Bunthoon says lifting of martial law will boost tourism



BANGKOK: -- Lifting of the martial law will help boost tourism business and will convince more western tourists to visit Thailand, Mr Bunthoon Lamsam, chairman of Kasikorn Bank, said on Thursday.

“Tourism is regarded as an important export product. Without the martial law, there won’t be a condition that has caused concern among the tourists and more of them will arrive here,” said the banker.

He said he understood the need to invoke Section 44 of the interim charter to replace the martial law because the government needs a mechanism to ensure peace and order.

However, he suggested that the government must take care of the economy as well.

A member of the state enterprises policy and supervisory committee, Mr Bunthoon gave moral support to Finance Minister Sommai Phasi urging him not to feel discouraged and should press ahead with tax reform.

The tax issue is complicated and it needs to consult all parties concerned, said the banker.

(Photo : ThaiPBS File)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/bunthoon-says-lifting-of-martial-law-will-boost-tourism


-- Thai PBS 2015-04-03

The only possible way this could boost tourism is that now people can get traveler insurance when they come. On the other hand it may reduce tourism because now an person can claim to be a soldier and make demands of you and any resistance is punishable by prison and fines. So any act of speech not not allowed can be construed as disruptive depending on a persons point of view and hence be arrested, imptisoned, and fined.

Get some soldier having a bad day and not happy you are doing something and boom, you are being detained, fined, or imprisoned

"Lifting of the martial law will help boost tourism business and will convince more western tourists to visit Thailand, Mr Bunthoon Lamsam, chairman of Kasikorn Bank, said on Thursday.

“Tourism is regarded as an important export product. Without the martial law, there won’t be a condition that has caused concern among the tourists and more of them will arrive here,” said the banker."

“This will enable Kasikorn Bank to make lots of money out of the foreign exchange, whilst continuing poor customer service to farang” , reported Somchai

Rightly or wrongly, military juntas don't play well in the west. On a popularity scale they're down there with paedophiles or practitioners of FGM. Probably because amongst the kind of people who visit Thailand, the memories of people like Galtieri or Pinochet still strike a dissonant note. What's more, they all learned in school that Mussolini had the trains running on time. It's all probably very unfair on the affable Prayuth, but that's just how it is.

How come tourism is so important to Thailand? is it possible That it is way up in gross national product? Want to boost tourism offer free Tat and beer, wait that would only bring drunks and Chinese's.

If Bunthoon would only stop and think good tourists would go to a country without a Junta in control and where freedom of idea's and expression is encouraged, why would they want to spend there hard earned dollars propping up a dictatorship.

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How come tourism is so important to Thailand? is it possible That it is way up in gross national product? Want to boost tourism offer free Tat and beer, wait that would only bring drunks and Chinese's.

There are two thoughts on this , the economy is largely tourism based and they want to show the world how worldly they are, in fact if you look through the thinness of their character hard enough they just want to be wanted, they have a mindset that the world doesn't know they are there and in fact they aren't, nobody gives a figs tit.

And the Thais still believe that all foreigners are a bunch of suckers, who will not detect that martial law just had a name change: Catch 44

The new "law" is going to hurt tourism even more!!

And will hopefully be followed by sanctions by the Western countries!!

Meanwhile, the Baht continues to shoot through the ceiling AND prices continue to rise simultaneously while countries like Spain are just a couple of hours down the road.

If you want to keep tourist numbers up, I wouldn't upset the Chinese if I were you..

Comments etc about tourism from officialdom swing depending on situations prevailing at the time.

For example after the Koh Tau murders no one gave a stuff about the deceased as protecting tourism was the only concern but when other countries issue travel advisories the chin gets stuck out defiantly and the mantra is that tourism isn't that important to the country.

Article 44 is the more atrocious, politically correct version of martial law for the morally challenged, mentally disengaged or terminally apathetic.

Article 44 is the more atrocious, politically correct version of martial law for the morally challenged, mentally disengaged or terminally apathetic.

The Thai elite??

Crap...the only way is to drop the baht..

Edited April 3, 201511 yr by fabphil

... but, a while ago I read news story on Thai Visa that martial law had been good for tourism.

Posted 2014-10-13

Thai Authorities To Promote 'Martial Law Tourism'

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/767970-tat-to-promote-martial-law-tourism/

Article 44 is the more atrocious, politically correct version of martial law for the morally challenged, mentally disengaged or terminally apathetic.

The Thai elite??

Would have to add inbred and non intellectually curious.

Article 44 is the more atrocious, politically correct version of martial law for the morally challenged, mentally disengaged or terminally apathetic.

Quite so. But most people know what Martial Law means, 'Article 44'? Not so much.

Article 44 is the more atrocious, politically correct version of martial law for the morally challenged, mentally disengaged or terminally apathetic.

Quite so. But most people know what Martial Law means, 'Article 44'? Not so much.

Wrong!!

The EU has just released the following statement:

As a friend and partner of Thailand we appeal to the military regime to stop trying civilians in military courts

Sanctions next? Which sadly would hurt the poor more than the idiots, who have created this chaos!!

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Article 44 is the more atrocious, politically correct version of martial law for the morally challenged, mentally disengaged or terminally apathetic.

Quite so. But most people know what Martial Law means, 'Article 44'? Not so much.

Wrong!!

The EU has just released the following statement:

As a friend and partner of Thailand we appeal to the military regime to stop trying civilians in military courts

Sanctions next? Which sadly would hurt the poor more than the idiots, who have created this chaos!!

can start with Mercedes , BMW, Volkswagen and Apple products, bankaccounts, property, etc.

Bunthoon getting scared too.

Lifting of the martial law will help boost tourism business and will convince more western tourists to visit Thailand, Mr Bunthoon Lamsam, chairman of Kasikorn Bank, said on Thursday.

But Article 44 will not bother them? Will the insurance companies insure people travelling to a country that is ruled by a Junta that is looking more oppressive by the day?

Westerners in particular generally avoid such places and insurance companies are not in the business of taking such a high risk.

God sake tourists are not so stupid as Thais believed them to be....

They will inform themselves about Martial Law and following Article 44 !

There are many nice and friendly countries in Asia. Why then Thailand?

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The only possible way this could boost tourism is that now people can get traveler insurance when they come. On the other hand it may reduce tourism because now an person can claim to be a soldier and make demands of you and any resistance is punishable by prison and fines. So any act of speech not not allowed can be construed as disruptive depending on a persons point of view and hence be arrested, imptisoned, and fined.
Get some soldier having a bad day and not happy you are doing something and boom, you are being detained, fined, or imprisoned

Oh yes. Why this has been happening to tourists 'most everyday...

Meanwhile, the Baht continues to shoot through the ceiling AND prices continue to rise simultaneously while countries like Spain are just a couple of hours down the road.
If you want to keep tourist numbers up, I wouldn't upset the Chinese if I were you..

"Meanwhile, the Baht continues to shoot through the ceiling"

Oh really.

http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=USD&to=THB&view=2Y

The lifting of martial law isn't likely to hurt tourism. It might not help it all that much, but the renewed availability of travelers insurance might do some good. The collective world view of Thailand as a tourist destination is a much much bigger picture than just the military takeover, including the imposition (& now the lifting) of martial law. Thailand has much deeper and more elusive social issues to address if it means to ever reinvigorate the tourist economy (for anybody but the Chinese, anyway).

Edited April 4, 201511 yr by hawker9000

What do you expect him to say

If he says the wrong thing he will find himself facing charges under Article 44

Edited April 4, 201511 yr by Langsuan Man