TAT DISTRIBUTION LIST

SITUATION UPDATE
As of September 14, 2008/ 12.00 hrs (Bangkok Time)
THE EMERGENCY DECREE HAS BEEN LIFTED

1. The Emergency Decree was lifted on Sunday morning (14 September 2008) thereby ending the state of emergency in Bangkok.
   
   
2. Following the ruling by Thailand’s Constitutional Court on 9 September 2008, Mr Somchai Wongsawat, as first deputy prime minister, has assumed the role of acting prime minister. The House of Representatives will vote for a new prime minister on Wednesday, 17 September. Cabinet ministers will continue their duties until a new prime minister and a new cabinet are sworn in.
   
   
3. The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) anti-government rally is restricted to the designated protest site and the immediate areas. Tourists and expats in Bangkok are advised to avoid travelling to areas near the demonstration site namely — Government House and Ratchadamnoen Nok Road (Makkawan Bridge).
   
   
4. For visitors planning trips to various sites around Rattanakosin Island (Koh Rattanakosin), shuttle boats and river taxis that serve the various public piers along the Chao Phraya River provides fast and convenient transportation to several of these sites.
   
   
5. All other areas in Bangkok remain unaffected by the rally. There has been no significant disruption to life and business in the capital beyond added traffic congestion in a few areas. The vast majority of the city, including all the major tourist spots (including The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun-Temple of Dawn, and Sanam Luang – The Royal Ground), shopping centres and riverside attractions, as well as all roads and public/private transport systems are functioning normally. Bangkok’s city taxi and rail services are unaffected. All hotels and resorts in Bangkok and throughout Thailand are open for business as usual.
   
   
6. Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok’s international airport) and all regional airports around Thailand are operating normally. Rail services in provincial areas of the north and northeastern regions are operating normally. Service has also resumed on most of the rail services to destinations in the south. (Call Centre: 1690). Major surface routes between Bangkok and other parts of Thailand are unaffected. Travel to key destinations around Thailand, such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Northeastern Thailand (Isan) and other parts of the country remains unaffected.
   
   
7. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has embarked on an immediate tourism recovery plan and is working closely with the Thai tourism industry to restore confidence in the destination.
   
   

   	TAT has been conducting random interviews with individual tourists at various popular tourism sites around Bangkok, such as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Khao San Road, Chatuchak Market, Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Siam Square and CentralWorld at Ratchaprasong intersection. Foreign tourists were asked how they felt about their stay in Thailand over the past week and early this week. All of the individuals responded positively and indicated that the situation has not in any way affected his/her visit to Thailand. Videos of these interviews from September 6 onwards have been posted on community web sites such as YouTube.com, DailyMotion.com and Sharkle.com, as well as on the TAT’s main web site and under “Situation Updates” on the Home Page of the TAT News Room web site – www.TATnews.org TAT has also participated in several online travel forums such as Tripadvisor.com, Lonely planet.com and VirtualTourist.com Web link to the Thailand Tourism Update page on TourismThailand.org http://www.tourismthailand.org/thailandtourismupdate/
   	Thailand Invitation Mega Familiarization Trip As part of Thailand’s tourism recovery plans, TAT will be hosting a “Thailand Invitation” mega familiarization trip (‘fam’ trip) for over 800 media representatives and travel operators from around the world. During their stay in Thailand during October 8 – 12, fam trip participants will be presented with several opportunities to experience products from the various categories presented under the Seven Amazing Wonders of Thailand theme, with a special focus on Northern and Northeastern Thailand (Isan). The Thailand Invitation fam trip itinerary for each participant will feature specially selected tourism products and services that are likely to be of most relevance and greatest interest to individual consumers and travellers in their home country. Fam trip participants will also be attending the Chiang Mai and North Tourism Forum on 10 October. Upon their return home, media coverage generated by the fam trip participants will include special destination features, articles, film documentaries for the various media channels including broadcast (television and radio), print media and electronic/digital media (web sites and mobile devices).
   	TAT will also be organizing a total of 8 international “Amazing Thailand” roadshows from September to November 2008. Amazing Thailand Roadshow to China: September 10 – 12 covering the cities of Xian, Xiamen and Schenzen     Amazing Thailand Sales Seminar in Vietnam: November-December covering the cities of Hanoi, Haiphong and Danang     Pre-World Travel Mart 2008 Road Show to Stockholm and Copenhagen, Sweden, November 4-6.
   	TAT and Thai tourism industry representatives will also be participating in 13 international travel trade shows. THAILAND PRESENCE AT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TRADE SHOWS Date ASIA (3) PATA Travel Mart 2008 in Hyderabad, India September 16-19 JATA World Tourism Congress and Travel Fair in Tokyo, Japan September 18 - 21 China International Travel Mart in Shanghai, China November 20 - 23   EUROPE & THE MIDDLE EAST (8) Top Resa Paris International Travel Market in Paris, France September 16-19 MATIW -Leisure 2008 in Moscow, Russia September 23 - 28 INWETEX-CIS Travel Market in St Petersburg, Russia October 1 - 3 Ukraine International Travel Market in Kiev, Ukraine October 7 - 9 TTG Incontri in Remini, Italy October 24 - 26 Global Health Care Travel Exhibition & Congress in Dubai, United Arab Emirates November 2 - 4 World Travel Mart (WTM) in London, UK November 10 - 13 International Luxury Travel Mart in Cannes, France December 8-11   UNITED STATES (2) DEMA Show 2008 (dive expo) in Las Vegas, USA October 22 - 25 Luxury Travel Expo 2008 in Las Vegas, USA December 2 - 4
   	TAT will be hosting the 2008 Thailand Tourism Awards and the 6th Friends of Thailand Awards on World Tourism Day on 27 September.
   	TAT is also jointly hosting the 2008 Bangkok International Film Festival organized by The Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand, September 23 – 30, 2008. Web site: www.bangkokfilm.org The following actors and celebrities will be attending the red carpet and gala screening as Thailand’s distinguished guests: Hong Kong film director, producer, cinematographer, and actor Andrew Lau (Internal Affairs); Singaporean film director Eric Khoo (Be With Me and August); Hong Kong actors Li Ming (Seven Swords and Fallen Angels) and Robin Shou (Mortal Kombat which was filmed in Thailand); Korean actor Lee Dong Wook (My Girl); British actor Michael York OBE (Austin Powers); Hollywood actress Ariellle Kebbel (American Pie, Be Cool and John Tucker Must Die); Scottish film producer, editor and director Iain Smith OBE (The Fifth Element and Cold Mountain) and Dutch film producer and founder of Fortissimo Film Sales Wouter Barendrecht (Short Bus and Party Monster).

Thailand Tourism Updates web links

Main TAT web site:
http://www.tourismthailand.org/thailandtourismupdate/

YouTube.com
http://www.youtube.com/thailand

DailyMotion.com
http://www.dailymotion.com/amazingthailand

Sharkle.com
http://www.sharkle.com/member/amazingthailand

For further information, please call the Tourism Authority of Thailand Hotline.
Simply dial 1672 from anywhere in Thailand. For overseas enquiries, please contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand office nearest to you.

Tourists planning to travel to Thailand are advised to check the latest situation
regarding their travel plans with their travel agents or contact:

Tourist Information at the airport: +66 (0) 2134 0041-2

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA): +66 (0) 2237 6046-8

TAT Call Centre: 1672

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chumphon Office
Tel: +66 (0) 7423 1055 / 7423 8518 / 7424 3747
Fax: +66 (0) 7424 5986
E-mail: tatsgkhl@tat.or.th
Web site: www.tourismthailand.org/hatyai

Tourism Authority of Thailand , Phuket Office
Tel: +66 (0) 7621 1036/ 7621 7138/ 7621 2213
Fax: +66 (0) 7621 3582
E-mail: tatphket@tat.or.th
Web site: www.tourismthailand.org/phuket

Tourism Authority of Thailand , Krabi Office
Tel: +66 (0) 7562 2163
Fax: +66 (0) 7562 2164
E-mail: tatkrabi@tat.or.th
Web site: www.tourismthailand.org/krabi

Tourism Authority of Thailand , Trang Office
Tel: +66 (0) 7521 5867-8
Fax: +66 (0) 7521 5868
E-mail: tattrang@tat.or.th
Web site: www.tourismthailand.org/trang

Tourism Authority of Thailand , Surat Thani Office
Tel: +66 (0) 7728 8818-9
Fax: +66 (0) 7728 2828
E-mail: tatsurat@tat.or.th
Web site: www.tourismthailand.org/suratthani

Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok International Airport)
Call Centre: +66 (0) 2132 1888

Phuket International Airport
Tel: +66 (0) 76 327 231 - 7

Krabi Airport
Tel: +66 (0) 75 636 541 - 2

Samui Airport
Tel: +66 (0) 77 428 500

Surat Thani Airport
Tel: +66 (0) 077 441 230

Airports Authority of Thailand, Hat Yai office
Tel: +66 (0) 74-227-000

For the latest updates, please visit
www.TATnews.org