Tourism industry protests against protesters

[Eastboy]

source = http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ilYFo3wokJY3GaTr6I_DIP7nuaVw

 

 

Thailand's tourism industry rallies against political protests as hotels report low occupancy

 

By Kinan Suchaovanich (CP) – 1 hour ago

 

BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand's tourism industry called Friday on the government and its Red Shirt opponents to make peace and find a way to stop mass street protests that they say are scaring away tourists.

 

Representatives from the tourism industry planned to punctuate the message - by staging their own protest at a central Bangkok park Friday afternoon.

 

Red-shirted anti-government protesters have been camped in the historic district of Bangkok since March 12. To press demands for new elections, they have blocked major roads, snarled traffic and raised concerns of violence that have prompted several dozen countries to issue travel warnings.

 

The rallies have dealt the latest blow to Thailand's key tourism industry, which has suffered through Thailand's political crisis since 2006.

 

"The demonstrations - with (protesters) blocking the roads - have disturbed many tourists. It damages the country's image and paralyses the economy," said Apichart Sankary, an adviser to the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations.

 

"The decline has reached a point where we risk losing visitors for the long term," Apichart said. "We want all sides to find a way out of this mess as quickly as possible."

 

Meanwhile, another anti-protest group - dressed in pink shirts - held a demonstration in Bangkok's Lumpini Park, where the tourism rally was to be held later in the day.

 

The so-called pink shirts are pro-government and say they are frustrated by the reds' noisy, traffic-clogging protests that are hurting Bangkok businesses.

 

hotels nationwide reported an average of 40 per cent occupancy last month, down from the typical March average of 75 per cent occupancy, said Prakij Chin-amornpong, chairman of the Thai hotels Association, which represents 653 hotels nationwide.

 

Last year's March average was lower than usual at 50 per cent occupancy, also due to the political crisis, he said.

 

hotels in Bangkok were among hardest hit, with tourists trying to avoid the capital, he said. hotels on the beach island of Phuket and other places with international airports have fared better, he added.

 

The Red Shirts are mostly supporters of ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed by a 2006 military coup, and pro-democracy activists who opposed the army takeover.

 

They are calling on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections, which he has repeatedly rejected.

 

Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

[aras]

there were something like a 1000 protesters lol. Is it news worthy?