New woes for Thai tourism
Traffic jam: Anti-government protesters blocking the airport on Phuket island on Friday last. More than 15,000 passengers were stranded in Phuket, as the airport was closed due to ongoing anti-government protesters. Picture:AFP
Monday, September 1, 2008
LUGGING their suitcases under the Thai sun, foreign tourists walked around cars lining the highway to Phuket's airport, hoping for an end to the protest that has shuttered the runway here.
"We don't know what happened, we don't know anything about Thai politics," said one German tourist. "They keep telling us we are on standby, but they are still not sure if our flight can take off."
He was among 15,000 passengers stranded in Phuket since anti-government protesters marched Friday on the island's airport, the nation's second-busiest, forcing a cancellation of all the nearly 120 daily flights.
Similar protests temporarily closed down the airport in nearby Krabi and the southern commercial centre of Hat Yai, cutting off air traffic to much of southern Thailand.
By yesterday, all three aviation hubs had resumed services, but demonstrators have threatened to return to airports including Phuket, the crown jewel of Thai tourism - an industry that generates six per cent of the economy.
The anti-government protests are centred on Bangkok, where up to 25,000 people have occupied the main government complex calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
The protests turned violent Friday, with skirmishes between activists and police.
Only about 35 people suffered minor injuries, but Australia, Britain and the United States have warned their nationals to exercise caution travelling here, while South Korea has urged tourists to postpone their plans.
But travellers have so far been undeterred by the political turmoil, just as they kept coming after the Indian Ocean tsunami, deadly bombings in downtown Bangkok and a fiery plane crash in Phuket.
Despite the disasters, Thailand has posted record tourist arrivals in each of the past four years.
But the current protests come at a particularly bad time, with high global oil prices putting airlines under pressure and forcing many international travellers to rethink their plans.
"The current political stand-off will absolutely have an adverse effect on our tourism industry but the extent of the damage is unknown."AFP
"We don't know what happened, we don't know anything about Thai politics," said one German tourist. "They keep telling us we are on standby, but they are still not sure if our flight can take off."
He was among 15,000 passengers stranded in Phuket since anti-government protesters marched Friday on the island's airport, the nation's second-busiest, forcing a cancellation of all the nearly 120 daily flights.
Similar protests temporarily closed down the airport in nearby Krabi and the southern commercial centre of Hat Yai, cutting off air traffic to much of southern Thailand.
By yesterday, all three aviation hubs had resumed services, but demonstrators have threatened to return to airports including Phuket, the crown jewel of Thai tourism - an industry that generates six per cent of the economy.
The anti-government protests are centred on Bangkok, where up to 25,000 people have occupied the main government complex calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
The protests turned violent Friday, with skirmishes between activists and police.
Only about 35 people suffered minor injuries, but Australia, Britain and the United States have warned their nationals to exercise caution travelling here, while South Korea has urged tourists to postpone their plans.
But travellers have so far been undeterred by the political turmoil, just as they kept coming after the Indian Ocean tsunami, deadly bombings in downtown Bangkok and a fiery plane crash in Phuket.
Despite the disasters, Thailand has posted record tourist arrivals in each of the past four years.
But the current protests come at a particularly bad time, with high global oil prices putting airlines under pressure and forcing many international travellers to rethink their plans.
"The current political stand-off will absolutely have an adverse effect on our tourism industry but the extent of the damage is unknown."AFP
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