Thailand Tourism Concerns

With the current state of political uncertainty in Bangkok, the governments of nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States have adopted a classic knee jerk reaction by issuing travel warnings for their citizens planning to holiday in Thailand. Travel insurance for the British and Americans visiting Thailand have been suspended and issued null and void.

Although the western world’s mainstream media seem to be having a field day sensationalizing the current Bangkok situation, 99.9% of the people who live in or are currently holidaying in Thailand wouldn’t even know the ‘problems’ existed if not for television news reports. The situation is becoming heavily dramatized, while the daily routines in tourist regions such as Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Chang and Chiang Mai remain as peaceful and normal as ever before.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is conducting affairs as normal and there are no threats to the security of the airport. Suvarnabhumi is located on the outskirts of the city, so those moving onto other tourist areas in the country or downtown Bangkok will not be affected.

The vast majority of Bangkok is also business as usual, as English teacher James Bale, who lives and works in the city told us, “I live around the Sukhumvit Road, Soi 5 area of the city, which is renowned for its tourist influx. Everything is the same as it’s ever been. People are enjoying the unique brand of delights that the city offers visitors and we have been totally unaffected.”

These sentiments are being echoed from the four corners of the nation, as the international media continues to do what they do best – sell news stories to eager consumers. Walking on the streets of Patong and Karon in Phuket this week to gauge the general consensus of the political situation, people were quick to dispel the ‘so-called’ melting pot atmosphere of Thailand. Brain Thirwell, owner of numerous restaurants in Phuket, told us, “The streets of Phuket are as vibrant, friendly and relaxed as I have ever seen. People who live in Thailand know that the problems in Bangkok are restricted to a small pocket of the city while the rest of the nation carries on as normal. It is such a shame to observe how the media is portraying the events.”

A little over a two hour drive from the sprawling metropolis of Bangkok, is the world famous beachside resort of Pattaya, perched upon the Eastern Seaboard. You would think that if any region were feeling a knock-on effect from the political turmoil, it would be Pattaya, due to its nearby location. However, the problems in Bangkok are so localised to the aforementioned zones that Pattaya is completely unaffected. Pattaya tourism analyst and tour excursion expert, Somchai Ruttanaburee, reassured potential visitors to Pattaya, “We are receiving numerous emails on a daily basis from concerned travellers who plan to visit Pattaya in the coming weeks and months. We tell them the truth. There is no need to be concerned regarding the ongoing crisis in Bangkok. Pattaya is a fun town with a fun attitude, and everyone visiting in the future will be greeted with open arms and warmth. The only problems in Thailand are those on the television screen, as everywhere else is Thailand at its tranquil and peaceful best.”

It is essential that visitors to Thailand understand that aside from two or three small streets in Bangkok, the nation is still the place to visit in Southeast Asia. Nothing has changed and nothing is going to change. Visitors to the country will not encounter any of the so-called problems the media is currently taking out of proportion. The land of smiles is still smiling and will continue to way into the future.