Tourism arrivals plunge 20-30% following violence in Bangkok
Peak season could see drop of 80% if political problems continue
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has stated that the political
problems in Bangkok, with a State of Emergency announced by the
government on September 1, have resulted in a sharp drop in tourism
arrivals.
Director of TAT Central Region 3 Niti Kongkrut says the tension in
Bangkok is causing a severe drop in tourism here in Pattaya.
The director of TAT Central Region 3, Chonburi, Niti Kongkrut said
that the immediate effect has been a fall of between 20 and 30 percent
in the number of people visiting Thailand.
As the present time is the low season for tourism, there is as yet
no indication from the main markets as to what will happen when the
high season gets underway later this year.
The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association has voiced its
concern over the political situation, saying that it is necessary for
a fast resolution to the problems because any further delays would
certainly erode confidence even further.
TAT Region 3 Director Niti Kongkrut said that the street fighting
in Bangkok and the subsequent declaration of a State of Emergency has
caused foreign tourists to cancel their plans to visit Thailand.
The TAT has been gathering data from the 2- and 3-star hotels in
Pattaya and Chonburi Province, which indicates that bookings have
fallen between 20 and 30 percent. Most of the guests at these hotels
are Asian tour groups, who come to Pattaya during the low season for
short periods of time.
The 4- and 5-star hotels, which generally cater to European
tourists on longer stays have yet to produce any bookings figures, but
this is their quiet time anyway and they are waiting to see what will
happen by the time of the high season.
Thanet Su.saharungsi, advisor to the Pattaya Business and
Tourism Association said that before the street rioting there had been
the blockading of Phuket and Krabi airports in the South, which had
had some effect on Pattaya. Then the violence erupted, and that was
the signal for many tourists to change their minds about coming here.
Korea has already advised its citizens not to travel to Thailand,
and many other countries are watching very closely to see immediate
developments.
Although it is difficult to say at present what is going to
happen, Thanet says that it is not unrealistic to expect an 80 percent
drop in tourism arrivals at the peak season period, compared to last
year.
He said that many people who had been planning to visit Thailand
would switch their bookings to nearby countries such as Malaysia and
Indonesia, as has happened in the past during upheavals in Thailand.
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