Possible negative effects of state of emergency on Thailand's tourism industry
By Jon Fernquest
Central
Bangkok was shut down by protesters for
months. Unpredictable bomb attacks rocked Bangkok for weeks culminating in arson attacks and curfew for a week, none of which has ever been fully explained.
All of this chaos brought life and business in the city to a standstill.
In the end, the bloodshed that it took to end this chaotic situation was also a heavy price to pay.
For all these reasons and more, one might expect Bangkok residents to welcome a state of emergency that gives the police and military the powers they need to make sure that this tragedy doesn't happen again.
Some experts, however, claim that continuing the state of emergency could have a negative effect on Thailand's tourism industry due to the negative image that it creates
That is the topic of today's article which begins after the vocabulary.
state
- condition สภาพ
state of emergency - "a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale for suspending civil liberties. Such declarations usually come during a time of natural disaster, during periods of civil disorder, or following a declaration of war (in democratic countries, many call this martial law, mostly with non-critical intent)." (See Wikipedia)
shut down - stop operation completely (or a machine, building, whole area of town...)
culminate - series of events ends in some situation
X culminates in Y - the process or series of events X ends in situation Y
arson - the crime of setting fire to things such as buildings or forests (See Wikipedia)
curfew - a law that does not allow people to go out at night (from a certain hour in the evening to a cerain hour in the morning)
standstill - when something completely stops moving or working
bring to a standstill - stop something completely
bloodshed - situation where people are killed and injured during fighting
chaotic - happening with confusion and without any organization
tragedy - a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die
image - what people think about a person, organization or product, the pictures and opinions about it that they have in their minds
state of emergency - "a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale for suspending civil liberties. Such declarations usually come during a time of natural disaster, during periods of civil disorder, or following a declaration of war (in democratic countries, many call this martial law, mostly with non-critical intent)." (See Wikipedia)
shut down - stop operation completely (or a machine, building, whole area of town...)
culminate - series of events ends in some situation
X culminates in Y - the process or series of events X ends in situation Y
arson - the crime of setting fire to things such as buildings or forests (See Wikipedia)
curfew - a law that does not allow people to go out at night (from a certain hour in the evening to a cerain hour in the morning)
standstill - when something completely stops moving or working
bring to a standstill - stop something completely
bloodshed - situation where people are killed and injured during fighting
chaotic - happening with confusion and without any organization
tragedy - a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die
image - what people think about a person, organization or product, the pictures and opinions about it that they have in their minds
Economics
Extension of emergency criticised
Tourism industry fears more fallout7/07/2010
Chadamas Chinmaneevong
The government should think twice about extending the state of emergency because of the harm it would do to tourism, say industry executives.
Prakit Chinamourphong, the president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA) said the approval of a three-month extension of the state of emergency in the capital and 19 provinces would surely affect foreign travellers' confidence in the country.
He believes the government should review the decree on a monthly basis.
extend (verb) -
increase the length of time something exists
extension (noun) - an increasin the length of time something exists ขยายขอบเขตออกไป
emergency - an unexpected situation involving danger in which immediate action is necessary เหตุฉุกเฉิน
Y criticized - faults and what was wrong with Y was pointed out
fallout - the negative effects from a bad event or action (like "nuclear fallout" from a nuclear bomb)
harm - damage ความเสียหาย
executives - a high level manager in a company (making plans and ensuring they executed successfully) ผู้บริหาร
Thai Hotels Association (THA) - industry trade association for hotel companies in Thailand
industry trade association - non-profit organizations that bring together companies in an industry so they can collaborate on some projects such as "advertising, education, political donations, lobbying and publishing, ...or standardization" (See Wikipedia)
approval - official permission การอนุมัต
capital - the central city in a country for government, the place where the head of state and legislature for a country meets
confidence -feel sure about something, trusting and believing in something ความเชื่อมั่น, ความมั่นใจ
decree - an official order or decision made by the ruler of a country
review - to look closely at a situation, idea or policy to decide whether it has worked, whether it is satisfactory
review on a monthly basis - to look closely at some situation every month to see if it is working
extension (noun) - an increasin the length of time something exists ขยายขอบเขตออกไป
emergency - an unexpected situation involving danger in which immediate action is necessary เหตุฉุกเฉิน
Y criticized - faults and what was wrong with Y was pointed out
fallout - the negative effects from a bad event or action (like "nuclear fallout" from a nuclear bomb)
harm - damage ความเสียหาย
executives - a high level manager in a company (making plans and ensuring they executed successfully) ผู้บริหาร
Thai Hotels Association (THA) - industry trade association for hotel companies in Thailand
industry trade association - non-profit organizations that bring together companies in an industry so they can collaborate on some projects such as "advertising, education, political donations, lobbying and publishing, ...or standardization" (See Wikipedia)
approval - official permission การอนุมัต
capital - the central city in a country for government, the place where the head of state and legislature for a country meets
confidence -feel sure about something, trusting and believing in something ความเชื่อมั่น, ความมั่นใจ
decree - an official order or decision made by the ruler of a country
review - to look closely at a situation, idea or policy to decide whether it has worked, whether it is satisfactory
review on a monthly basis - to look closely at some situation every month to see if it is working
The government has the power to extend the emergency decree. But I think an extension for three months instead of a month is considered too long and makes people feel that our nation faces serious unrest," he said.
We aren't confident now whether international tourists would start to return in the last quarter as earlier expected. I think this will affect tourism sentiment, especially in the Chinese and Japanese markets whose travellers are starting to return to Thailand.
power
- energy in the form of electricity produced in large quantities and
used to operate lights, machines, and heating
extend - add more time, make a period of time longer ขยายออกไป, ยืดออกไป
decree - official decision announced by the government
long - to want something very much ต้องการ ปรารถนา
confident - being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans, or the future มั่นใจ
international - ระหว่างประเทศ between countries
quarter - time period of three months of the year, used as an accounting period for budgeting and financial reporting
expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
sentiment - an attitude or belief that people have based on their thoughts and feelings อารมณ์ทางความคิด
extend - add more time, make a period of time longer ขยายออกไป, ยืดออกไป
decree - official decision announced by the government
long - to want something very much ต้องการ ปรารถนา
confident - being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans, or the future มั่นใจ
international - ระหว่างประเทศ between countries
quarter - time period of three months of the year, used as an accounting period for budgeting and financial reporting
expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
sentiment - an attitude or belief that people have based on their thoughts and feelings อารมณ์ทางความคิด
Akapol Sorasuchart, president of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) agreed, saying there would be an impact on the Mice (meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition) business.
Insurance companies as well would baulk at offering coverage or paying claims to clients as long as the emergency decree remains in effect, he added.
impact
- an effect or influence ผลกระทบ
meeting - when a group of people come together to discuss issues and make decisions การประชุม
incentive - reward to encourage certain behaviour, reward to make people do something, something that makes you want to do something or work harder, because you know that you will benefit by doing this สิ่งกระตุ้น
convention - a large formal meeting of people who do a particular job or have a similar interest, or a large meeting for a political party การประชุม
exhibition - a public show where art or other interesting things are put so that people can go and look at them นิทรรศการ, งานแสดง
MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry - the tourism industry of organising large events (See Wikipedia)
coverage - the number of people in the programme, the number of participants
baulk - disagree with strongly and perhaps refuse to do (because you see problems with it)
clients - (formal) customer ลูกค้า
remains in effect - a rule or law is still being used and enforced
meeting - when a group of people come together to discuss issues and make decisions การประชุม
incentive - reward to encourage certain behaviour, reward to make people do something, something that makes you want to do something or work harder, because you know that you will benefit by doing this สิ่งกระตุ้น
convention - a large formal meeting of people who do a particular job or have a similar interest, or a large meeting for a political party การประชุม
exhibition - a public show where art or other interesting things are put so that people can go and look at them นิทรรศการ, งานแสดง
MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry - the tourism industry of organising large events (See Wikipedia)
coverage - the number of people in the programme, the number of participants
baulk - disagree with strongly and perhaps refuse to do (because you see problems with it)
clients - (formal) customer ลูกค้า
remains in effect - a rule or law is still being used and enforced
Visitors have lacked confidences about travelling to Thailand. But I think that as long as the government isn't totally confident that the country is back to normal, it shouldn't rescind the decree," said Mr Akapol.
He suggests the government set an exact timeframe for how long the emergency decree should continue.
confident -
believing in your ability to succeed, not being frightened or nervous
rescind - end, make inactive so it is not used anymore
timeframe - the length of time during which an event or a poject happens ในกรอบเวลาที่ระบุำไว้
rescind - end, make inactive so it is not used anymore
timeframe - the length of time during which an event or a poject happens ในกรอบเวลาที่ระบุำไว้
As a state agency, the TCEB must work harder and harder to inform people about the real situation in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, said Mr Akapol.
The bureau plans to stage three or four large-scale familiarisation trips starting in September for Mice decision-makers, international media and travel agents to have a first-hand look at Thailand.
inform
- tell people about what happened, report new information to people who
don't know about it yet
bureau - a government organisation, in this case, within the police department สำนักงาน
stage - a part of an activity or process or a period of development ระยะ, ช่วง, ตอน
stage - a particular point in time during a process or set of events จังหวะเวลา
stage - a particular point in time during a process or set of events ระยะเวลา ช่วงเวลา
scale - size (relative size)
large-scale - much larger than normal
familiar (adjective) - when you know something well and are comfortable dealing with it
familiarisation (noun) - the process of learning about something and becoming familiar with it
familiarisation trips - taking a trip to a place to learn about it and experience it first-hand
media - radio, television, newspaper, the Internet, considered as a group สื่อ
first-hand - see something yourself (not just listen to other people who saw it describe it to you)
bureau - a government organisation, in this case, within the police department สำนักงาน
stage - a part of an activity or process or a period of development ระยะ, ช่วง, ตอน
stage - a particular point in time during a process or set of events จังหวะเวลา
stage - a particular point in time during a process or set of events ระยะเวลา ช่วงเวลา
scale - size (relative size)
large-scale - much larger than normal
familiar (adjective) - when you know something well and are comfortable dealing with it
familiarisation (noun) - the process of learning about something and becoming familiar with it
familiarisation trips - taking a trip to a place to learn about it and experience it first-hand
media - radio, television, newspaper, the Internet, considered as a group สื่อ
first-hand - see something yourself (not just listen to other people who saw it describe it to you)
However, Chumpol Silpa-archa, the tourism and sports minister, remains upbeat about tourism, saying the country may attract almost 15 million tourists this year as travellers return to resorts following deadly political clashes in April and May.
Tourist arrivals from January to June reached 7.4 million, with daily arrivals to Suvarnabhmi Airport having risen to almost 30,000 people, he said
upbeat
- happy and positive because you are confident that you will get what
you want มีความหวัง
attract - to cause someone to be interested in something ดึงดูดความสนใจ
attract - to cause someone to be interested in something ดึงดูดความสนใจ
(Source: Extension of emergency criticised, Tourism industry fears more fallout, 7/07/2010, Chadamas Chinmaneevong, link)
