Smog blankets Thai South

THAI FAR SOUTH, October 5 (TNA) - Haze from Indonesia has blanketed areas in the Thai South, but it has not affected hotel reservations yet. Yutthachai Soonthornratanawet, President of the Association of Domestic Travel, told journalists on Monday that haze from forest fires in Indonesia has covered Songkhla, Satun, Phatthalung and Trang Provinces in the Thai far South. Yutthachai confirmed that there has not been any cancellation report on local hotel reservations and international tourist arrivals in the areas. Yutthachai conceded, however, that low visibility might cause marine accidents, especially of speedboats equipped only with compasses, urging authorities of neighboring countries, namely Indonesian Malaysia and Singapore, to work together with Thailand to seriously solve the forest fire problem. Meanwhile, Surapong Techaruvichit, President of the Thai Hotels Association, stressed that he has not received any report on cancelled hotel reservations. Surapong acknowledged that haze is affecting Hat Yai, Thailand's southern business hub in Songkhla Province, where most visitors are Malaysians. According to Thai Hotels Association president, haze has also affected Malaysia, but has had no impacts on Thai tourist destinations along the southern Andaman coast. (TNA)