A complete meltdown of the tourism sector could occur

[elef]

Bangkok Post

30-08-2008

Link

 

Local travel falls flat with protest

State worker strikes deepen the wound

 

CHATRUDEE THEPARAT & CHADAMAS CHINMANEEVONG

 

As many as 90% of local tourists have scrapped their immediate travel plans as security forces clashed with protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy yesterday.

 

Strikes by sympathetic state enterprise employees have already stranded thousands of travellers without rail and air services, while PAD members have mobilised across the country to close off key roads.

 

Maiyarat Pheerayakoses, the president of the Association of Domestic Travel, broke down in tears as she reported at a meeting at the Tourism and Sports Ministry that agents were reporting 90% cancellation rates for local package tours.

 

Reports that airports in Hat Yai, Phuket and Krabi had been forced to shut down or severely curtail operations due to mass sick leaves by staff also boded ill for the tourism sector.

 

Union leaders at Thai Airways International also announced they would cease work, joining their counterparts at the State Railway of Thailand in protesting against the government's handling of the crisis.

 

Mrs Maiyarat said a complete meltdown of the tourism sector could occur if the protests turn violent and transport links shut down.

 

''Some foreign tourists have also cut back their trips with many staying away from Bangkok because of worries for their safety,'' she said.

 

According to Ms Maiyarat, the number of Thai tourists might not reach their target this year as prolonged political problems would definitely dampen travelling sentiment of people who are already feeling the pinch from high oil prices and rising inflation.

 

She also called on the government and the PAD to find a way to resolve the political deadlock peacefully before the impact deepened.

 

Apichart Sankary, the president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said the occupancy rate of hotels and guesthouses in Rattanakosin island, located in the centre of Bangkok and near the PAD protest sites, had fallen sharply as tourists had shifted to stay in other areas to avoid traffic congestion.

 

Mr Apichart said members had yet to receive reports of significant cancellations by foreign travellers, adding that for the European market, political protests were commonplace.

 

But he cautioned that tourism in the upcoming high season could fall flat if the PAD protests turned violent, and expressed hope that the situation would become calm over the weekend.

 

Prakit Chinamourphong, the president of the Thai Hotels Association, shared the view that if the turmoil ended this weekend, the long-term impact on the industry would be slight.

 

September was the month when bookings for the holiday season were generally made, he said. ''If the protests end before next month, then things should be okay.''

 

But tourist operators are apprehensive about the situation and whether a solution could be found, considering that the PAD protests have been going on for four months.

 

Natapong Jantavetsiri, the group director of sales and marketing with Centara Hotels & Resorts, said the company was quite worried about the situation.

 

''We are closely following the situation. If the situation continues until tomorrow, this will affect advance bookings in the high season and the tourism industries of Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi,'' he said, referring to airport closings in Phuket and Krabi on Friday.

 

Mr Natapong said he had spoken with staff at Centara hotels in Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi, where no room cancellations had been reported so far.

 

However, he said there would surely be cancellations tomorrow if the tension persisted. Even now, some guests who were scheduled to depart from Phuket and Krabi today must delay their plans, he noted.

 

 

[cavanami]

I was chatting with a bloke at the pub and he was stranded in Bangkok as he could not get a flight back to his home in Krabi!

This could get serious real quick!!!

[samak]

it IS already serious!

[youngfarang]

serious enough to fuck up flights 3 months from now?

[Torneyboy]

Could do ..school holidays down here about then ...people are getting nervous about their bookings .

We have had only three cancellations in my office so far..

[Old Hippie]

serious enough to fuck up flights 3 months from now?

 

 

Tough call, the flights may be operating, but the country may be totally fucked up.My advice would be make sure you can cancel/rebook with out paying if need arises.

[cavanami]

No worries...Thailand will send in the Army and the people making some "issues" will no be there any longer.

 

The beat will go on...or is it the beatings will go on...

[youngfarang]

It's near impossible to find a travel agency that will let you refund your ticket/ and or cancel without them raping your wallet.

[Whitney]

I would not mind massive cancellations by a lot of people. That would leave more room for me on the plane, shorter lines at customs/immigration, etc... :-)

 

 

[elef]

Check if your country has a consumers credit law - for example Sweden but also other western european countries: if you bought the ticket with a credit card and not yet paid the invoice from the credit card company you don't have to pay and the credit card company must try to get back the money from the airline. (NB "force majeure" = higher power)