Chinese ferry victim condolences sought

Tourism operators along the Andaman coast have called for the prime minister to issue an official message of condolence to the Chinese government over the boat that capsized off of Phuket, killing 47 Chinese tourists.

“If the government remains silent, it may cause greater damage to the entire tourism industry,” said Krit Srifah, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand’s southern chapter. He believes a state message could help improve the situation.

Many operators said the boat tragedy was the result of poor management of tour operators, but officials’ negligence in inspecting safety conditions is more vital, said Mr Krit.

The official government line has not mentioned the negligence of local authorities. Instead, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan put the blame on the Chinese operator, which was serving as a nominee firm and offered poor services to its Chinese clients.

Anger over the deputy PM’s remarks were voiced on social media in China, saying it is the duty of the Thai government to crack down on illegal firms or nominees while enforcing the law to ensure the safety of tourists.

Mr Krit said operators in the South are worried about the future of tourism on the Andaman coast, saying that if the Chinese government removes Thailand from the travel list and orders their people not to visit, it will be a great loss to Thailand.

They also urged the Thai government to restore confidence by improving safety and security measures as soon as possible.

He said that so far, 60% of Chinese tourists, both groups and individuals, have cancelled bookings to visit Phuket since the boat tragedy took place on July 5.

The tourism industry will feel the full effects in the region as peak tourism season arrives over the next several months.

The Thai Hotels Association southern Chapter has reported that it members received more than 7,000 room cancellations since the event. Many non-members also got cancellations.

The association also predicted that the hotel and tourism business in Phuket, Krabi and Phangnga could experience up to 50 billion baht in losses.

But Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said overall arrivals from the mainland are still healthy, with a 5% increase during July 5-11, compared with the same time last month.

Mr Yuthasak said the incident in Phuket would hit the tourism industry in the short term but it could rebound if the problem is resolved.

To restore confidence, TAT plans to organise tourism trade shows in major cities in China, including Beijing and Guangzhou.