Thailand’s Tourism to Recover Quickly after the Flooding

Suvarnabhumi Airport

The tourism situation in Thailand is likely to recover quickly after the flooding, which has eased significantly in many areas of the country, especially Bangkok.

At the Flood Relief Operations Center, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Suraphon Svetasreni, said that the period between October and November is considered the high season for Thailand’s tourism. Although the flooding was at its peak during this period, tourism growth for the whole year is expected to be positive.

Mr. Suraphon said that the Tourism Authority of Thailand in early 2011 had predicted that tourist arrivals this year would be 15-16 million. Later, in the middle of this year, it set a target for tourist arrivals at 19 million. Public relations campaigns were launched in all media channels to restore confidence in the country’s tourism after several countries had issued travel warnings to their people about visiting Thailand due to the flooding situation. Today, those countries are starting to ease the travel warnings, as life in many flooded areas in Thailand is returning to normal.

Although a number of provinces are still suffering from floods, tourism arrivals in such major destinations as Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Krabi continue as usual. According to statistics compiled by the Department of Tourism at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, from January to October 2011, Thailand welcomed almost 15.8 million international visitors, an increase of 25 percent over the same period last year.

A report from the Emergency Operation Center for Flood, Storms, and Landslide indicated that 17 provinces in Thailand are still suffering from floods, and 602 people have died. This flood has affected more than five million people.

Senior Executive Vice President of Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited and Acting General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Somchai Sawasdeepon, said that flight frequency at Suvarnabhumi Airport during this period was not on the decline, when compared with the same period last year. He explained the flood preventive system in place at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which includes 3.5-meter-high dykes capable of dealing with floods. A special team has also been formed to work with related agencies in monitoring the situation. Suvarnabhumi and other airports are operating normally.

Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, Professor Tongthong Chandransu, in his capacity as the Spokesperson for the Flood Relief Operations Center, said that images of aircraft stranded in deep floodwater at Don Mueang Airport had caused the misconception among travelers wishing to visit Thailand that the country fwas facing a problem with air traffic. Authorities concerned had clarified this issue to dispel the misconception. The aircraft had, in fact, been decommissioned prior to the flooding