September 9, 2008
Bangkok - The travel sector urged the government to lift the emergency decree within this week, saying the declaration of the state of emergency affected foreign tourists’ confidence.
The number of tourists visiting the Grand Palace decreased more than 50% according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Tourists from Korea, Japan and China plunged more than 50%.
However, there were also some foreign tourists who took this chance to visit the Government House to observe the rallying situation. The Government House thus became a new tourist destination.
Usually, not less than 6,500 foreign tourists visited the Grand Palace.
Vichit Prakobkosol, vice president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the travel industry’s loss would be more than one billion baht if the emergency decree was not lifted by the end of this month.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej declared the decree last Tuesday after the members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) clashed with each other.
The premier was much criticized for enforcing the decree and urged to lift it as soon as possible.
