Thailand Confident Tourist Arrivals Not Affected By Terrorist Attacks

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has given an assurance to Malaysian tourists that it was safe to visit the country. TAT marketing manager (Malaysia and Brunei) Richard Lim Chew Lee said the bombing incident in Bangkok last August would not affect the 3.5 million Malaysian tourist arrivals to that country this year. "Thailand was having a lot of alerts but the tourists can rest assured that it's not something that very serious," he said in a media conference held jointly with the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) here Wednesday. Also present was MATTA chief executive officer Phua Tai Neng. Last August, Thailand saw its worst bombing incident when a bomb was detonated inside the Erawan Shrine, located at a busy intersection in Rachaprasong, Bangkok, killing 20 people, including five Malaysians. Meanwhile, TAT director for Malaysia and Brunei, Ahman Mad-adam said Malaysia was the second biggest market for Thailand since few years back. "In 2015, there were 3,423,379 Malaysian tourists, an increase of 31 per cent from 2014. This year, we expect 3.5 million tourists from the country. "To achieve this target, we have opened four exhibition booths at the MATTA Fair which focuses on new tourist destinations in Thailand," he said. The tourist destinations include the three-day Songkran Festival beginning April 13, diving in Khao Lak Island, exploring historical places in Korat, enjoying hotspring in Kanchanauri and a new location for honeymooners in Pai. The MATTA fair, which is scheduled to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre from March 11 to 13, is targeting more than 90,000 visitors to its 1,175 exhibition booths. -- BERNAMA