TAT focuses on judgement day

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will use its crisis management
center to monitor impacts from Friday’s court ruling on whether former

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will use its crisis management
center to monitor impacts from Friday’s court ruling on whether former
premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s 76 billion baht in frozen assets should be
seized.

TAT Governor Surapol Svetasreni said the agency would work with private
tourism organizations to monitor the situation and issue information for
foreign tourists for the entire day through TAT’s overseas offices and
its web site.

So far, 27 countries have issued travel advisories, suggesting their
citizens be careful while visiting Thailand over the coming weekend.

The advisories reflect different levels of concern. China, Sweden, South
Korea, Taiwan, and Macau have circulated the lightest advisories, simply
asking people to be alert to the situation.

Some countries in Europe including France, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, and
the Netherlands, as well as the US and Japan, have raised advisory levels,
warning their nationals to be careful.

The UK, Belgium, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia advise their
citizens to stay away from the protest sites, the third degree of advisory
measure. But no country has banned people from traveling to Thailand.

Despite political tension, Mr. Surapol said the TAT would continue with its
plans, which include a tourism fair from tomorrow to Sunday. It is also
inviting about 250 media representatives worldwide to visit Thailand next
month.

Apichat Sankary, former president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents,
has pledged effective safety measures for tourists. “Scandinavians have
continued their trips, mostly to Phuket and Krabi. They have less concern as
they are quite familiar with Thai politics,” he said.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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