Thailand, impact of the political situation

[limbo]

Not political at all, because however we turn this and look at it, it is political.

Well said Dadvocate!!

 

[lucilius515]

how can we convince all the topless Scandinavian girls that thailand is still a great diving destination for 2009???

 

[limbo]

Maybe you should have a holiday in the Scandi countries next time.

 

[Dadvocate]

Tell you what. I promise to dedicate great amounts of my topside interval time contemplating how to do my part in convincing them to see Thailand as the great Scandinavian mammary destination it is, provided that I actually have topside time onboard my boat after December 20 to do the contemplating. If I don’t get that time, I will start luring them away to the Philippines or Indonesia (oops…can they go topless in Indonesia?) assuming I have any real say one way or the other.

And my fiancé might misconstrue these efforts anyway. What a dilemma! Come on Thailand, spare me this crossroads moment! Open your doors again to poor saps like me who want to escape China’s winter. And open them up for the topless Scandinavians, too, for all those other saps who like topless Scandinavians.

My kingdom for a resolution…

Cheers!

 

[OnTheSpot]

To Dadvocate and others trying to make it to Phuket - here's hoping it doesn't drag on this long, but you can still get to Phuket via other regional centres without having to go to Bangkok.

There's these options, most low cost:
DragonAir via Hong Kong
AirAsia flies from Kuala Lumpur Airport's Low Cost Terminal.
Firefly flies from Subang Airport in KL and Penang.
Tiger Airways from Singapore.
JetAsia from Singapore.

So hopefully there's a way that you can still make your holiday happen without too much extra expense. Good luck.

 

[Quero]

In response to the original post:
My experience in regard to the current crisis has been
1) LOB and other bookings cancellations due to airport closure
2) anxiety and requests for updates from customers still at home
3) stranded customers here booking a few local dives but not much as they don't know when flights will resume

What the augury might be for the rest of the season I'll leave to others to speculate.

 

[Dadvocate]

The dive op in Phuket says that they think this will have to blow over before our time comes to fly out. His hopesThere are other issues also. I have a favorite tailor in bangkok who makes work clothes and suits for me (my interview suit for last year helped in landing me a job I think). I had hoped to get my wedding suit fitted and sewn as we were away on the liveaboard. We have one night in Bangkok slotted for just this purpose.

This needs to blow over.

Cheers!

 

[Vie]

...and as one said to me, "Is this how they thank us for all the help we sent after the Tsunami"?

There are other issues also. I have a favorite tailor in bangkok who makes work clothes and suits for me (my interview suit for last year helped in landing me a job I think). I had hoped to get my wedding suit fitted and sewn as we were away on the liveaboard. We have one night in Bangkok slotted for just this purpose.

This needs to blow over.

Some great and insightful comments have been posted in this thread and I applaud them.

But when I read comments like the ones above, it almost makes me wish the airports remain closed (and yes, the survival of my business is directly and critically affected by the airport closures). Talk about complete and utter lost of perspective.

For many Thais, the very existence of the country is threatened. Many who make up the "yellow" AND the "red" factions sincerely believe that they are fighting for the future, for what is right and just. None of this is aimed at foreign visitors. None of the violence and airport closures, etc., was done to spite our friends from abroad. Yes, we are shamed that so many have been affected as a result and have lost faith but please rest assure that all of this will be resolved. We are so very, very, sorry for all of you that have been affected/inconvenienced/angered/frustrated and we want to apologize to you from the bottom of our hearts - but right now, there is more at stake...

 

[stiggy]

I believe some of the posters on here are in a permanent state of Narcosis.

Thailand relies heavily on Tourism.
The Dive industry relies mostly on international tourists (domestic market is small).

The International Airports are under siege by a bunch of people that truly believe this is the correct way forward.

International media are all over it.

The large international travel agency's I work with are actively sourcing new destinations for 2009/10.
Partly due to insurance company's now seeing Thailand as a high risk market,partly as new markets are keen to take Thailand's business and are opening the doors.

I'm sure the independent travelers will have a ball in the future with cheap accommodation etc on offer. But mainstream tourism the sort that Pattaya, Samui , Phuket needs so much will be in real mess.

Of course this is going to have a negative effect on the Dive industry here,Its a no brainer.

As for the comment made by h90. PAD are great as they where the people to feed the stranded tourists !! They wouldn't be stranded if it wasn't for them in the first place.......Think about it.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Yes, everyone here hopes the issues can be resolved ASAP.

This I doubt will happen.

Normally I'd be headed to Thailand, in particular as I've been there many times over the past decade or so under adverse conditions (fewer crowds).
However this time, my intuition tells me this is just the beginning of long term trouble in Thailand.

I'll consider returning in 2010.