In an attempt to shore up Thailand’s battered tourism industry, the Thai Cabinet on Tuesday approved measures to support the sector by waiving visa fees for foreign tourists for three months.

Deputy government spokesman Putthipong Punnakan said measures the measures would cause the government to lose Bt800 million in tourism revenue.

Moreover, Airports of Thailand (AoT) and the Aviation Department will lower airline landing and departure fees by 20 per cent and 50 per cent respectively. The landing fee for chartered flights will be reduced by half, he said.

Thailand beach resorts

AoT will pay Bt500 million to help compensate for the loss in revenue which is intended to encourage airlines to lower their fares.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will allow visitors free entry to visit national parks nationwide for two years. The government will pay Bt250 million as compensation to the Department.

The Cabinet also approved increasing advance crop mortgages on agricultural products by another Bt13.580 billion. Of the total, Bt12.625 billion will come from loans and the rest from the government subsidies.

The funds will be invested in a government-sponsored mortgage program for corn for animal feeds, oil palm and rubber, he said.

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A fire swept through a high class nightclub jammed with hundreds of New Year’s revelers in the Thai capital, killing at least 54 people and injuring about 100, officials said early Thursday. Victims died from burns, smoke inhalation and injuries during the stampede to escape from the club, which had only one door for entry and exit, police Maj. Gen. Chokchai Deeprasertwit said.

He said that the fire may have been caused by firecrackers brought into the Santika Club by guests or sparks flying from a New Year’s countdown display on the nightclub stage.

Police said 53 people people were confirmed dead at the club and another person died at a hospital. Workers counting bodies told The Associated Press that about 100 others were injured when the blaze broke out in the building, which has two stories and a basement. Continue Reading

Despite it being what should be Phuket’s busiest period of the year, a time when discounts are traditionally unheard of, the luxury Trisara resort has launched a promotion it hopes will tempt tourists back to the sunny blue skies of Thailand.

Available now until the end of April 2009, this limited time only discount makes starting prices a more affordable US$590+++ per night staying in a signature Trisara Ocean View Pool Room with breakfast.

The offer is available across all room categories from Ocean View Pool Room to the spacious 2-bedroom Ocean Front Pool Villa and is a perfect opportunity to stay in one of Asia’s most beautiful and sought-after resorts during peak season with savings of up to US$760 per night. Continue Reading

The anti-government protestors that had been holding Bangkok’s two major airports – Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang – as well as Thailand’s tourism industry and image under siege, returned the airports to the official authorities on Wednesday, after having caused enormous damage to the Thai economy.

Flights are however gradually returning to normal at Suvarnabumhi, but it is extremely important that passengers check with their airline about any new check-in procedures, locations etc.

It will take the airports some time before they can fully resume operations. For airlines, there is also the complication of newly scheduled and confirmed flights to other areas of Thailand, giving priority to stranded passengers, and those passengers that should have been leaving around this time anyway etc

Once we receive more confirmation of the flights in or out of Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang, their dates etc, we will update this page.

With Suvarnabhumi not even yet back to full steam and thousands of travellers still stranded in Thailand, it may be a little early to start looking at what Thailand needs to do to kick start the tourism industry it’s economy so dearly needs. But with many hotels reporting less than 10% occupancy rates, and more gloom projected, now may be as good a time as any.

Billions of dollars have been pumped into making Thailand a world class destination, with improved infrastructure, hotels, spas and resorts that rank among the best in the world. But this year, little by little, serious cracks have been appearing in all the efforts made by TAT and the industry within Thailand as a whole.

At first there were protests, just a few here and there, scattered in areas that were easily avoidable by tourists. Then a few small bombs, a state of emergency declared in Bangkok. And then, the first very serious blow to tourism of the year came when the airports of Hat Yai, Krabi and Phuket were all closed by anti-government protestors, leaving thousands of innocent tourists stranded. Continue Reading

The anti-government protestors that have been holding Bangkok’s two major airports – Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang – as well as Thailand’s tourism industry and image under siege, returned the airports to the official authorities on Wednesday, after having caused enormous damage to the Thai economy.

While at first glance the end of the siege is excellent news, despite the protestors warning they could easily return, many of the stranded travellers have already made their way to other parts of Thailand such as U-Tapao, Phuket, Chiang Mai so the opening of Suvarnabhumi may not, in the very short term, make too much difference for those that have been trying to leave Thailand for over a week already. Continue Reading

The tourism industry of Cambodia will see a loss of 100 million U.S. dollars this year, if the current chaos in Thailand can’t be reversed in three months, Cambodian media on Tuesday quoted minister as saying.

The Thai capital is a regional hub, from where tourists can enter Cambodia, so the situation there can have direct impact over the tourism industry here, Cambodian Tourism Minister Thon Khong told Chinese-language newspaper the Commercial News.

About 1,500 passengers come to Cambodia through Bangkok everyday, making up 30 percent of all daily entry of visitors into the kingdom, he said.

“Each of them is expected to spend 770 U.S. dollars per day in the country,” he said.

When times were stable, 10 to 12 flights shuttle between Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Bangkok, but the crisis in the neighboring country has stopped the boom and will lead to loss to Cambodia for sure, he added.

Tourism is one of the pillar industries of Cambodia. Over two million foreign tourist arrivals are expected this year according to the government’s original plan, but the number has been scaled down by almost a quarter recently due to the global financial crisis.

The Iran Airlines special flight for Thai Muslim pilgrims to their annual Haj pilgrimage in Mecca departed from U-Tapao Airport this afternoon.

14.45 Hrs – In order to facilitate stranded passengers with confirmed reservations, THAI organized 31 special flights, 18 outbound and 13 inbound, to depart throughout the day. THAI has provided transportation between Bangkok andf U-Tapao International Airport departing from Centara Grand and vie versa.

THAI has requested that confirmed passengers to pre-check their travel documents at least 5 hours prior to their flight departure time. This includes travelling time to U-Tapao at the Lobby Area of the Centara Grand Hotel at CentralWorld. Continue Reading

The number of the wounded reached 70 as a result of night blasts in Bangkok, said press attache of the Russian embassy in Thailand Alexei Bulkin, speaking in an interview with Itar-Tass.

According to the press attache, “the situation in the Thai capital remains tense; several explosions were detonated last night in the area of government buildings”. “More than 70 people were wounded,” he said.

Speaking of the situation with Russian tourists, staying in Thailand, Bulkin noted “with assistance from the Russian embassy and the Russian Transport Ministry, it was possible to come to agreement on dispatching 267 passengers of the Thai Airlines Company to Moscow on November 30. Continue Reading

Crippling protests that shut down Bangkok’s airports will be crushing for business relations, tourism and the economy in Thailand, once hailed as a beacon of stability in the region, experts say.

Bangkok’s gleaming two-year-old Suvarnabhumi international airport and the older Don Mueang domestic airport were taken over in the past week by thousands of followers of a royalist anti-government protest movement.

The closure of the two hubs has paralysed Thailand, stranding more than 100,000 passengers, costing the kingdom millions of dollars in exports and tarnishing the nation’s reputation.

Media images all over the world show forlorn tourists sleeping on baggage trolleys, protest militia members armed with wooden stakes, and police seemingly overwhelmed by the lawlessness. Continue Reading

Philippine Local airlines on Wednesday cancelled scheduled trips from Manila and Clark to the besieged Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific announced that the following flights are cancelled:

* Cebu Pacific Manila-Bangkok-Manila flights 5J 931 and 5J 932 for November 26
* Cebu Pacific Clark-Bangkok-Clark flights 27 5J 941 and 5J 942 for November 27
* PAL flights PR 730 and PR 732 for November 26

PAL spokesman Rolando Estabillo said the flag carrier has yet to announce flight cancellations for November 27 and will be monitoring developments in Bangkok before making further adjustments. Continue Reading

Thousands of chanting protesters wearing yellow T-shirts and waving national flags have demonstrated on two consecutive days in what they say is an effort to topple the Thai government.

Analysts say it would be no easy job to end the years-long political turmoil that has been marked by accusations and unceasing protests and that the turbulence will cause Thailand’s economy additional disturbances.

CEASELESS PROTESTS

Since late May, Bangkok has seen almost daily anti-government rallies led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) against two successive governments of the People’s Power Party (PPP). Continue Reading