More than 40 members of the international media
from Asia and Europe have been invited to visit Thailand for a familiarization
trip during the last two weeks of February 2014.
The objective is to help international media get
a better understanding of the fact that the political demonstrations are
concentrated in very small areas of Bangkok, and that visitors can travel to
all the other tourist destinations comfortably. These include Pattaya, Hua Hin,
Cha-am, Rayong, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Kanchanaburi.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Thai
Airways International have joined forces in welcoming the overseas media.
Members of the Asia-Pacific media come from China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Australia, and New Zealand. The
European region includes representatives from the United Kingdom, Germany,
France, Italy, Sweden, and Russia.
They will be divided into various groups, each
of which will be taken on trips of three to six days covering various visitor
attractions in Bangkok and other popular tourist destinations.
Each group will be briefed on the current Thai
tourism situation, marketing plans, as well as measures taken by the Ministry
of Tourism and Sports, Tourist Police, and other related agencies to ensure
visitor safety and security.
TAT Governor Thawatchai Arunyik said, “Rather
than waiting for the protests and demonstrations to end, we decided to go ahead
and start the recovery program immediately. We are very grateful to all the
media who accepted our invitation because it is a clear sign of the confidence
they have in visiting Thailand.”
He said, “All will get a chance to see that
Thailand remains a hospitable and welcoming destination, and our travel and
tourism industry is as good as ever in terms of productivity and value for
money. Our transportation systems are operating normally, and all roads,
airports, mass transit systems, and railways are functioning well, both in
Bangkok and the provinces.”
The Governor also thanked Thai Airways
International and all other tourism related agencies for their cooperation and
support. He said, “Crises affect all of us in one way or another, and it is
important that we help each other make a quick and efficient recovery.”
In its political situation update, TAT reported
that the main anti-government group – the People’s Democratic Reform Committee
(PDRC) – joined by hundreds of famers on 19 February 2014 staged a
demonstration march to the Ministry of Defense’s Office of the Permanent
Secretary in Muang Thong Thani to pressure caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra, who has a temporary office there, to step down and make payments
for crops pledged to the Government’s rice-pledging scheme. The protesters left
the location at about 14.00 hr to march to other locations within Bangkok.
The ongoing anti-government demonstration’s main
rally sites remain at Pathum Wan Intersection, Ratchaprasong Intersection,
Lumphini Park, Asok Intersection and the Government Complex (Chaeng Watthana
Road), as well as two other sites on Ratchadamnoen Avenue and Phitsanulok Road.
Roads in the areas may be closed to traffic. The
atmosphere at the rally sites continues to be normal to peaceful. The
demonstrators are campaigning for political reform before an election.
(thailand.prd.go.th)