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Thai turmoil not deterring Malaysians from going to Hatyai & Bangkok
Report from the STAR dated 8 May 2014 :-
Thai turmoil not deterring Malaysians from going to Hatyai & Bangkok
GEORGE TOWN: Malaysians continue to travel to Haadyai and Bangkok despite the bomb scare and political turmoil involving the sacking of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
A random check of tour and travel agents in Penang offering transfers and holiday packages to the neighbouring country showed it is business as usual for them.
Newsia Express Service Centre staff Teh Ooi Keong, 45, said people were still flocking to his shop for bus and van tickets to Haadyai, Bangkok and other parts of Thailand.
“Each day, we have four trips to Haadyai and one to Bangkok every day and no one has cancelled their transport bookings,” he said, adding that the bombing had not affected sales as this was not the first time it had happened.
“I am not sure if business will be affected in the next few days.”
Teh said demand for holiday packages to Bangkok had dropped several months ago.
He added that there were some cancellations for the agency’s two-day-one-night packages to Haadyai but “it is only about 20%”.
Penang travel agencies are also popular with foreign tourists travelling to Thailand due to its frequency of trips and different mode of transportations such as mini-van, bus or train.
At Banana Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, a ticketing agent said their daily trips to Haadyai and Bangkok were still in service.
“So far, I’ve not received any calls to cancel bookings or heard of any trips being cancelled,” she said.
In Alor Setar, VIP Travel And Tour (M) Sdn Bhd owner Rohanee Ismail said a group planning to leave for Haadyai yesterday cancelled the trip at the last minute.
“My customer postponed the trip due to the bombings and the political instability there,” she said.“It will be back to normal when the situation calms down.”
----- KatoeyNewsNetwork
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