinion.

[Eliot Rosewater]

Yep Marshall law does that to tourism

Who is Marshall and what is his law?

[Morakot]

But hang on wasn't there one Singaporean tourist, who wasn't scared, as Thai PBS reported.

[shirtless]

Sorry mate , martial law are you happy now.? ,

[upena]

The Tourism Council of Thailand reported that martial law would make tourists feel safe and help Thailand's tourism.

[coconutbar]

where is the thai airways special ??? any cheap airlines fliying to bkk from australia ???????

[Frank008]

We are already end May thus predicting 50 % less tourists for Q2 with 5 weeks left seems awkward??? Lots of flights coming into Bangkok are only 40-50 % occupied. Definitely in a slump tourist wise and economy follows. Than again its déjavu. Recovery will come when ASEAN starts so 2016.

[samuiwonder]

Martial Law scares away tourists. They just won't come, period

They only ones it doesn't scare is long time Farang residents, who have seen it all before.

I will probably shut my businesses and put all my Thai people out of work if the effect is too bad. I have already been losing money for 5 years so this may just be the straw that broke the camel's back.

That, plus the immigration becoming complete jerks, even for law abiding farangs.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[godden]

Reminds me of cowboys and indians

[phuketrichard]

all the problems in Bangkok during the high season for sure affected Bangkok,

but they boosted travel to Phuket

The enforcemnet of the 30 day rule wont affect TOURISM at all ( although will affect TAT' s numbers)

[GeorgeO]

Must be a government agency, since they are conveniently blaming the imposition of martial law for the reduction in tourism numbers. The fact is, numbers were already becoming drastically low before the Army stepped in, as people were aware that Thailand was on the brink of civil war.

If anything, the imposition of martial law is likely to improve tourism, not reduce it...!!

[klauskunkel]

Yep Marshall law does that to tourism

Who is Marshall and what is his law?

Murphy's brother

[Robbie Dye]

If u read the Travel Press the Thai MICE industry is already and immediately being hit by cancellations of large groups of high spending delegates to conferences and incentives whose arrangements have been moved elsewhere . There is no doubt that the tourist industry will take a big hit

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[TonyChiangMai]

Many toursist are still coming to Chiang Mai and the check points are kept low key here. The Army is trying to do the best it can to sort out this mess. The politicians are too busy fighting each other to care.

[fab4]

Ah...these tourists would not have been scared away when war weapons start being deployed and used on civilians on the streets of Bangkok...

The world should now ask why a political party, who is currently in power, amass war weapons for use in a capital city, while telling the world they want to preserve democracy.

Perhaps the world, if they were interested in your opinions at all, would ask where on earth you got the notion that a political party was "amassing war weapons for use in a capital city". They would, quite rightly, ask for some kind of reasoning behind your hysterical posturing.

[marine1]

I wonder if they will make available free Tourist Visa's again when this is all over with, same as last time. I mean to promote tourism and get some of those tourists back.

[belg]

it would be scary if those gun on top of the truck is lock & loaded and ready to kill some people on the spot ... just imagine a crazy asking those stupid army boys if he can take a picture with the gun and deceide to squize the trigger and killing some innocent people, by accident or not ... that is scary ... the machine gun seem to have a box / cartridge attached, the question would be , is it a full or an empty on ?