BANGKOK, Dec. 30 -- Xinhua/ PRNewswire
With major clean-up operations under way in South Thailand beach resorts
affected by the December 26 tsunami, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is
anticipating that places which have not suffered serious structural damage may
be ready to receive visitors again within one month. Earth-movers, cranes and
bulldozers have been deployed to clear up the debris in many of the areas.
TAT staff are on high alert and working actively in cooperation with
airlines, government officials and the private sector to ensure relief and safe
return of international visitors to their home country.
At a press conference today, TAT Governor Mrs Juthamas Siriwan also
announced that TAT is cancelling all its planned New Year celebrations,
including the annual 'Countdown' extravaganza in Bangkok and other provinces.
Mrs Juthamas said, "Given the extent of the tragedy and the loss of life
region-wide, it would be highly inappropriate to go ahead with celebrations.
We think people will well understand."
She said the private sector would remain free to do as it wishes.
TAT has dispatched a survey team to the affected sites to assess the
situation.
Mrs Juthamas herself toured the area by helicopter to get an overview of
the affected areas. She said, "Although the tsunami caused serious damage in
many areas, a lot of other places are only covered with debris. These areas
have seen little or no damage and only need to be cleaned up to be open to
visitors again."
Partnering with local airlines -- THAI Airways International, Bangkok
Airways, Air Asia, Orient Air, Phuket Air and Nok Air -- TAT has helped
transfer thousands of visitors back to Bangkok and put them up in arranged
accommodation.
In coordination with the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and Association of
Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), more rooms are being arranged to receive the many
thousands more expected to arrive. Chain hotels are also helping to transfer
guests to their properties in Bangkok.
The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) has set up centres in Patong
Beach in Phuket, Takua Pa and Kok Loi in Phang Nga, Krabim in Trang and Satun
to provide free international calls to visitors wishing to call family and
friends back home. CAT staff are also distributing free international call
cards in other areas.
Most of the damage has been restricted to the specific parts of six
provinces: Phuket, Krabi, Phang-nga, Trang, Satun and Ranong. In these places,
too, not all areas have been affected. In Trang, many places are still safe
with around 600 rooms available in a number of hotels.
Other parts of the country have not been affected. The beach resort of
Pattaya is full as it is every year during this holiday season.
Mrs Juthamas said charters from Russia and Scandinavia that usually fly
into Phuket at this time of the year have not yet been cancelled and TAT is
working with them to divert their clients to other destinations like Hua Hin
and Cha-am.
She said other beach resorts on the Gulf of Thailand like Rayong,
Chanthaburi and Trat are other options, especially for visitors from
neighbouring source markets like Hong Kong and Singapore. The Chinese market
has not been affected as they mostly travel to Pattaya.
TAT is encouraged by the many calls of sympathy it is getting from all over
the world, with many callers asking when recovery efforts will be completed so
that they can visit South Thailand.
Mrs Juthamas said TAT has begun looking at ways to upgrade the safety of
swimmers and divers, especially with the view to facilitate identification in
case of any unforeseen future accidents.
Appealing to all hotel owners to retain their staff during these crisis
times, Mrs Juthamas said she expected TAT would be able to launch crisis
recovery and marketing campaigns around March 2005, most likely at the world's
biggest travel trade show, Internationale Tourismus-B?rse (ITB) in Berlin.
She added, "We express our sincere thanks to all government officials, the
private sector, embassies and airlines for their help with the smooth transfer
of passengers from the affected areas into Bangkok."
For more information, please contact:
International PR Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
1600 Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Rajatevee
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
Tel: +66-(0)-2250-5500 x1574-78
Fax: +66-(0)-2253-7419
Email: prdiv3@tat.or.th
SOURCE: Tourism Authority of Thailand
--Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--