Thailand's security measures in good place for int'l tourists during Songkran

BANGKOK, April 5 (TNA) - Thai Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa has launched groups of tourist police, highway police and crime suppression police to facilitate and provide safety and convenience for Thai and foreign tourists nationwide during the traditional Thai New Year, known as Songkran Festival next week. Chumpol told journalists that tourism during the Songkran long holidays appears to be booming in all major destinations throughout Thailand, except in Hat Yai of Songkhla province, where he and executives of the state-run Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are paying a visit Thursday to find ways to rehabilitate local tourism, in the wake of last Saturday's car bombing attack. Chumpol affirmed, however, that domestic tourism remains healthy in Bangkok in particular, as safety has been guaranteed and comprehensive tourism-related activities have been maintained. According to the minister, 16 countries which have remained their travel advisories against Thailand have only told their people to take precautions but do not prohibit them from visiting the Thai Kingdom and only the United States had issued a travel advisory to prohibit American nationals from visiting Thailand after bomb blasts on Sukhumvit 71 Road in Bangkok last February, but the US travel ban has already been lifted. The minister said that he believes domestic tourism will remain a major source of national incomes, referring to a quick recovery in the Thai tourism sector after airport seizure incidents in late 2009, with the number of international tourist arrivals having kept rising from about 4 million to 19 million last year, and that his ministry will continue conducting road shows to further boost international tourists’ confidence in Thailand. Meanwhile, Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, President of the Association of Hotels in Hat Yai and Songkhla and Chair of the Songkhla Tourism Council, acknowledged that the March 31 car bombing attack at the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel in Hat Yai has had obvious impacts on local tourism, as only some 20 per cent of international visitors have remained there but at least 50 per cent of potential visitors have already canceled their room reservations during the upcoming Songkran Festival, causing Songkhla to probably lose tourism-related revenues of over 50 million baht during the traditional Thai New Year festivity, and that it should take at least three months to restore confidence in Hat Yai among international travellers. (TNA)