Malaysia Airlines MH17 tragedy to affect Thai tourism: Official

[webfact]

Malaysian Airliner Tragedy To Affect Thai Tourism: Official
By Khaosod English


Debris of the Boeing 777, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which crashed during flying over the eastern Ukraine region near Donetsk. All 295 people on board Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur are feared dead. EPA/ALYONA ZYKINA

BANGKOK — Officials have warned that the suspected downing of a Malaysian Airline plane in Ukraine could discourage Westerners from traveling to Thailand, further crippling the Kingdom’s already-struggling tourism industry.

The incident may have a "psychological effect" on European tourists, causing them to delay plans to travel to Southeast Asian nations, especially because many of those who perished on flight MH17 were Dutch and Scandinavian, said Ponthip Hiranket, deputy president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (ICT).

"The reason why it will affect other countries apart from Malaysia is because when tourists plan a long-distance trip, they tend to cover many destinations in one trip," Ms. Phontip said. "They tend to use Kuala Lampur as the main link to other countries."

She continued, "Of course, not only Thailand will be affected, as tourists may reconsider their trips to the entire Southeast Asian region as a whole."

Ms. Ponthip's warning came amidst growing evidence that flight MH17, which traveled between the Netherlands and Malaysia, was downed by pro-Russia separatist rebels in Ukraine, possibly with anti-air missiles supplied by Russia. The rebels and Russia have steadfastly denied the allegation.

More than 270 people died in the crash.

The ICT's deputy president added that even before the MH17 tragedy took place, Thailand was already seeing fewer tourists from European nations. According to Ms. Ponthip, the number of European tourist arrivals in July is down by 10% compared to the same period last year.

She blamed the slump on the country’s ongoing political turmoil, including the six-month protest campaign against the previous government that started in November and the declaration of martial law over the entire nation by the military junta's in May.

"The European market still has a negative perception of these issues," Ms. Ponthip said.

Nevertheless, she predicted that the Thai tourism industry will recover by "High Season,” which starts in October. Ms. Ponthip also said she believes the psychological effect caused by the MH17 crash will be only last in the short-term.

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, chairman of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said he also believes the MH17 tragedy will affect the Thai tourism industry indirectly, but is confident that there will be only a "small psychological effect."

"I think it will not affect the overall situation of tourism in ASEAN region, even Thailand," said Mr. Sisdivachr, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to which Thailand is a member.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1405923427


-- Khaosod English 2014-07-22

[JesseFrank]

Finally they found a scapegoat to blame for their dwindling tourist arrivals.

May the victims rest in peace

[laurentbkk]

This is crazy .... instead of mourning with the rest of the world this tragedy which killed around 300 peoples , Thailand is thinking about its tourists situation. how nice is that .

[Shurup]

This is crazy .... instead of mourning with the rest of the world this tragedy which killed around 300 peoples , Thailand is thinking about its tourists situation. how nice is that .

My thoughts exactly!

[Gunna]

" many of those who perished on flight MH17 were Dutch and Scandinavian, said Ponthip Hiranket, deputy president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (ICT) "

No Scandinavians on the list I saw on BBC

Maybe she thinks Germany & Belgium are part of Scandinavia - Geography wouldn't be one of her strengths, probably knows someone who was once important.

If i was the General she would be the next to be moved to an inactive post .

[lostsoul49]

Way to go TCT in finding an excuse for your failings to restore confidence in tourism.

The fact that you use a tragic incident to cover your arse when all you over optimistic targets fail to bear fruit is quite frankly abominable and you should be hauled over the coals for this.

Hope the new headlines in the west read 'Thai Tourism Authority uses MH17 disaster to whinge about its dwindling tourist figures.... Then we will se what that does for your forecasts.

Ever stop to think that people may just be getting bored with Thailand????

What a bunch of <deleted>.

[tonytigerbkk]

Tourists numbers down nothing to do with a military coup which overthrew a democracy, it is all because of a foreign airliner that was shot down over eastern Europe.

Is that really what he is saying?

Are you working alongside TAT.

Your propaganda about a military coup overthrowing a democracy is so ridiculous that it is almost funny.

[Bullie]

I am Dutch. I have taken this particular flight several times before. As it happen ALL flights from Londen, Amsterdam etc. to the whole SEA region travel over this particular area of the Ukraine.

Although a slight shiver went down my spine ( as in: "jezus, I might have been on that flight") not ONCE did it make me think of scrapping Thailand of the list of destinations because it simply has nothing to do with that: It has to do with the dangers of flying over a conflict area where the local cowboys play with toys that are far to powerful for them to handle.

Now that all flights - all be it belatedly- have been rerouted there is nothing at all to worry about.

They will have to finda more feasable scapegoat for the dwindling numbers, I'm afraid!

[Bluespunk]

Tourists numbers down nothing to do with a military coup which overthrew a democracy, it is all because of a foreign airliner that was shot down over eastern Europe.

Is that really what he is saying?

No.

[ginjag]

I am Dutch. I have taken this particular flight several times before. As it happen ALL flights from Londen, Amsterdam etc. to the whole SEA region travel over this particular area of the Ukraine.

Although a slight shiver went down my spine ( as in: "jezus, I might have been on that flight") not ONCE did it make me think of scrapping Thailand of the list of destinations because it simply has nothing to do with that: It has to do with the dangers of flying over a conflict area where the local cowboys play with toys that are far to powerful for them to handle.

Now that all flights - all be it belatedly- have been rerouted there is nothing at all to worry about.

They will have to finda more feasable scapegoat for the dwindling numbers, I'm afraid!

Agree entirely.

About the type of missile used ( up to 20,000 meters) these Russian types transported on vehicles are not SAM style. they are sophisticated weapons that are controlled by experienced personnel in the system--trained. The rebels who are accused of using these are not and never were trained, if they were in this territory the would have to have had Russian trained operators (or Russian personnel). These weapons cannot be used by an untrained man.

The on site interference shows something amiss-ALJaz.

I should imagine ALL airlines will avoid the area as from now or be blacklisted by their own clients.

[Thailand]

An open condolence to all the those affected by this tragedy would have been a much better approach than to throw it up as an excuse for a downturn in tourism.

Pathetic.

[WhizBang]

"The reason why it will affect other countries apart from Malaysia is because when tourists plan a long-distance trip, they tend to cover many destinations in one trip," Ms. Phontip said. "They tend to use Kuala Lampur as the main link to other countries."

Really. According to TAT, Bangkok is the HUB of HUBs and central to everything. So TAT is wrong and it really is Kuala Lampur?

[Payboy]

This is TCT, trying to keep up with TAT.

[Sena Dave]

Nothing to do with 6 months of street protests , Marshall law , military coup and confusing Visa rules of course. Must be that plane that crashed going to Malaysia. Makes sense to me

[Spoonman]

They suspect the plane went down.................... all righty then.

[FiestyFarang]

"Scandinavian, said Ponthip Hiranket, deputy president of the Tourism Council of Thailand" - there were more Australians and Philippines on the flight. I really do think it is insenstive at the least to be talking about tourism (money) less than one week after the accident and before the bodies have even arrived back to their home country even given her job. Foreigners looking at comments like this will think Thais are heartless maybe having a greater effect on tourism but tourism in reality is less important than respect for the innocent people that died even that number they do not state exactly.

[Paul944]

A reason to avoid Thailand as tourist destination is also the increasing number of Russians there.

Why?

Based on experiences from western tourists meeting Russian tourists in Turkey. Mixing those 2 groups in an all inclusive resort is not a good idea. The decision where to go on vacation is purely based on emotional feelings and expectations. Thailand was always considered as a save destination with low criminality and smiling locals. Only drawback was the huge sex industry. Now a days the change to get shot out of the air flying to the east and going to a country with fresh military regime has to compete with the change getting mugged in Brasil or Mexico.

[laurentbkk]

A reason to avoid Thailand as tourist destination is also the increasing number of Russians there.

this is a very sad comment , russians are not responsible over their government policy , you cannnot blame the whole country for some decisions their president did .

[LotusBoy]

Move along, nothing to see here.....

[ginjag]

A reason to avoid Thailand as tourist destination is also the increasing number of Russians there.

this is a very sad comment , russians are not responsible over their government policy , you cannnot blame the whole country for some decisions their president did .

Why do people call all former Soviet Union countries Russian.

There are loads of non Russian former Soviet countries persons here, Ukraine etc but some posters tar them all with the same brush.

My observation is only based on who I meet up with, but most of the old Soviet bloc do not mix with Thais or even fellow westerners in general, similar to Chinese as an example, the mix with their own kind in general.

If you are on Jomptien beach most westerners chat with each other and get along fine, very few of the old Soviet bloc mix with others. But that is Jomptien as an observation.

But after all it is all countries that make up the Thai tourists. whether they mix or not.

[metisdead]

Off topic deflection posts and replies have been removed.

[Malthus101]

It won't have any effect whatsoever.

However, I can tell you now I will never fly with Malaysian airlines.

[madmitch]

I would guess that most tourists realise that they are more likely to be killed in a road accident in Thailand than on a plane.

[Nepsydaz]

All the other countries are making statements on the MH17 flight that was shot down. Thailand had to make one too... and this is what they came up with.... Damn.....

Why am I even surprised?

[crazykopite]

How disrespectful to use such a tragedy as a scapegoat for the countries failure to attract tourists how low to the gutter can one get the majority of tourists fly into Thailand direct from Euroupe not via Malaysia.

[techboy]

This is crazy .... instead of mourning with the rest of the world this tragedy which killed around 300 peoples , Thailand is thinking about its tourists situation. how nice is that .

Sanctimonious drivel. People like you make me sick. And you are in mourning over this tragedy, eh? I do not believe you. You are using the bodies of these unfortunate people as stepping stones to place yourself on a pedestal from which you proclaim your superior morality. Disgusting. If you were not aggressively ignorant you would know that whenever there is a disaster it generates in scores of industries speculation as to financial impact.

[empireboy]

A reason to avoid Thailand as tourist destination is also the increasing number of Russians there.

this is a very sad comment , russians are not responsible over their government policy , you cannnot blame the whole country for some decisions their president did .

Why do people call all former Soviet Union countries Russian.

There are loads of non Russian former Soviet countries persons here, Ukraine etc but some posters tar them all with the same brush.

My observation is only based on who I meet up with, but most of the old Soviet bloc do not mix with Thais or even fellow westerners in general, similar to Chinese as an example, the mix with their own kind in general.

If you are on Jomptien beach most westerners chat with each other and get along fine, very few of the old Soviet bloc mix with others. But that is Jomptien as an observation.

But after all it is all countries that make up the Thai tourists. whether they mix or not.

I thought Russia was a democracy and that in fact they, the Russian people, ELECTED the current government AND that Putin is riding high in national opinion polls... add to that my own experience with the majority of Russians in Thailand I have met being socially dysfunctional by comparison to most other people I have met from other "developed" countries and I tend to agree with those who feel the Russians are a less desirable tourist than some! Against that I have met some very nice Russians so I accept it's a generalisation.. so, happy to see less than more of them in Thailand in general.

[crazykopite]

It won't have any effect whatsoever.

However, I can tell you now I will never fly with Malaysian airlines.

It could have been any airline from any Country it sounds as if you are singling out Malaysian airlines do you really think that these terrorists thought okay boys this is a Malay airline lets blow it out the sky !!

[nanapong]

A reason to avoid Thailand as tourist destination is also the increasing number of Russians there.

Why?

Based on experiences from western tourists meeting Russian tourists in Turkey. Mixing those 2 groups in an all inclusive resort is not a good idea. The decision where to go on vacation is purely based on emotional feelings and expectations. Thailand was always considered as a save destination with low criminality and smiling locals. Only drawback was the huge sex industry. Now a days the change to get shot out of the air flying to the east and going to a country with fresh military regime has to compete with the change getting mugged in Brasil or Mexico.

" Only drawback was the huge sex industry. " ... well , if you take that sector out of the equation the tourist numbers would probably be just above Chernobyl.

[Teddy3943]

I am Dutch. I have taken this particular flight several times before. As it happen ALL flights from Londen, Amsterdam etc. to the whole SEA region travel over this particular area of the Ukraine.

Although a slight shiver went down my spine ( as in: "jezus, I might have been on that flight") not ONCE did it make me think of scrapping Thailand of the list of destinations because it simply has nothing to do with that: It has to do with the dangers of flying over a conflict area where the local cowboys play with toys that are far to powerful for them to handle.

Now that all flights - all be it belatedly- have been rerouted there is nothing at all to worry about.

They will have to finda more feasable scapegoat for the dwindling numbers, I'm afraid!

Nothing to worry about.... Malaysia Airlines is still flying over Syria. How about "the cowboys" out there? Ah yes, they don't get supplies from Russia.