This from The Nation
I particularly like the paragraph in bold
AMAZING THAILAND: Insurance for tourists
Published on Oct 16, 2002
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday ordered tourism-related agencies to study the feasibility of providing life and health insurance to tourists as part of the country's tourism-promotion campaign, said government spokesman Sitha Thaiwaree.
The premier issued the order because tourist safety has become a concern following the bomb attacks in Bali, Indonesia last weekend that killed more than 180 people, most of them tourists, Sitha said. ( But you say later that Thailand is not a target....??)
Thaksin told tourism agencies to gather data on accidents that killed or injured tourists, he said. (Tourism agencies?? How about the Police?)
Thaksin also asked all ministries to assess the impact of the attacks in Bali on foreign investment, the stock exchange, national security and the tourism industry.
Earlier, Thaksin said the attacks would not have any impact on Thailand's tourism industry as there are no racial or religious conflicts here and the country is not a terrorist target. (Must live in a different Thailand from me! Well of course he does..he is a mobile phone billionaire politician...I see ethnic and religous conflicts every day... to say nothing of the economic ones.... Was it not two months ago all those bombs in Had Yai were being blamed on Muslim separatists? ... What turned out...feuding policeman and soldiers...again!!)
Juthamas Siriwan, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the number of tourist arrivals this year is expected to meet the target of 10.5 million.
Roe Gruber, president of Escapes Unlimited, a California travel agency that specialises in tours to Southeast Asia, said 50 per cent of her clients would like to switch their destinations to other places in Asia after the attacks in Bali. "We're seeing people willing to travel, but they're switching to other places like Thailand," Gruber said.
An airline analyst said the attacks in Bali would not have any impact on US carriers. Both United Airlines and Northwest Airlines said the bombings in Bali had not affected their Asian operations and flights are running on schedule. On Monday, the US State Department issued an advisory urging Americans to leave Bali and defer any future travel there. Travel agents said American tourists have been steering clear of global hot spots since September 11.(Global hotspots?? Where they? New York?)
"The Philippines has already seen a slump," said Robert Laney, president of 1st Air, a New York agency that specialises in business-class overseas travel. ( Yes if you wanted to attack Americans...all those overweight half dead 'Vietnam Vets' in Angeles City would be a good start)!
"Now Indonesia and Malaysia will see a slump. There's a trend of people travelling to places that are safer right now, like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa," Laney said.( Read the crime statistics for violent assault from Johannesburg has he?)
South Korean flag carrier Korean Air said yesterday it had halted chartered flights to Bali until December 21.
Taiwan is urging its nationals not to travel to Bali although many Taiwanese holiday-makers still flew to Bali after Saturday night's bombings because they had been denied refunds, according to Taiwanese media reports. The Taiwanese tourism bureau has ordered travel agencies to pay refunds of up to 80 per cent.
And would it not be terrible if the voracious maw of Phuket were to benefit from Bali's tragedy?
