THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Two peak Thai tourism industry bodies, the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations (FTTA), have expressed concern at what the fallout will be to a bomb blast in the capital Bangkok on Sunday, that killed one and injured eight.

The bomb, a modified M67 grenade, was dumped at a bus stop in a plastic bag in front of a Big C supermarket in the Ratchaprasong area where government troops broke up a large rally by anti-government protesters in May. Though no group or person has been identified as being responsible, tourism bodies fear any more negative publicity, no matter how isolated, might rip the guts out of the Thai tourism industry well into next year.

Prakit Chinamourphong, the THA president, said it had been hoped that the tourism industry would start recovering late this year, but the Bangkok bomb blast on Sunday has shaken the hopes of hoteliers, particularly in the Ratchaprasong area.

“It’s difficult to see Thai tourism back to normal in the fourth quarter of this year, or even in the first half of 2011 because international tourists aren’t confident enough to travel to Thailand.

“Many countries are still maintaining their travel advisory warnings about coming to Thailand, though the degree of warnings has been softened. The bigger problem, is that foreign insurance companies will not offer cover or pay claims as long as the emergency decree remains in effect in the capital and other provinces.

“If the situation escalates and more blasts happen, hoteliers may not hope for recovery anymore, because the industry has been hurt by local political problems year after year,” Mr Prakit said.

However, a more pragmatic Charoen Wangananont, spokesman for the FTTA, said the Bangkok bomb blast should have only a minor affect on tourism compared with the graphic images beamed around the world in May.

Since the explosion on Sunday various theories have been expressed by a multitude of people, with a number of scenarios all having fors and againsts. To date there has been no change in any of the travel warnings in place, with foreign diplomatic missions taking wait and see approach.

The location of the Bangkok bombing, at a bus stop used extensively by local commuters, indicates no attempt to target foreign tourists in the kingdom.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for July 29, 2010




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