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[webfact]

International arrivals plunge drastically in wake of red-shirt turmoil
By SUCHEERA PINIJPARAKARN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Foreign tourist arrivals at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Kingdom's main international gateway, have plunged dramatically, due to the protracted anti-government protests.

The average number of arrivals is now about 20,000 a day, down from 30,000 prior to the start of protests at the Pan Fah Bridge on March 14, Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said yesterday.

The situation has worsened since Silom Road, in the heart of the city's central business district, was also sealed off in addition to protesters' occupying the Rajprasong area, a major tourism and shopping district.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry is seeking Bt1.6 billion to stimulate tourism in both domestic and international markets, with plans for joint promotional packages in cooperation with foreign airlines and travel agencies.

As well, visas will be issued free of charge to prospective foreign visitors, including 5,800 Chinese tourists who will arrive from May 6-10, while tax incentives will be given to Thai firms holding seminars and meetings at domestic tourist destinations.

In cooperation with foreign travel agencies, the ministry may also provide extra insurance to foreign travellers in Thailand.

Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkrit Hiranyakit said the political conflict would likely reduce tourist arrivals 10 per cent year on year.

"If the Cabinet approves the Bt1.6-billion budget, we should be able to engineer a recovery in the fourth quarter, which is the high season," he said.

In addition to this budget, the government has been asked to provide another Bt5-billion soft-loan facility to help businesses in areas directly hit by the protest.

The council also proposed the government pay compensation to workers in the Rajprasong area, covering 75 per cent of their wages from March 14 to the end of next month.

The council expects the number of tourists to drop 10 per cent to 12.7 million this year, from 14.1 million last year.

In conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the council will issue a statement clarifying the political situation for those foreign markets now warning their citizens about travelling to Thailand.

TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni said his agency would join hands with foreign business partners, especially international airlines, to sell Thailand more aggressively, in order to counter the downturn in tourism.

Meanwhile, major German tour company TUI yesterday announced it would suspend all tour packages to Bangkok and northern Thailand until next Monday while offering alternative destinations to its customers.

In a statement, it said all present visitors would be sent to Phuket, in the South.


-- The Nation 2010-04-28

[thaibkk]

really ? what a surprise ...

I guess some more businesses that depends on tourism will be RIP soon(er than a bit later)


what will be the incentive to come here with your family and possibly get killed by accident ?

come here and see the red ...???


and phuket maffia scammers must be rubbing their hands now... more people to scam with taxi, ...


following thai logic :  prices in hotels and restaurants will increase (for farang only...)

I can already hear them think (kinda tick, tock) :  farang, you pay more, for security

Edited by thaibkk, 2010-04-28 10:30:07.

[TexBob]

Saw it last night. I got in about 11:30 pm and got through immigration in 5 minutes.

[qutejute]

I am supprised there are so many still comming to Thailand "Rubber neckers"

[draftvader]

thaibkk, on 2010-04-28 10:14:41, said:

really ? what a surprise ...

I guess some more businesses that depends on tourism will be RIP soon(er than a bit later)


what will be the incentive to come here with your family and possibly get killed by accident ?

come here and see the red monkeys ...???

darn you thaibkk for being first , but I know that I am not the first....and I know I won't be the last to say "is this really news?".  Surely news brings us new(s) information.  Surely this is just a note.....a marker of the steady decline.  The tourists aren't coming, my wife's friends have had their tickets diverted to KL by the British government.   End Game Thailand Tourism?

[Straight8]

Agree with the qutejute, amazing to see even 20,000 a day coming in.

I guess nothing can keep the mongers away.

[favre360]

"The Tourism and Sports Ministry is seeking Bt1.6 billion to stimulate  tourism in both domestic and international markets, with plans for joint  promotional packages in cooperation with foreign airlines and travel  agencies."

Bullet proof vests for all tourists visiting Bangkok

[snaggletooth]

Tourism authority wants Bt1.6 BILLION. They can spend all they want but they can't pull the wool over people's eyes any longer. These demonstrations will echo for years to come for the tourism industry. TAT may be able to sweep all the tourist scams and increasing criminal targeting of foreigners, but when you have zealots taking part of a city hostage, bloodshed and now frisking by red shirts of passers by, the only people who come will be bypassing the Big Mango and heading straight to the beaches or to the Rose of the North.

[sarahsbloke]

Hardly surprising seeing UK foreign office say 'emergency travel only'
Travel agents no longer allowed to sell holidays to Thailand, have to offer refunds on existing bookings.
Travel insurance for Thailand cancelled by the insurance companies if you do insist on coming.

Who in their right mind would come now?

[givenall]

qutejute, on 2010-04-28 10:20:00, said:

I am supprised there are so many still comming to Thailand "Rubber neckers"

I think we have to be quite about the fact tourist still go to south and enjoy the beaches. Because if the Red figure this out they will also try to destroy south tourism how small it is.

They just hate Thailand

[Artamus]

It seems totally pointless to keep seeking money for "stimuation" of tourists. The images and news stories that foriegners see (for free) on the evening news will have far more impact that any money spent on a stimulous. Until the situation unfolds and stability returns these various stimulous packages are almost a waste of time.

[khaowong1]

wow... I'm shocked..  

[hansnl]

The sad thing is the tourists from Europe, Australia and the US, spending most into the local economy, stay away.
The poorer people depending on income from those tourists will feel this most.

[asiawatcher]

Bangkok papers now say CRES will not allow Reds to leave Rajaprasong for other Bangkok locations.  CRES  have increased security forces and checkpoints at Rajaprasong to prevent this.

A picture tells a 1,000 words as two trucks full loaded with generators, speakers and Kwai Daeng simply 'leave' unimpeded!

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[Artamus]

The average number of arrivals is now about 20,000 a day, down from 30,000 prior to the start of protests at the Pan Fah Bridge on March 14, Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said yesterday.

This is a misleading figure as well - as it is not comparing like with like. One would expect a natural tail off of arrivals as the low season moves in. It would be better to compare daily arrivals this month with daily arrivals this month last year (or an average for this month each year). I would have expected numbers to decline from March to April even with no red-shirts welcoming people to Thailand via the daily news.

[RoninTech]

sarahsbloke, on 2010-04-27 20:23:29, said:

Who in their right mind would come now?

I'd have no problem flying to KL, then Langkawi and on to paradise...

[madmitch]

Artamus, on 2010-04-28 10:23:56, said:

It seems totally pointless to keep seeking money for "stimuation" of tourists. The images and news stories that foriegners see (for free) on the evening news will have far more impact that any money spent on a stimulous. Until the situation unfolds and stability returns these various stimulous packages are almost a waste of time.

Spot on.

The only people that will come to Thailand for a holiday right now are the regulars, though I suppose as hotel and airline prices plummet there could be a few bargain hunters taking the risk.

Fortunately it's low season (for those of us in tourist related businesses).

Any budget for the TAT should be withheld until after the troubles are over and things are back to normal, whenever hat may be.

[TominBangkok]

Who is going to reimburse Siam Paragon for one month of lost revenue?

[PaulDee]

So typically Thai to focus on the symptoms rather than resolving the problem.
Will lower air fares, extra insurance or free visas be incentive enough to attract
tourists to enjoy the dangers of Bangkok? Will one more jolly press release
convince the world that Thailand is a traveler's paradise? The chaos, killings and
public disorder has gone on long enough. It's time for rule of law to be taken
seriously.

[chiang mai]

Phuket is quiet, the parking lot of my apartment/housing complex is deserted - at the gym at the Hilton in Karoen yesterday and it was near enough deserted also, all bad news for local traders and the like. Having said that, Marriot claims to have 50% occupancy and Burasari slightly higher, I suspect we'll soon start to see an increase in the number of break ins.

[animatic]

asiawatcher, on 2010-04-28 10:26:37, said:

Bangkok papers now say CRES will not allow Reds to leave Rajaprasong for other Bangkok locations.  CRES  have increased security forces and checkpoints at Rajaprasong to prevent this.

A picture tells a 1,000 words as two trucks full loaded with generators, speakers and Kwai Daeng simply 'leave' unimpeded!

Well that is a public service,
separating the sound system from the obnoxious speakers,
much quieter for the neighbors.

[coutsa]

I am in Australia, and I am due to fly out tomorrow, 1 night in Bangkok and 9 nights in Pattaya, havent cancelled yet, but am considering it. Any thoughts??

Pattaya should be safe enough, shouldnt it?

[yom07]

Would be nice to compare with previous years figures. At the same period comes the end of the high season.

[hungryINbangkok]

givenall, on 2010-04-28 10:23:37, said:

qutejute, on 2010-04-28 10:20:00, said:

I am supprised there are so many still comming to Thailand "Rubber neckers"

I think we have to be quite about the fact tourist still go to south and enjoy the beaches. Because if the Red figure this out they will also try to destroy south tourism how small it is.

They just hate Thailand

Som nom na.

Last week I went to KL for a visa run. Going out on a Monday....immigration was packed. Returning on the Wednesday...at 8pm...Immigration was empty. Usually, at 8pm, the queue is about 20 people deep on each line....this time, perhaps 4 or 5 per line. So yeah...no bigs news here.
And somebody please explain the logic in spending 1.6b or whatever to stimulate tourism?????? That's like "Come to Bosnia" or "visit lovely Afganistan!"......."Welcome to Thailand. Duck!"

[Robbie Dye]

madmitch, on 2010-04-28 10:31:02, said:

Artamus, on 2010-04-28 10:23:56, said:

It seems totally pointless to keep seeking money for "stimuation" of tourists. The images and news stories that foriegners see (for free) on the evening news will have far more impact that any money spent on a stimulous. Until the situation unfolds and stability returns these various stimulous packages are almost a waste of time.

Spot on.

The only people that will come to Thailand for a holiday right now are the regulars, though I suppose as hotel and airline prices plummet there could be a few bargain hunters taking the risk.

Fortunately it's low season (for those of us in tourist related businesses).

Any budget for the TAT should be withheld until after the troubles are over and things are back to normal, whenever hat may be.

Fair to say that if the tourists are stopped from coming by their governments it reduces the cost and enormous task of repatriating them in a hurry when this becomes necessary, as it surely will based on what's going on right now. Not wishing to be alarmist but it hasn't started yet!