Targeted int'l visitors to Thailand in 2015 remain intact

BANGKOK, August 24 (TNA) - Thailand is expected to welcome about 28 million international visitors this year as targeted, thanks to the country's several quality and attractive tourist destinations. Thai Hotels Association (THA) President Surapong Techaruvichit made the assessment on Monday, pointing out that about 17 million foreign travellers had already visited the Thai Kingdom during the first seven months of this year, while local hoteliers see check-ins by foreign clients on the rise. Surapong told reporters that the hotel occupancy rate by foreigners has been returning to normal, seven days after a bomb attack at Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok on August 17, and no customers have canceled their room reservations for the time being. The THA president acknowledged that the government and the private sector have quickly restored international tourists’ confidence in Thailand through intensified security measures and progress on hunt for those being behind last Monday night's bombing. According to the THA president, local hotel and tourism associations have also taken good care of tourists and the families of bombing victims with complementary rooms at 27 hotels, while also providing Chinese-language interpreters to facilitate communications with Chinese tourists. Besides, THA offers 300,000 baht to each case of dead victims, in addition to the same amount of compensation offered by the Thai government. (TNA)