Tourism Low at Koh Larn Island

Mr. Banjert  explained  that  there are usually a  lot of Russian  tourists who visit  the  island  rather  than Europeans but lately it seems like they have  all  just  disappeared. Mr. Banjert  expressed  his  feeling  that  he  is not  secure  about  the  Thai  government because everything is still kind of  shaky. Another  main  reason  for the  tourist disappearance  is because of  the  incident  at  the  Suwanapumi Airport,  but  mainly  it’s  because  of the global economy meltdown.

Last year Koh Larn got over 50 Korean tour groups per day, but now they  are  lucky  if  they  get  two  tour groups per day and some days there are no tour groups at all. This has affected the island in a major way and all the business owners are suffering. There  are  still  a  small  number of  tourists  who  visit  the  island  but not  enough  for  the business owners to  survive.  Therefore,  Mr.  Banjert would  like  to  request  the  Tourism Authority of Thailand do something about this matter and to help promote the  island  and  assure  the  foreigners that Thailand  is  still  a  safe place  to visit.

He said that it is not diffcult for the government to help them out and he understands it will take more than two months for improvement, but he would  like  the government  to make plans  on  a  long  term  basis  so  the business  owners  on  the  island  can survive.

 Koh Larn is known to be among the most affordable place  to visit  in Thailand and it only cost 40 Baht to take  the  ferry  from Bali Hai Pier  in Pattaya  to  cross  to  and  come  back from the island.

For  those  who  stay  over  night the room rates range from 8002300 baht.  Mr.  Banjert  would  like  the Tourism  Authority  of  Thailand  to help by contacting all the embassies in Thailand  to  help  promote  the  island so that Koh Larn can be flled up with tourist once again.