Flashermac Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 SARS-free Thailand offers $100,000 to lure tourists PATTAYA, Thailand, May 19 (Reuters) - Thailand, desperate to lure tourists worried by SARS, on Monday offered to give $100,000 to any tourist who could prove he or she caught the deadly virus while staying in the country. The offer followed the publication of figures showing tourist arrivals in April plunged by almost half from a year ago due to fear of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which has killed more than 600 and infected over 7,800 worldwide. Tourism Minister Sontaya Kunploem said the cash offer was intended to persuade potential visitors that Thailand was safe from the outbreaks that have swept across China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The payment, part of a government package of promotional offers worth 2.9 billion baht ($68.07 million) to encourage tourism, was approved by the Thai cabinet on Monday. "We are a SARS-free country," Sontaya told reporters after a cabinet meeting in the seaside resort of Pattaya, 120 km (75 miles) southeast of Bangkok. "We are ready to make the payment to boost the confidence of tourists who come to Thailand," she added. Thailand is one of Asia's most popular tourist destinations and its tropical sandy beaches, Buddhist temples and famous nightlife attracted 10.8 million overseas visitors last year. But SARS has affected tourism across East Asia, hitting even Thailand which has had only a handful of cases. A report by the Tourism Authority of Thailand obtained by Reuters on Monday said 322,360 foreign tourists entered Thailand via the country's main Bangkok international airport in April, down 46.1 percent from April 2002. Over 90 percent of visitors to Thailand arrive by air. Thailand, whose tourism revenues account for six percent of gross domestic product, said this month fear of SARS might only cut tourists arrivals by around two percent to 10.6 million in 2003, compared with six percent growth projected before the epidemic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 So now it's 46.1% that tourism dropped last month. Early estimates had been just 26%. No wonder the bars are empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lembeh Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 >So now it's 46.1% that tourism dropped last month. Early estimates had been just 26%. No wonder the bars are empty. OK, josh's plan to stimulate the economy (along the lines of "one tambon, one product"). Each expatriate resident is given 20,000 baht in a special, one off payment. This *has* to be spent in bars. The knock on effects on the economy will be instantateous, and much of the money will end up where it is needed most. Buying Lao cow for papa in isaan. -j- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 Good plan And what about the tourists? I want also some money to spend in bars .... Best regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2003 Okay, new idea ... every male tourist on flights passing through Bangkok will be REQUIRED BY LAW to spend at least one night here touring the nightlife. That will probably convince most of them to stay longer ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangkokbutcher Posted May 24, 2003 Report Share Posted May 24, 2003 >>>PATTAYA, Thailand, May 19 (Reuters) - Thailand, desperate to lure tourists worried by SARS, on Monday offered to give $100,000 to any tourist who could prove he or she caught the deadly virus while staying in the country.<<< Could be difficult considering that the person who contracted SARS could potentially dead within a few days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 Only about 1 in 20 SARS victims dies. Thus the odds are fairly good... a lot better than playing Russian roulette with a revolver (or Polish roulette with an automatic). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
check_bin_krap Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 "Only about 1 in 20 SARS victims dies" Not true, the number is somewhere between 10-15 percent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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