Tourism Unfazed, Remains Safe In Thailand

[george]

Tourism unfazed, remains safe in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned that warnings by several foreign governments to their citizens asking that they not to travel to Thailand following Tuesday's coup d'etat led the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to issue a statement saying that tourists can still visit the kingdom safely.

The statement, issued to restore internatonal tourist confidence, detailed the general atmosphere following the military's non-violent power seizure Tuesday, that all public and private sector services, hotels and accommodations, transportation, entertainment and communication facilities are still functioning as usual.

While many facilities cater to tourists, as well as local residents, who enjoy many of the same activities.

The ministry, its agencies and the private sector continue to conduct tourism events and activities as planned earlier--including the Thailand Travel Mart and the Thailand Tennis Open--and by-and-large most foreign participants remain confident in the organisers and have confirmed their participation, according to the statement.

The ministry said that is optimistic that foreign tourists will continue to visit Thailand in future.

--TNA 2006-09-23

[konangrit]

Southern tour operators call on CDRM to explain situation to foreign media

Tour operators in southern border provinces Saturday complained that Malaysian media had played up the coup in Thailand so much that the number of Malaysian tourists to the region went down significantly.

Songchai Moonprasithichai, president of Songkhla Tour Guide Association, said the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) should appoint someone to continually explain the situation to foreign media.

Sonchai said Malaysia media had caused Malaysian tourists to cancel their plans to visit Songkhla during the weekend.

Abdul Ayiawaesuemae, president of Narathiwat Tour Operator Association, said Malaysian media issued warning Friday night for Malaysian people not to travel to Thailand because of the coup

The Nation

Quick response by the CDRM.

[Thai-Spy]

While we may disagree on the actual benefit of the tourism sector to the Thai economy, I think we can agree that it's substantial. Unfortunately the hysteria of the media, especially in the West, has greatly inflated the sense of danger surrounding recent events here. And just as unfortunately, those reports immediately gain traction with the less clued-in people abroad.

Since the onset of the change of government, inquiries to us have greatly increased ranging from concern to outright panic. One foreign couple was asking if we could do a paramilitary-style extraction of their backpacking son, for example.

The momentum of this belief among the ill-informed that "Thailand is dangerous" should not be underestimated; it could do long-term harm if not arrested. Those of us who see the reality on the ground here should go out of our way at this time to reassure our friends and colleagues abroad that Thailand remains a safe place. In this way we can continue to help reassure the economic vitality of the Kingdom as well as promoting its beauty and culture to those abroad.

Many of us here maintain an interest in the news from our home regions and follow the local papers online. We would suggest that when appropriate you take a moment to fire off a letter to the editor, or participate in the forums on those sites, and help to set the record straight about events and conditions here.

By helping Thailand we ultimately help ourselves and this "crisis" is a great opportunity to repay the Kingdom for the good things it has given to each of us.

[Thaising]

While we may disagree on the actual benefit of the tourism sector to the Thai economy, I think we can agree that it's substantial. Unfortunately the hysteria of the media, especially in the West, has greatly inflated the sense of danger surrounding recent events here. And just as unfortunately, those reports immediately gain traction with the less clued-in people abroad.

Since the onset of the change of government, inquiries to us have greatly increased ranging from concern to outright panic. One foreign couple was asking if we could do a paramilitary-style extraction of their backpacking son, for example.

The momentum of this belief among the ill-informed that "Thailand is dangerous" should not be underestimated; it could do long-term harm if not arrested. Those of us who see the reality on the ground here should go out of our way at this time to reassure our friends and colleagues abroad that Thailand remains a safe place. In this way we can continue to help reassure the economic vitality of the Kingdom as well as promoting its beauty and culture to those abroad.

Many of us here maintain an interest in the news from our home regions and follow the local papers online. We would suggest that when appropriate you take a moment to fire off a letter to the editor, or participate in the forums on those sites, and help to set the record straight about events and conditions here.

By helping Thailand we ultimately help ourselves and this "crisis" is a great opportunity to repay the Kingdom for the good things it has given to each of us.

Spot On, you got a good point. Those foreign media that does not went ground zero shouldn't make so much noise.

[VanZam]

Tourists killed in Hat Yai bombing, Military Coup, tighter visa laws...

I think tourisim is going down whether they like it or not.

I don't think now would be the time to add to the ever expanding amount of bars here.

[Thaising]

Guns, tanks and flowers -- Bangkok's latest attraction

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Camera-toting Thais and foreign tourists posed alongside tanks adorned in flowers and chatted up soldiers in Bangkok on Saturday, the capital's hottest attraction since a military coup four days ago.

"Okay guys, meet the army and the tanks," said Jackie, a Thai tour guide, as she led a group of Americans onto Royal Plaza square guarded by paratroopers armed with M-16 rifles.

Since the military ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, soldiers have received food and flowers from Thais who say they welcomed the army's intervention as the only way out of nearly a year of political strife.

The absence of any violence has led some tourists to rebook trips to Thailand despite their governments' travel warnings.

"We heard there was a little bit of a problem, but we're very happy we came," said Rick Walkom, who arrived from Brisbane with his two sons on Friday night.

"What amazes us is everyone is walking around taking pictures and photos. It's very entertaining," he told Reuters.

Soldiers have gamely taken up their new role, posing for cameras with wide smiles, a day after coup leaders ordered troops to keep smiling to forge a friendly military image.

[South Phuketian]

Click the link below for a report on US National Public Radio about Phuket after the coup:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6115790

South Phuketian

[billd766]

Tourists killed in Hat Yai bombing, Military Coup, tighter visa laws...

I think tourisim is going down whether they like it or not.

I don't think now would be the time to add to the ever expanding amount of bars here.

Did this all take place under the caretaker government?

If the bombing In Hat Yai was done by the militants from the South why did the previous government not talk to some of the leaders instead of ignoring them. The task was given to the military and then second guessed and micro managed by a person or persons no longer in the country.

The majority of the Thai people (84%) or so seem to welcome the coup and if my mathematics is still working, of the 66,000,000 people in Thailand, 55,000,000 thought it was a good idea. What happened to the 16,000,000 voters who voted TRT last time then?

The tighter visa laws will only affect a relatively small number of people and real tourists are not affected in any way.

At this stage nobody really knows what will happen in the weeks and months to come.

The CDRM say they will be out of it in a couple of weeks as soon as they can get a fresh and fairly honest government in place after which the 1997 constitution will be revised and updated, something that Thai acedemics and some of the original constitution writers wanted.

Give them a chance to do some of these things. You never know, we all may be pleasantly surprised.

[somchai jones]

While we may disagree on the actual benefit of the tourism sector to the Thai economy, I think we can agree that it's substantial. Unfortunately the hysteria of the media, especially in the West, has greatly inflated the sense of danger surrounding recent events here. And just as unfortunately, those reports immediately gain traction with the less clued-in people abroad.

Since the onset of the change of government, inquiries to us have greatly increased ranging from concern to outright panic. One foreign couple was asking if we could do a paramilitary-style extraction of their backpacking son, for example.

The momentum of this belief among the ill-informed that "Thailand is dangerous" should not be underestimated; it could do long-term harm if not arrested. Those of us who see the reality on the ground here should go out of our way at this time to reassure our friends and colleagues abroad that Thailand remains a safe place. In this way we can continue to help reassure the economic vitality of the Kingdom as well as promoting its beauty and culture to those abroad.

Many of us here maintain an interest in the news from our home regions and follow the local papers online. We would suggest that when appropriate you take a moment to fire off a letter to the editor, or participate in the forums on those sites, and help to set the record straight about events and conditions here.

By helping Thailand we ultimately help ourselves and this "crisis" is a great opportunity to repay the Kingdom for the good things it has given to each of us.

Very good points made.

In UK for example, the comics (trash tabloids like the Sun and the Mirror) ran headlines along the lines of 'thousands of Brits caught up in coup terror in Thailand'. I treat these rags with the comtempt they deserve but many people will actually believe what they print.

On the brighter side, the Independent ( a quality newspaper) was very realistic in their coverage, as the other quality newspapers were. Only problem is, the majority of the poulation read the trash rags. Oh well.....

[micky]

Bomb blasts in Hatyai. Four killed including one farang English teacher.

8 Malaysian visitors injured.

And now the Coup D'etat.

What will become of Hatyai?

The answer:

Hatyai will be a ghost town.

No more tourists from Malaysia and Singapore for a long long time.

Hatyai would loose millions and millions of Bahts in terms of tourism.

The tourism industries, hotels, shop keepers, hawkers, restaurants,

and the sex related business would all be badly effected.

[Ned]

Yeah Hat Yai will lose a lot of Malay and Singaporean tourist dollars but the 99% of people in the city not connected with that side of life won't have to put up with "packs of southern dogs "sniffing for the scent of you know want. Seeing the back of that activity might actually please a lot of genuine locals.

[micky]

Quote:

(Yeah Hat Yai will lose a lot of Malay and Singaporean tourist dollars but the 99% of people in the city not connected with that side of life won't have to put up with "packs of southern dogs "sniffing for the scent of you know want. Seeing the back of that activity might actually please a lot of genuine locals.)

A point of clarification here on the the word ' Malay '. When you say Malay, it refers to a particular race.

In Malaysia, the pepole here are called Malaysian. Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-religious country.

The official religion is Islam and the rest are free to practise their own faiths.

The population consist of Malay, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, and other indigenous races in East Malaysia.

The correct term is: Nationality: Malaysian... Race: Malay, Chinese, Indian, and so on.

So when you say ' Malay ', you are actually refering to one particular race.

Bty, most of the Malaysian visitors to Hatyai (90%) are Malaysian Chinese.

[Scott]

I think as long as there is a Patpong, a Nana Plaza and Pattaya there will be tourists. Maybe not the kind they want, but they will come!

[Nam Kao]

As long as there is Thai girls, there will be Thai girl hunters

-A licensed Thai girl hunter

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

Positive news ! Pleased everyting will be good-good again shortly in the land of sanuk.

[lookpedkeeray]

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Camera-toting Thais and foreign tourists posed alongside tanks adorned in flowers and chatted up soldiers in Bangkok on Saturday, the capital's hottest attraction since a military coup four days ago.

Personally I think this is nothing short of an outrage. I'll get to the Thai people doing this a bit further on, but first as far as foreign tourists are concerned treating this as a fun attraction:

"Western tourists lucky to be born in democracies with no military involvement in politics grinning and posing in front of tanks and soldiers for photos is truly pathetic and only gives some kind of foreign endorsement to this illegal seizure of power.

The fewer military regimes in the world the better and Thailand was making some genuine progress towards developing a democratic and pluralistic society,perhaps more than any country in this region.The military had been kept out of power for some 14 years, but now it seems that the men in uniform who think they have some kind of divine right to rule are back.

Imagine a military takeover in your country.How would you feel about Asian tourists happily snapping shots of themselves with soldiers while your political rights were being suspended?True there were serious questions to be asked about the Thaksin government and at least nobody seems to have been hurt this time(contrast with the killings in 92 and the 70s) but tourists,presumably with the benefit of some kind of liberal education, should know better than to treat the fate of the entire Thai nation as some crass photo opportunity."

Now, secondly, especially in Bangkok it seems there are Thai people doing the same.. Giving flowers and candy to soldiers. Apparently the reality that Thailand's democracy and "People's Constitution" was thrown out on a relative whim doesn't matter to them. They enjoyed 15 years of prosperity, freedom and democracy because of courageous Thais who protested, and died, at the hands of the army a mere 15 years ago around Democracy Monument and Ratchadamnoen Klang.

To be giving flowers to soldiers and tanks now is nothing short of a betrayal of the courage and achievements of those who fought and died during Black May of 1992.

I think tourists would do well to stay well clear of the military.

Edited September 26, 2006 by lookpedkeeray

[Jai Dee]

Guns, tanks and flowers -- Bangkok's latest attraction

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Camera-toting Thais and foreign tourists posed alongside tanks adorned in flowers and chatted up soldiers in Bangkok on Saturday, the capital's hottest attraction since a military coup four days ago.

Dancers from a community radio station perform in front of soldiers guarding the Royal Plaza yesterday. The soldiers and tanks have become a tourist attraction.

Source: The Nation - 26 September 2006

[geoffphuket]

Just a thought guy's and gall's , but carefull not to violate the new forum rules with this thread, else we might get closed down.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?act=boardrules

[astral]

The fewer military regimes in the world the better and Thailand was making some genuine progress towards developing a democratic and pluralistic society,perhaps more than any country in this region.The military had been kept out of power for some 14 years, but now it seems that the men in uniform who think they have some kind of divine right to rule are back.

Correction.

The military stayed out of power whilst there was a viable government.

I think tourists would do well to stay well clear of the military.

If you don't like it go home.

The majority of the Thai people are happy with this turn of events.

I can think of a few western countries that might benefit from a militaty coup to shake up the system

and get rid of the corruption and nepotism that exists there.

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

I can think of a few western countries that might benefit from a military coup to shake up the system

and get rid of the corruption and nepotism that exists there.

Iraq?

[lookpedkeeray]

If you don't like it go home.

Heh, the eternal cop out against people caring enough about Thailand to speak out. But since you mentioned it, I am indeed considering that. I learned a lot last week. Especially that Thailand is best enjoyed on a beach chair with a coconut shake. Don't worry, it's not like I'm selling the cars and packing up, but to make any kind of further commitment, business, personal, family... I am reconsidering. Thailand may get away with it this time, but the precedent has been set. (And was always set, I just only realized it last week.)

The majority of the Thai people are happy with this turn of events.

A short memory can be a blessing. The majority of the thai people were happy with the turn of events in 1991. Please tell me you don't need me to remind you of what happened scarcely a year later. But even if all remains well: the precedent has been set. What will happen 15 years from now?

I can think of a few western countries that might benefit from a militaty coup to shake up the system

I can't.

Edited September 26, 2006 by lookpedkeeray