Thai tourism is rebounding after some rough years of undeserved marketing trouble, and the recent shakeup translates to big discounts and more elbow room on some of the finest beaches and mountain resorts going. Thai hotel, restaurant and tour operators who have weathered recent storms are starting to see daylight. The 2003/2004 high season in Thailand (from December to February) boasted healthy numbers and there are some exciting new infrastructure programs underway.
Remember that the Thai off-season, from March to September, is a great opportunity to chase discounts and find privacy in tourist destinations that are otherwise overrun in the winter months. Check the Planning Chapter in Frommer's Thailand for more advice on where and when to go. And for more information on upcoming events in Thailand, visit the Tourist Authority website at www.tat.or.th.
News
In an era of heightened security and conflict worldwide, Thailand faced its own set of public relations disasters in recent years. Just as the number of visitors was beginning to increase after the events in New York on September 11, 2001, the SARS crisis hit China. Though there were no reported SARS cases in Thailand, tourism suffered, and it would be some time before the zeitgeist of a surgical mask-wearing, agoraphobic Asia would disappear from collective conscience. Jemaah Islamiah, an Islamic terror group, perpetrated attacks in Bali's Kuta Beach tourist area and at the JW Marriott in Jakarta, fueling further regional concern. Then came another marketing nightmare: Avian Influenza, or the "Bird Flu," that hit southern Thailand. Though the disease had but nineteen suspected cases, and of those only 5 deaths (hardly the pandemic that the press portrayed), not even the Thai Prime Minister's publicity dinners at Kentucky Fried Chicken could allay public concern and unravel many would-be visitors apprehensions.
Recent news from Thailand focuses on the troubles in the far south along the Malay border. Sectarian tensions and small-scale terror attacks by isolated extremist groups since January, 2004 have provoked a swift and deadly response from the Thai military. Thai police and military installations, schools and Buddhist temples have been targeted by extremists, and retaliation from Thai troops has left hundreds dead; in fact, much of the international criticism cites excessive use of military force against young militants, particulary in the wake of a massacre at a temple in late April of this year. The southern border area, near Pattani and Sungai Kolok, has been under periodic martial law, and travelers are discouraged from any unnecessary travel to the far south; few international tourists visit the area however, and any violence so far has been directed at Thai establishments and places that cater to Malay tourists (mostly weekend revelers). International tourist dollars accounts for more than 5 percent of the domestic economy, and Thais are very careful to protect their tourist destinations. The situation along the border is being watched closely, and things have been calm of late. Deferring travel to the south coast islands (which are far-removed from the violence) would only mean a triumph for extremists.
Bangkok
The big news is that Bangkok has a subway! Sure, you can still avail yourself of the two hour cross-town taxi ride, or get a snootful of fumes on the public buses, but on August 12th, an auspicious date that coincides with the cyclical birth of the Queen, the City of Angels opens the doors on a nearly US$3 billion subway system. The new subway is all the buzz among Bangkokians, and the best, brightest and most connected are shuffling for much sought-after slots on practice runs of the new system. The cars are just now being shipped from Germany and the system is being fine-tuned and perfected for the long overdue opening (initial projections had called for trial runs starting in January 2002). The subway will connect Hualamphang Train Station with the northern Mo Chit bus terminal via an inverted C route through the city, with access to the existing skytrain at Silom and at the Asok stop on Sukhumvit Rd. One ride will cost between 15B and 35B (US¢38-¢90).
Bangkok is also awaiting the completion of a new airport. Suvanabhumi International Airport is slated for opening in the fall of 2005. The current airport, Don Muang International, will be transformed into the domestic terminal. With multiple terminals and extensive facilities, the new airport will be connected by some 30km (18.5 miles) of elevated superhighway with the town center, and there are plans to extend mass transit service for a direct connect. The over US$2 billion project, along with other mass transport upgrades, is part of a larger plan to assert Thai dominance as an industrial and commercial hub in the region.
In other airline news, there have been some exciting changes on the domestic air scene, with many new, smaller carriers vying for domestic routes. Nok Air (nok means bird) is a small, no-frills subsidiary of Thai Airways (www.thaiair.com); Air Asia (www.airasia.com), a budget Malay carrier, has faced some heavy red-tape and sanctions in their efforts to get going in Thailand, but they are now running budget hops to all major tour destinations in the kingdom; and Valuejet is making connections from a number of international destinations. New routes are opening up travel to nearby Myanmar, specifically to the temple town of Bagan, and Malaysia.
Accommodations
The Anantara Resort and Spa Golden Triangle (229 Moo, Chiang Saen tel. 05378-4084 www.anantara.com) is open for business. Just a one hour drive from Chiang Rai and in the heart of the famed opium producing region, the hotel boasts 90 sumptuous rooms, beautiful views of the confluence of the Mekong and the Ruak Rivers, and a host of amenities, from fine dining to a cooking school and even a private elephant camp, all just a short hop from the popular Museum of Opium in the heart of hilltribe country.
Along with the Golden Triangle Resort and a fine property in Hua Hin, Anantara has broken ground on the Anantara Resort and Spa Koh Samui (101/3 Bo Phut Bay, Samui Island tel. 02477-0795 www.anantara.com). Set to open in November 2004, the 108 rooms of the resort cover a large campus that overlooks a quiet stretch of beach on Bo Phut Bay near Fisherman's Village (just 7 minutes from the airport in Samui). The design scheme is a cool contemporary with tranquil water gardens and a pool with vanishing edge leading to the ocean horizon.
On Koh Chang, a lush little hideaway just short of the Cambodian border on Thailand's eastern seaboard, the folks at the Amari hotel chain have just finished construction on the Amari Emerald Cove Resort (88/8 Moo 4, Tambol Koh Chang, Trat tel. 03955-1195 www.amari.com). With properties in all of the major destinations in the kingdom, Amari hotels and resorts offer a standard of comfort and consistency unmatched, and the Emerald Cove is the latest jewel in their crown on an otherwise undeveloped isle. Not to be missed.
Jazz Festival
And jazz is coming to the kingdom! Over the weekend of June 4th, the 3rd annual Jazz Festival will be held in Hua Hin. The event features artists from all over the world, and is starting to attract lots of attention. For information, check their website at www.huahinjazzfestival.com. There is also a jazz festival gaining momentum in Pattaya, and Thailand is increasingly hosting a variety of international events, from major golf tournaments to conventions and even Elephant Polo (check it out at www.thaielepolo.com).
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