AS BANGKOK races to prevent floodwaters from rushing down from the central plains to the inner city in less than 48 hours, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has reiterated that majority of the tourist attractions in the country are operating as usual.
According to TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni, of the more than 6,000 tourist sites around the country, only 40 attractions – including the UNESCO World Heritage Ayutthaya Historical park – are hit by flood waters. Most of these are located in the ancient Thai capital.
Attractions in key destinations such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Koh Samui continue to operate normally. All airports, including Suvarnabhumi Airport in the capital, are also running as usual.
TAT is urging travellers and the travel trade to monitor developments via its offical website, www.thailandtourismupdate.com.
To illustrate that key tourist attractions are still business as usual, a mass Thai-style wedding ceremony for 100 inbound Chinese couples will proceed tomorrow as scheduled.
The event is jointly organised by TAT, the Shanghai Worker Travel Service and Good Luck Express at the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, located near Pattaya, around 1.5 hours by car from Bangkok.
By Sirima Eamtako
