More than 28m int'l tourists expected to visit Thailand in 2015

BANGKOK, August 19 (TNA) - Thailand is likely to welcome about 28.6 million international visitors this year, as earlier targeted. Kalin Sarasin, Vice Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the state-run Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Board, made the assessment on Wednesday, expressing his opinion that bombings in Bangkok earlier this week should not seriously affect domestic tourism during the high season late this year. Kalin said representatives of foreign chambers of commerce in Thailand have told him that they were confident that the Thai government would bring the situation under control soon and were impressed with Thai people's great spirit in helping victims well in emergency. Kalin pointed out that the cabin factor of future inbound flights to Thailand by international visitors stands at 47 per cent next month and 70 per cent in October, conceding, however, that concerned parties were wondering if any flight reservation would be cancelled. According to the Thai Chamber of Commerce's vice chair, the parties concerned would later decide whether there should be any special tourism campaign for the country. Meanwhile, Sauwanee Thairungroj, President of Bangkok-based University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, similarly foresaw that the bomb attack at Ratchaprasong Intersection in the central capital on August 17 should have only some short-term psychological impacts and international arrivals in Thailand and domestic tourism in the upcoming high season should, thus, remain normal unless violent incident recurred. Sauwanee told reporters that her university still believed the Thai economy should grow by 2.5-2.9 per cent year-on-year in 2015, noting although local consumers had spent only on necessary items, their consumption should not decline any further. (TNA)