BANGKOK: -- Foreign operators with tours due to arrive next week are being advised to switch their groups to out-of-Bangkok destinations, in order to avoid any impact from rising political tension and the likelihood of protests turning violent.
At least two countries - Australia and Canada - have issued advisories to their citizens to consider safety matters very carefully when travelling to Thailand, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand.
TCT secretary-general Pornthip Hirunkate yesterday said the council had sent advice to all its members to help them deal with the political situation and the potential for violence as the court ruling in ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's assets-seizure case approaches.
Local operators have been urged to ask their overseas alliance partners to come up with alternative destinations to Bangkok in the final week of the month.
Pornthip said operators could still bring groups to Thailand during the period, but they should avoid Bangkok and shift the tours to destinations such as Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin, as well as to provinces nearer the capital.
"The council is moving to give the best options to our alliances to get away from violence which may occur at the end of the month," she said.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the fate of Thaksin's family assets on February 26. The verdict is expected to lead to violence in the capital and other parts of the country.
Suraphon Svetasreni, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, yesterday said Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa would discuss the issue with the TAT's management on Friday. They will establish emergency plans to deal with a chaotic situation and the effect it could have on tourists.
The TAT is also scheduled to meet with key private associations on February 23 to assemble urgent measures to cope with the situation, he said.
"The TAT is closely monitoring the situation and will focus on a number of possible scenarios. The Crisis Management Centre of the TAT will prepare measures to cope with problems under each scenario," said Suraphon.
The agency has put out a message to its offices worldwide, stating that the political situation is still under control. This is in response to a number of foreigners reportedly calling Thailand to ask about the situation.
The political protests are expected to heat up just as the country's high season is ending. In February alone, the TAT forecast the country would welcome 800,000 foreign visitors, a huge increase compared to the same month last year, when Thailand was reeling from the airport shutdown by anti-Somchai Wongsawat government protesters in December 2008.
Surapol Sritrakul, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, on Monday said Thailand risked falling short of its tourist arrival target of 15 million-15.5 million for the year.
He said political instability scaring away foreign tourists was the only factor standing in the way of the industry's recovery this year.
-- The Nation 2010-02-17
Foreign operators urged to switch tour groups to non-Bangkok
Foreign operators urged to switch tour groups to non-Bangkok
Here we go again:
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
-
Khundon1975
- Rock Star
- Posts: 3490
- Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:05 am
- Location: Boo, I'm behind you.
"The TAT is closely monitoring the situation and will focus on a number of possible scenarios. The Crisis Management Centre of the TAT will prepare measures to cope with problems under each scenario," said Suraphon.
This has been coming for weeks, yet the CMC of TAT have not prepared any measures to cope with problems that may arise yet!!!!
Hey guys at the CMC, do you know it is Wednesday already?
This has been coming for weeks, yet the CMC of TAT have not prepared any measures to cope with problems that may arise yet!!!!
Hey guys at the CMC, do you know it is Wednesday already?
I've lost my mind and I am making no effort to find it.
Thailand hardly a destination for honeymooners either! Especially those blinded by love who have not bothered with visas!
A newlywed Ugandan couple watched their honeymoon to Thailand dissolve into the nightmare of detention for three days at Bangkok airport this week, after they flew on Jetstar from Melbourne without the appropriate visas.
Jetstar admits the couple's visa problem should have been picked up by their counter staff as they prepared to depart Melbourne for Bangkok on February 14.
Under international aviation conventions, the carrier that flies a passenger to an overseas destination, but who is denied entry, has responsibility for their return to their point of embarkation.
But in this case Jetstar couldn't return them to Melbourne, as they did not have a re-entry visa for Australia either.
A newlywed Ugandan couple watched their honeymoon to Thailand dissolve into the nightmare of detention for three days at Bangkok airport this week, after they flew on Jetstar from Melbourne without the appropriate visas.
Jetstar admits the couple's visa problem should have been picked up by their counter staff as they prepared to depart Melbourne for Bangkok on February 14.
Under international aviation conventions, the carrier that flies a passenger to an overseas destination, but who is denied entry, has responsibility for their return to their point of embarkation.
But in this case Jetstar couldn't return them to Melbourne, as they did not have a re-entry visa for Australia either.
Pete 
Same same
Problem is "we never learn"
My wallet is of course the thing that took the pain resulting in me falling out with my wallet
Think I have now solved the problem after too many years. Forget the heart and listen to the brain (especially the financial sector). Keep Isaan wife in relative luxury (motorbike, pay house bills, and all the trivial stuff. No SUV,GOLD or the like) and be a single man every few weeks
Jeez. hope it works
At the moment I am a happy bunny
Problem is "we never learn"
My wallet is of course the thing that took the pain resulting in me falling out with my wallet
Think I have now solved the problem after too many years. Forget the heart and listen to the brain (especially the financial sector). Keep Isaan wife in relative luxury (motorbike, pay house bills, and all the trivial stuff. No SUV,GOLD or the like) and be a single man every few weeks
Jeez. hope it works
At the moment I am a happy bunny
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
PHUKET: -- The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is warning its citizens throughout Thailand to exercise ‘great caution’ in advance of a Supreme Court ruling on the fate of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s 76 billion baht in seized assets.
A statement posted on the FCO’s website and signed by British Ambassador to Thailand Quinton Quayle reads as follows:
“The political situation in Thailand is tense and uncertain. British citizens should exercise great caution throughout Thailand and avoid demonstrations or large gatherings of people that might turn violent. It is likely that there will be mass protests by anti-government demonstrators in and around Bangkok. A court decision due on 26 February 2010 is a potential flashpoint. If, as is quite possible, anti-government protests turn violent, British citizens should stay indoors and monitor the media and this website.”
The foreign services of a number of other nations have posted similar advice on their websites.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises its citizens “to exercise a high degree of caution because of the high threat of terrorist attack and because of political instability in Thailand.”
The US State Department advises its citizens to avoid any large public gatherings.
“All demonstrations are unpredictable, and any demonstration can turn violent without warning,” it says.
Few in Phuket expect violence to break out in the island province or other parts of the South, where red-shirted supporters of Mr Thaksin are greatly outnumbered by their yellow-shirted rivals from the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD
-- Phuket Gazette 2010-02-18
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
The Nation --24/2/2010--BANGKOK: -- About 27 countries and territories have issued an advisory warning citizens travelling to Thailand to be aware of potential clashes this week due to political turmoil.
However, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Suraphon Svetsreni said yesterday that the agency had already taken measures to cope with the turmoil.
In the advisory issued by China, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea and Sweden, travellers have been cautioned against "first level" or a low-degree violence in Thailand at the end of this week.
In the scale of violence, one is the lowest and five the highest, which might lead to a ban to travelling to the country in question.
Meanwhile, France, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Austria, United States, Israel, Japan, Poland, Spain, Russia, Romania and Finland cautioned their citizens of second-level violence in Thailand. The United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Iceland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand brought the ranking up to the third level, advising their citizens to stay away from rally sites in Bangkok.
Suraphon, however, said that since the 27 nations had kept the scale of violence between one and three, travellers do not really expect too many clashes in the coming weekend.
"So far, there have been no cancellations," he added.
Yet, the authorities have taken measures to assist tourists when needed and has also established a Crisis Management Centre to monitor the situation and to communicate with outside organisations.
"TAT cannot say what damage the February 26 verdict will do, but if anything happens, we will talk about it," Suraphon said.
TAT believes the government should have things under control when the Supreme Court issues a verdict on ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's asset-seizure case on Friday.
Earlier, tourist agencies had urged the government to come up with measures to build confidence about the situation in Thailand.
Anake Srishevachart, president of the Thai-Japan Tourism Association, said the tourism sector has been adversely affected by the sensationalising of news reports and called on the media to make its reports more positive.
Apichart Sankary, adviser to the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), has also called on businesses and the public to believe in this government's abilities.
Travel associations and hotel operators believe that there will not be any violence over the next few days, though many tourists are waiting to see how the situation in Thailand unfolds before they make any alternative travel plans.
Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa is scheduled to discuss the issue with other government bodies before Friday. The Ministry will also to evaluate travel plans being implemented by various organisations.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?