Interview answer by Pattaya Times Managing Director to ATM travel industry magazine

The uprising ended almost immediately there after. No tourists or foreigners outside the contained areas of conflict were reported injured or ever in danger. The demonstrations were very isolated and well contained by the Royal Thai Police.

Therefore, medium, 90 days + to long term bookings for FIT, MICE and VFR is unlikely to suffer long-term. In fact, with most providers discounting rates, inbound travel and MICE bookings may rise year-on-year in Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok during the next high sea-son starting in October and ending in March 2010.

Thailand has been through three Prime Ministers within the last year. This last uprising of the disenchanted was different.  For the first time, the conflict did not end because of someone wearing a red shirt, a yellow shirt or even a blue shirt. 

It did not end by someone in politics.  It did not end by someone in uniform. It ended when ordinary citizens, who wore only their normal clothes, came out of their shops and homes in Bangkok armed with whatever they had to protect their property, to drive away the pests that were ruining their neighborhoods and the image of their country. Thai hospitality is more important than politics to most Thais.

There are twenty travel-related companies and government agencies from Pattaya and even more from Bangkok coming to show the world the magic of Thailand at the most important travel exhibition in the world, the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) May 5-9.  The Tourism Authority of Thailand is concentrating its 2009 budget to promoting travel to Thailand in the Middle East, India and Russian primarily so the ATM is very important. 

The ATM will help us show the world Thailand is the best travel value, with the best golf courses, best spas, best cultural attractions, great hospitality, exciting night life, international and Thai restaurants and the most pleasant weather of anywhere on earth.

We in Thailand know how important ATM is and that is why we will be well represented to encourage travel agency brokers to take advantage of our discounted prices on all levels of accommodations and activities from basic travel to four and five star Thai treatment.