It’s never boring in Bangkok says the New York Post

Monday, 29 Sep, 2006 0

A recent report in the New York Post summed up the recent political situation in Thailand by saying, “If you have to be ousted in a military coup d’etat, our advice, be the head of Thailand at the time”

They went on to comment that last week, now ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was shown the door of his Bangkok office by the Royal Thai Army and its modest gaggle of tanks in one of the most peaceful coups we’ve seen, but it helped that Shinawatra was actually here in New York for the big UN bash at the time, only to watch his throne being taken from under his bum on the TV.

But in a city where zaniness is as ubiquitous as its “massage” parlors, is day-to-day life all that different?

“The public has barely batted an eye, coups are a part of Thai history,” said Andrea Ross, director of the South East Asia tour company Journeys Within. “I saw a woman approach some soldiers stationed by the skytrain and bow. Other than a slightly increased military presence, little has changed in the capital.”

Viruj Ruchiponges, a manager with Thai Airways, adds: “The military’s more friendly than you’d assume.”

But what does it mean for a tourism industry still struggling post-tsunami?  

“Unless there is a drastic change, it is absolutely safe to visit, although some hotels have reported a drop in bookings,” Ross said.

Special Thailand Report by The Mole



 

profileimage

John Alwyn-Jones



Most Read

Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know

Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham

Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago

Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research

Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact

Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference

Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role

Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal

Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination

Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness

Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future

Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
TRAINING & COMPETITION
Skip to toolbar
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...