Thai water festival goes on, but tourists check out

Thailand tourism had barely started picking up from last year’s shutdown of Bangkok airports by protesters when violence returned to the capital as troops and demonstrators swapped gunfire and firebombs this week. Hundreds of local and foreign tourists still gathered on Monday to celebrate the water festival in Bangkok’s Khao San Road, a magnet for budget travelers, but some businessmen wondered how many foreigners would be back next year.” This could be the last time you see such joy and celebration here in Thailand,” said a less-than-festive Surat Wongcharnsilp, chairman of the Association of Khao San Business Operators.” Around 80 percent of tourists have checked out and more tourists are expected to leave after Songkran,” Surat said.

The Songkran water festival marks the start of the Thai New Year. A public holiday began on Monday, officially three days but for many Thais stretching into a week, a period to soak passers-by on the streets or spend time upcountry with family. With many Thais moving around the country, the festival is normally one of the year’s high points for tourism, which employs around 1.8 million people out of a population of about 65 million and accounts for around 6 percent of gross domestic product.

In all, the industry generates about 540 billion baht ($15.3 billion) annually, but maybe not this year. By Monday four countries — Singapore, Canada, Australia and Britain — had issued advice to their people to defer non-essential travel to Bangkok after the government declared a state of emergency there.

Thailand urged to lift state of emergency to boost tourism

The Thai government is requested to lift the current state of emergency and find measures to boost the tourism business shattered following Monday’s clashes between government forces and anti-government protesters in the capital, said a senior hotelier on Wednesday.

Prakit Chinamornpong, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said that the people should think first of the country’s interest, and that the government should lift the state of emergency immediately. It should also ask 19 foreign countries to lift the travel warnings they have issued advising their citizens to refrain from traveling to Thailand due to the political unrest.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday declared the state of emergency in the capital and five neighboring provinces, one day after anti-government protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship stormed into the hotel in Pattaya where the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations was holding a summit with six dialogue partners.

It was determined that visiting government heads and other participants at risk, and the government acted decisively, canceling the summit on that day.

Mr. Prakit said that the Thai government must find ways to boost the tourism sector before the start of the high season in October. It should focus on encouraging Chinese, Japanese and South Korean travelers to visit Thailand.

As Mr. Abhisit plans to visit China, he should discuss with Chinese leaders on ways which could boost confidence for Chinese tourists to visit this country, Mr. Prakit. Advised. (TNA)