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Thailand seeks to stay on holiday agenda
By Jiao Xiaoyang (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-01-06 22:47
A top official from the Thailand Embassy to China has pleaded with Chinese
tourists to keep his devastated country on their list of holiday destinations.
Embassy Minister to China Sakarn Suthipradit said his country's tourism
industry would only rally with continuing support.
Thailand's Ambassador to China Jullapong Nonsrichai then told State
Councillor Tang Jiaxuan that his country is thankful to the Chinese for their
donations.
Tang visited the Thai Embassy yesterday to offer his condolences to Thai
victims. He thanked the Thai Government for helping Chinese tourists affected by
the tsunami, and pledged China's continuing support in medical care and epidemic
control.
More than 5,200 people were killed in Thailand, nearly half of them foreign
tourists.
"Not travelling to Thailand will increase our suffering," said Sakarn
Suthipradit.
More than 2,000 hotel rooms in Thailand were destroyed in the tsunami,
running up bills of at least US$507 million for rebuilding. The tourism industry
has suffered more than US$2.5 billion in direct losses, according to Suwat
Jutakorn, director of the Thai Tourism Authority's Beijing office.
The Thai Government and banks are offering preferential loans, financial
subsidies and tax waivers to hotels and resorts.
Public health authorities have confirmed that travelling in Thailand is safe
with the threat of disease under full control.
"The incident did not stop Thailand completely. It stopped our six southern
provinces but there are other destinations in our country," said Suwat.
He said three Chinese travel agencies had decided to donate 10 per cent of
their Phuket group tour sales within the coming few weeks to Phuket, the most
popular Thai resort among Chinese and one that was hit especially hard.
Suwat, whose daughter is studying at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said
classmates had made donations.
"One of the Thai students at the university is from Phuket. She was able to
call her family immediately after she heard about the incident," said Suwat.
"But her family were lucky."
Sakarn said the embassy has been receiving daily donations and messages of
condolence from the Chinese people.
"There was one woman who came to the embassy last week and donated almost
everything in her pocket," recalled the minister.
With international aid coming, more experts are needed for the tough relief
jobs in Thailand, Sakarn said, with forensic experts particularly needed.
There is also a high demand for power generators, water purifiers, sanitary
napkins and refrigerators.
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