Thread: Curfew destroys Thai Tourism Industry, ruins visitor's experience and nightlife

Curfew destroys Thai Tourism Industry, ruins visitor's experience and nightlife
May 23, 2014



More than the military coup in itself, the current strict curfew hours from 22.00 to 5.00 - will have a deterrent and if it remains a possible devastating effect on Thailand’s tourists, not only in Bangkok but also in Pattaya, Phuket and other known tourist hot spots in the Land of Smiles.

After all Thailand is very famous for the nightlife, and if the official Thai tourism promotion campaigns admits it or not- a very large number of visitors travel to Thailand just for that.

One of our eTN Associates who is an expat and had resided in Bangkok for decades as an international known journalists did not want to be named, but had this to say:

It is not the first military coup happening in Thailand.

Generally such an event always goes bloodless but this is more the curfew being imposed which is likely to impact tourism, if it is not rapidly lifted.
So far the situation is normal during the day. Offices and shops are open and local shoppers as well as visitors and tourists still look for bargains. Public transport is busy as usual.

The army is rather discreet. They are some checkpoints along the main tollroads. “We see however a drop in shopping mall frequentation, as people feel worried. We just open a new deluxe food outlet and we feel the pinch of the coup”, says an executive of a fancy shop under request of anonymity.

It is getting worse at night. The city is now empty and dead. The famed entertainment areas such as Khao San road, Silom or the upper class area of Thong Lor are out of business at night. It's a sad feeling.

Most outlets close between 8 pm and 9 pm to let their employees go back home rapidly.

Only allowed out for now are travelers going to and from airports as well as night workers and specific professions such as doctors or security staff.

While bars and restaurants are suffering a real blow, other tourism businesses try to adapt. At Siam Niramit, a popular show about Thai culture, performances and dinner starts now early at around 18.00 and the dinner and show is scheduled for 19:30. Before 21.00, it is all finished!

Hotels are also adapting. “For our hotel guests, Ww organize this Friday night movie event at our swimming pool together with some other entertainment", says Katja Henke, General Manager for the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok.

The curfew which is in place from 22.00 to 5.00 is also accompanied by restricted access to television programs.

Only hotels and some businesses are still allowed to air international programs while Cable TV programs had been turned off.

Despite rumors, internet is still working normally, offering an alternative for entertainment.

How long could it last?

“We do not have any information yet about a lifting or relaxation of the imposed curfew”, indicates the Tourism Authority of Thailand. “ I do not expect that the curfew should last for too long as a lot of business are at stake and depend a lot from tourism or evening and night activities.

The curfew has been imposed to be sure that protesters will not create further disruption and return to their homes upcountry. The sooner the situation normalizes and the country comes at peace, the quicker the curfew will be lifted”, says an executive from the deluxe food shop.

Was restoring peace in fact the main drive behind the military coup?

eturbonews.com

I know the coup is a pain in the ass for all. But to write such an inflammatory article after just one night is rather attention seeking I would think. A few more days and he may have a point, but still the headline is rather sensational.

Hong Kong halts all tours to Thailand in wake of coup: Report
May 23, 2014

All group tours fom Hong Kong to Thailand will be cancelled from tomorrow in the wake of the coup, according to a South China Morning Post report.

Quoting Joseph Tung Yao-chung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council, the daily siad that a total of 70 groups with 1,300 people would be affected.

Six of eight groups scheduled to set off today also decided to cancel the trip, he said, while the remaining two had decided to continue their tours to Chiang Mai and Phuket despite the Thai military announcing a coup and imposing a nighttime curferw yesterday.

Hong Kong raised the travel advice to the maximum level.

"Of course we need to follow the information provided to us by the Security Bureau, so travel agencies have decided to cancel all the tours."

Thai military leaders on Thursday imposed a nationwide curfew from 10pm until 5am.

nationmultimedia.com

good report.

Originally Posted by aging one

I know the coup is a pain in the ass for all. But to write such an inflammatory article after just one night is rather attention seeking I would think. A few more days and he may have a point, but still the headline is rather sensational.

Have to expect from an outsider who really doesn't understand the situation, society, and it's recent history....

All this shit will pass soon.

I dunno. I've had three oil 'n gas mates contact me that normally take their R n' R and here and have said they'll be giving LOS a miss this time.

^ that is because they are rather naive and believe anything they read, I suppose

A military coup is a rather scary thing for most people who have never experienced one, and they can be in reality. In Thailand, however, they seem to be treated as run-of-the-mill events, and not much usually happens.

Originally Posted by Mid

Curfew destroys Thai Tourism Industry, ruins visitor's experience and nightlife

Sukhumvit is rammed and everything is open.

Been all over the city today - not seen any military at all.

Originally Posted by Drainpipe

^ that is because they are rather naive and believe anything they read, I suppose

A military coup is a rather scary thing for most people who have never experienced one, and they can be in reality. In Thailand, however, they seem to be treated as run-of-the-mill events, and not much usually happens.

The point is that tourists have discretionary spending power, and the world is FULL of places that can be fun to spend it it.

Why piss about with curfews, martial law and possible hassle when you can be boozing 24/7 elsewhere?

Originally Posted by Drainpipe

^ that is because they are rather naive and believe anything they read, I suppose

A military coup is a rather scary thing for most people who have never experienced one, and they can be in reality. In Thailand, however, they seem to be treated as run-of-the-mill events, and not much usually happens.

No I don't think they're naive. They've been away from flange and alcohol for a month+. One of them has been in Saudi for three months. They want to come here and party, fuck bitches and drink. They don't want to go to bed at ten o' clock. They don't give a fuck about the political situation as most of them have been coming here for decades.

Thai army says former PM Yingluck Shinawatra is in a "VIP facility", promises not to detain her for more than one week. #Thaicoup

https://twitter.com/UDD_English

All those small businesses will still have to stump up the rent at the end of the month.

No help for them.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Why piss about with curfews, martial law and possible hassle when you can be boozing 24/7 elsewhere?

There is no real "curfew"

But it's there if they need it.

All TV stations back on now and everything open in BKK

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Why piss about with curfews, martial law and possible hassle when you can be boozing 24/7 elsewhere?

There is no real "curfew"

But it's there if they need it.

Was there people out after 10 last night Albert? I went for a sneaky look outside the moo-ban in Samuparkhan last night and it was ghost town.

Originally Posted by rebbu

Was there people out after 10 last night Albert?

Yes mate - this is me buying a beer in 7/11 in soi 11 at 10.20pm.

All the bars closed about 10, but all the street vendors and tourists were out and the streets were gridlocked as usual.

Originally Posted by Drainpipe

^ that is because they are rather naive and believe anything they read, I suppose

A military coup is a rather scary thing for most people who have never experienced one, and they can be in reality. In Thailand, however, they seem to be treated as run-of-the-mill events, and not much usually happens.

Yep....as a rule.

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Why piss about with curfews, martial law and possible hassle when you can be boozing 24/7 elsewhere?

There is no real "curfew"

But it's there if they need it.

You miss the point albert. Why would a tourist, with cash in his pocket bother to think "real curfew" as opposed to "mock curfew". Personally I would be on a plane to phillipines without even bothering to think more...

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Originally Posted by rebbu

Was there people out after 10 last night Albert?

Yes mate - this is me buying a beer in 7/11 in soi 11 at 10.20pm.

All the bars closed about 10, but all the street vendors and tourists were out and the streets were gridlocked as usual.

Ha. Nice1.
Still though I reckon a lot of the regulars with cash will piss off somewhere else this time. The two week millionaires must be caking it if they're due a mongering trip.

In the last 2 hours or so.


Khlong Toei Market

Khlong Toei Intersection

Outside Foodland on Soi 16

Queen Sirikit Park

And the the trouble started (an old bus caught on fire on Petburi rd. )

Pratunam

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Why piss about with curfews, martial law and possible hassle when you can be boozing 24/7 elsewhere?

There is no real "curfew"

But it's there if they need it.

You miss the point albert. Why would a tourist, with cash in his pocket bother to think "real curfew" as opposed to "mock curfew". Personally I would be on a plane to phillipines without even bothering to think more...

With all due respect, this country bends over backwards for tourists and has done for a long time.

If the country needs to shut the bars a few hours early for a few days every now and then for the sake of the country - I think the tourists will understand

They all seem to be having a good time tonight anyway

Originally Posted by rebbu

Still though I reckon a lot of the regulars with cash will piss off somewhere else this time. The two week millionaires must be caking it if they're due a mongering trip.

Those that know Thai politics and BKK well haven't even batted an eyelid.

Obviously an average tourist with only a fleeting knowledge of Thailand that naturally take their cue from the corporate global media will head down to Pattaya for a few days instead

On a side note. Seriously - outside the tourism hotspots - makes no difference to most people here if tourism numbers are down. More than 90% of the country makes a living outside the tourism industry.

Coup In Thailand May Send Tourists To Malaysia, Bali - Report

NEW DELHI, May 23 (Bernama) -- Tourists from India might give Thailand a miss during the peak travel season and head towards other destinations such as Malaysia and Bali amid the military coup on Thursday, said a news report.

Thailand could lose its position as the top overseas destination for Indian tourists and for a country that survives on tourism, the Times of India reported.

Tour operators feel Indian tourists might be cautious and head to other destinations like Bali, Malaysia, Cambodia and Hong Kong instead.

"It is too early to assess the impact. There could be an impact in the short term and people might switch to neighbouring destinations. Malaysia and Hong Kong stand to benefit," Cox & Kings' head, relationship, Karan Anand told the English daily.

"Protests in Thailand, which have been going on for a while, were confined to parts of Bangkok and people have been skipping the city and flying straight to Pattaya or Koh Samui."

Thailand is a favourite with Indian travellers as it has options to suit all budgets.

It's not only leisure travellers, but also corporates offering tours as incentives to top performing employees that choose the country.

"Due to the elections in India, many people delayed their summer travel plans and we saw an increase in bookings to Thailand in the past 10 days," MakeMyTrip, chief business officer-holidays, Mohit Gupta said.

Tourism in Thailand has been affected by the political unrest in the last few months.

"In packages combining Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, customers have been asking us to drop Thailand and include another country," Asia Pacific Tours' President and Chief Executive Officer, M K Ajit Kumar said.

bernama.com

How Thai coup could help PH medical tourism
Khettiya Jittapong
05/23/2014

* Coup has prompted new travel warnings from some governments

* Medical tourists are shifting to South Korea, Philippines

* Competition also heats up from neighbours Malaysia, Singapore

* But Thailand is still attractive for costs, quality

BANGKOK - Thailand is in danger of losing its crown as the world's top destination for medical tourism if foreigners looking for low-cost, quality healthcare are scared off by political unrest, especially at a time of growing competition from Asian rivals including the Philippines.

The army seized power in a coup on Thursday after failing to prod bitter political rivals into a compromise to end six months of turmoil, prompting several governments to warn their citizens to think again before travelling to Thailand.

Tourism accounts for 10 percent of the Thai economy and, of the 26.5 million people who visited last year, about 2.5 million came for medical reasons, including spa and healthcare services, according to figures from the Department of Export Promotion.

About a third of those medical tourists come from the Middle East, another quarter from Southeast Asia and nearly 15 percent from Europe.

The months of unrest, which began with anti-government protests in Bangkok in November, already appear to be having some effect, and that could worsen if the army's intervention fails to put a stop to outbreaks of disorder.

Top-end Bangkok hospital Bumrungrad attracts a lot of patients from the Middle East and competes with SG Raffles Medical Group and Healthway Medical Corp in Singapore. It saw a 12 percent drop in foreign inpatients in the first quarter and an 18 percent fall in outpatients.

"News of violence that leads to adverse travel advisories or perceptions of personal safety risks can cause some medical tourists to postpone their trips for treatment, hoping that conditions will soon improve," Kenneth Mays, senior director at Bumrungrad, said in an email to Reuters before the coup.

Thailand earned $4.31 billion in revenue from medical tourism in 2013, after average growth of 15 percent a year over the past decade.

That is clearly in danger, with arrivals at Bangkok's international airport down 15 percent in the first quarter.

Although travel to the country's beaches and islands was holding up before the coup - as, indeed, it did after the army last seized power in 2006 - the Department of Tourism said the overall number of visitors still dropped 4.9 percent in the first four months of the year.

Days before the military stepped in, the Tourism Authority of Thailand cut its forecast for foreign arrivals this year to 26.3 million, which would be a five-year low, from 28 million.

"Hospitals in Bangkok are particularly hard hit, as that's the epicenter of the unrest, while those in Phuket and other destinations are reporting downturns of 20-40 percent," said Josef Woodman, CEO of Patients Beyond Borders, a U.S.-based website that offers consumers information about medical travel.

It estimates Thailand, with health costs 50-75 percent lower than the United States, for example, attracted 1.3-1.8 million medical tourists in 2013, making it the world's top destination.

JUST A HICCUP

Earnings at Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Pcl, the country's largest hospital group, held up in the first quarter but Chatree Duangnet, chief operating officer, is worried about what he described as "a small hiccup in the short term".

Bangkok Dusit has seen a drop of more than 30 percent in patients from the Middle East this year and 7 percent fewer patients from the United States, although it has welcomed 10 percent more from Japan and 3.8 percent more from neighbouring Myanmar, where healthcare is underdeveloped.
Renee-Marie Stephano, president of the U.S.-based Medical Tourism Association, said inquiries about travel to Thailand for medical purposes had fallen 20 percent in recent months.

If trouble persists, Thailand risks losing market share to countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines and India.

The Philippines and South Korea are already seeing more medical tourists from China, Russia and the Middle East in particular.

Kim Kyung-joo of South Korea Tourism Organisation's Medical Tourism Department said it may benefit from Thailand's instability, noting that many Chinese tourists came for plastic surgery such as facelifts and nose jobs.

Kim Hee-jeong of Korea Health Industry Development Institute, said more Russians were coming. "Russian patients go on medical tours for treatment rather than sightseeing. Mongolian patients are the same."

SPIKE IN MANILA

Manila also thinks it is winning custom from Bangkok.

"There is a spike in surgery for orthopedics because of what's happening in Thailand," Phlippine Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez told Reuters, adding the travellers included Filipino-Americans coming home.

Manila wants to promote niche markets in orthopedics, eye surgery, dentistry and cancer care, Jimenez said.

In Malaysia, government promotion of the country as a medical destination has helped the number of health tourists to double since 2010 to 770,134 last year, official figures showed.

The Kuala Lumpur Sports Medicine Center has seen an increase in foreign patients in the past four months but Eric Woo, its chief operating officer, played down the impact of Thailand's unrest, attributing it rather to promotions and good treatment.

Healthcare Berhad, one of Malaysia's largest private healthcare providers, said it had been "aggressively promoting" its services in the Middle East.
Singapore, with some of the best diagnostics and care in the world, is also a threat to Thailand, said Woodman at Patients Beyond Borders, even if costs have risen for some years.

Mays said Bumrungrad had seen some rebound in April and May - prior to the coup - and, in the longer term, especially with Southeast Asia moving to closer economic union, most operators in Thailand remain upbeat.

"The world's ageing population, combined with the inadequate or troubled health systems in many countries, will continue to drive medical travel. Our sources of growth will change as the geography of demand and supply evolves," Mays said.

abs-cbnnews.com