CHINESE TOURISTS KEEP AWAY

       The simmering political uncertainty has discouraged Chinese tourists from travelling to Thailand, with booking for National Day celebrations in the Kingdom down 70 per cent from 2007 level.
       Sittiwat Chivarattanaporn, president of the Thai-Chinese Tourism Association, said yesterday that he has learnt that the Chinese government recommends its people to avoid going to countries with political tourmoil for their own safety while inbound tour operators also hesitate to organise Chinese tours to Thailand.
       He said that in 2007, 70,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand to celebrate the mainland's National Day on October I, generating Bt 2 billion for the industry.
       He added that if the red-shirted demonstration beginning today lasts longer than three to five days, the country's tourism industry will collapse. The unrest would scare away not only Chinese tourists but also those from other countries.
       Sittiwat claimed that the political uncertainty in Thailand had prompted the shutdown of many organised tours of Chinese to Thailand.
       He said that many Chinese tour opaerators in China were monitoring the situation to see if today's demonstration will last long or end smoothly befor they resume selling tour packages to Thailand.
       "Most operators have been fretting about Thailand's political situation since the collapse of the Asean summit meeting in Pattaya. Then they had to sell neighbouring countries instead," he said.