Thai coup likely to worsen downturn in tourist industry, a big earner
Curfew and travel alerts following military takeover will deepen the gloom for Thai tourism operators, though first reports say situation calm
Even before yesterday's military coup in Thailand, tourists were already shunning Bangkok's bustling night life and "James Bond Island" near Phuket because of months of political turmoil. The army takeover will only make things worse.
The army was quick to announce a nationwide curfew from 10pm to 5am after taking over power to restore order.
Foreign arrivals had already dropped 4.9 per cent in the first four months of this year from a year earlier, to 8.62 million, according to Thai authorities.
Hong Kong tour agencies will meet today to decide whether to go ahead with future tours to Thailand after the city's government issued a red travel alert to avoid all non-essential travel. Even before they met, Hong Thai Travel Services announced that two tours to Bangkok, comprising 31 people, due to begin today had been cancelled but that two other tour groups would travel to Phuket as planned.
Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, which has four groups of 60 holidaymakers in Bangkok, said: "It will depend on how the situation develops, but of course our major concern is the customers' safety.
"We will ask customers not to go out at night."