Phuket hit as Chinese cancel room bookings after boat disaster

Tourism industry seeks tough measures to protect reputation after boat tragedy

THAI TOURISM authorities are worried following the massive cancellations of hotel room bookings by Chinese tourists in the southern island resort of Phuket following the tragic July 5 boat accident.

So far, 7,300 Phuket hotel room bookings for July and August have been cancelled by Chinese tourists. Industry insiders say the numbers are likely to increase as more hotels report their booking status. Chinese account for as many as 3 million tourists in Phuket per year, while on average some 10 million Chinese tourists visit Thailand every year.

Kongsak Kupongsakorn, president of the Southern Hoteliers’ Association, said 19 member hotels had already reported their cancellations while another 160 hotels have yet to file their reports. The negative impacts of the July 5 accident in which nearly 50 were killed are widespread and more serious than previously thought, he said.

Chatchai Tipsunavee, permanent secretary at the Tourism and Sports Ministry, said a massive number of hotel booking cancellations had been reported despite remedial measures taken by the Thai government following the boat accident.

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 At this stage, hotel room cancellations are estimated to account for 10-15 per cent of the total business in the world-renowned resort province.

Chiaya Rapuepol, president of the Andaman Sea tourism business association, said the boat accident could cost as much as Bt42 billion in lost tourism and related revenues over the next two months. He called for the government to restore confidence in tourist safety as soon as possible to avoid even greater damage being caused to Phuket’s Bt350-billion-a-year tourism industry. News reports of the two boats capsizing received worldwide media coverage.

Phuket Governor Napat Prodthong wants the government to set up a command centre to regulate all Andaman Sea tourist activities in the nearby Phang Nga province. 

He suggested inspection points for all incoming and outgoing vessels so that authorities could more effectively enforce safety and |related laws on vessel operators, captains, passengers and crew.

The Phang Nga command centre could take responsibility for Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Phang Nga provinces, he said, adding that Phuket itself will have its own vessel command units at Ao Por, Ratchata Harbour and Ao Chalong Harbour, with closed-circuit and surveillance TV systems installed to record all incoming and outgoing tourists.

Overall, the Phang Nga command centre and other facilities would cost Bt500 million to Bt600 million to boost tourist safety in the Andaman Sea, he said.

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 Meanwhile, the Phuket governor and other provincial authorities have joined with Vice Admiral Somneuk Prempramoj, commander of the Third-Region Navy responsible for Phuket and other Andaman Sea provinces, to work with harbour operators and other businesses to ensure tourist safety in the wake of the disaster. The government has announced a revamping of safety rules and regulations to prevent future accidents. The large number of vessels, boat services and even harbours in Phuket alone present a challenge for properly regulating the industry.

The Navy has sent its personnel to help provincial authorities restore confidence and to help upgrade the safety system by issuing early warnings on bad weather. Tourism authorities and others must step up preventive safety measures, such as ensuring passengers are taught how to use safety vests.

Somnuek said the Navy would propose that the central government use Article 44 of the charter to empower Phuket authorities to fast-track enforcement of rules and regulations to boost safety.

Meanwhile, Woraluk Reukch-aikan, managing director of TC Blue Dream Co, owner of the ill-fated Pheonix tourist boat, surrendered on Saturday and will appear in court today to seek release on bail. 

Relatives of the 29 victims killed in the accident have been paid more than Bt60 million in combined compensation. Altogether, 46 bodies have been recovered from the sea, while authorities are still attempting to recover another body struck in the boat’s wreckage and another passenger is still missing.

Source - TheNation

 

Thailand Security advisories ‘may hurt tourism’

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MANY TOURISTS may not visit Thailand if their countries issue travel advisories after intelligence reports warned of possible bomb attacks in Bangkok, tourism associations said yesterday.
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"The tourism sector may suffer a huge negative impact if many countries issue travel advisories in relation to the warnings of bomb threats raised by the Thai police," Thai Travel Agents Association president Suparerk Soorangura said.

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Many foreign travel agencies and hotels are including Thailand in packages for the upcoming high season, so it is too soon to judge the number of advance bookings or cancellations, he said. If the government is unable to control speculation or ensure confidence in the international market, many tourists will shift their trips to other countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia or the Philippines, he added.
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"Our high-season period will be badly affected if tourists do not make bookings," Suparerk said.
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Supawan Thanomkiatphum, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said security had been tightened at many hotels and public areas as a precaution.

Airports of Thailand earlier announced tighter security measures at the country's six international airports, while the public transportation system is also implementing security measures.
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Meanwhile, national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda affirmed that information obtained by the intelligence services about plots for three bomb attacks in Bangkok and the vicinity between October 25 and 30 was in line with reports from their international counterparts.
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He said police investigators, led by his deputy for national security, Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul, were looking into the leads but he declined to say if suspects detained after Tuesday's raids were linked to the alleged plots. He added that the end of October coincided with several key dates, including the anniversary of the founding of a southern insurgent group.
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Army chief General Chalermchai Sittisart has refused to say if the threat of bomb attacks in Bangkok might be linked to the unrest in the deep South, although he did say that cars stolen in the region might be used in the attacks. He added that attacks would not affect the ongoing peace dialogue regarding the Southern unrest.
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Chalermchai said the Peace and Order Maintaining Command had been instructed to help police to monitor communities and public areas, including malls, so people should not panic but be vigilant for suspicious items. He added that security forces were investigating the latest warnings.

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Source: The Nation

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