Thai tourism dealt huge blow
As political unrest in
Thailand
rages on, the Thai Government are hugely concerned about the impact on the country's
tourism and property sectors...
Drawn by stunning beaches and tranquil, unspoilt scenery, holidaymakers have been flocking to Thailand in their droves for years. Particularly popular with honeymooners, the laid back pace of life seemed idyllic and it worked both ways - the Thai people relied on tourism as a mainstay of the economy.
Over the last few days, that has been shattered and the political protests urging Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down have put an entirely new spin on Thailand.
Add to that the shutdown of the country's Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok and tourists and potential property investors are losing faith in Thailand fast.
The tourism industry is worth six per cent of the economy and employs about a million people, with Suvarnabhumi handling 45 million passengers each year.
Today, the crisis deepened as Thai authorities shut down Bangkok's second airport after it was overrun by anti-Government protesters, completely cutting off the capital from air traffic as the Prime Minister rejected their demands to resign.
As all flights are cancelled, holidaymakers are cancelling planned trips, wreaking havoc on what is traditionally the high season (October to February) for visitors and investors. A spotlight has been shone upon Thailand for all the wrong reasons and that has spooked foreigners.
Thai Finance Minister Suchart Thadathamrongvej said, "The protests will cause severe damage to our tourism industry.
"Foreign tourists will lose confidence. Not only that, the travel insurance costs to Thailand will surge.
"This will discourage them from travelling to Thailand because costs for other countries will be cheaper. It will also affect our trade and investment going forward," he added.
The British Foreign Office has warned tourists to take care in the city after two people were killed and more than 400 were injured during the clashes between protesters and police.
They added that ‘there remains a possibility of further violence,' with the political situation in Thailand ‘very uncertain.'
The U.S. State Department has also warned people traveling to Thailand to be extremely cautious and to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and avoid crowds and demonstrations.
Not only have the protests crippled the tourist market, they have also caused turmoil in the Thai stock market and sent the Government into meltdown.
The closure of the second airport is particularly bad news for Americans who either live in or are holidaying in Thailand, as it looks unlikely that they will be able to get home in time for their Thanksgiving holiday today, Thursday November 27th.
The protests are being led by a loose coalition known as the People's Alliance for Democracy. They want Thailand to move away from a Western-style electoral system towards a system in which representatives are chosen by certain professions and social groups.
The Alliance insists it will continue its airport occupation and other protests until Somchai resigns.
As the deadlock continues, Kongkrit Hiranyakit, Head of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said that the protests and blasts at the height of the high season could cut income from tourism to half of the expected £4.5 billion.
If you need information on Thai flights, the dedicated hotline number for Suvarnabhumi international airport enquiries is 02-1321882 or 02-1321888.
Picture by TheLawleys