Kubonakala sengathi imboni yezokuvakasha yaseThailand isithuthuke kuleli hlobo ngenxa yokwanda kwabafika kwamanye amazwe, kodwa abaqhubi basalokhu beqaphe noma yiziphi iziyaluyalu zezombusazwe ezingase ziwise lo mkhakha futhi.
Izibalo ezilinganisiwe bezilokhu zehla kancane kancane kusukela ekuqaleni kuka-2009. NgoFebhuwari, i-Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yayilindele ukuthi isibalo sezivakashi ezivakashela eThailand ngo-2009 sizokwehla siye ezigidini ezingu-14 (kusuka ezigidini ezingu-16 ngo-2008) ngenxa yokuntengantenga komnotho.
Ngaphandle komnotho womhlaba, ukuvalwa kwesikhumulo sezindiza iSuvarhabhumi neDon Meuang ngasekupheleni konyaka odlule ngenxa yemibhikisho yePeople's Alliance for Democracy, kwalimala kakhulu isithunzi sezwe. I-TAT ilinganisela ukuthi imibhikisho ibize amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezine emalini elahlekile futhi yabangela izivakashi zakwamanye amazwe eziyisigidi ezi-4 ukuthi zikhansele izinhlelo zazo zokuvakashela eThailand.
U-April walo nyaka kwaba nezinxushunxushu zezombangazwe ezengeziwe e-Bangkok, ngesikhathi seholide lendabuko lonyaka omusha, okubangele amazwe amaningana akhiphe izexwayiso zokuhamba. Igagasi elisha lemibhikisho alizange liphelelwe yisikhathi, njengoba iholide lezinsuku ezintathu livame ukukhuthaza ukusetshenziswa kwemali kwendawo kakhulu.
NgoJuni i-Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) yehlise isibikezelo sayo sabavakashi abafika kulo nyaka safinyelela ezigidini eziyi-11.5, sehle ngamaphesenti angama-21 sisuka ezigidini eziyi-14.5 ngo-2008. Kodwa manje kubonakala sengathi abaqhubi banethemba elikhulu kakhulu.
“Sesinethemba lokuthi uzolulama manje. Ezinye izimakethe ezifana neJapan neChina sezikhulile kusukela ngasekupheleni kukaJulayi, yize ezinye izimakethe zisathule,” kusho isikhulu se-ATTA uSurapol Sritrakul etshela abeReuters.
"Uma ingekho into ebingalindelekile, isibalo sabafikayo kufanele siqhubeke sithuthuka futhi sivale unyaka kangcono kunesibikezelo sethu," engeza, ebhekise ekuqubukeni kwezingxabano zezepolitiki.
Inkampani yenkampani yezindiza i-Thai Airways International nayo izwakale inethemba ngoLwesihlanu. USihlalo uWallop Bhukkanasut utshele izintatheli ngemuva komhlangano webhodi ukuthi i-cabin factor -iphesenti lezihlalo ezidayisiwe- lenyuke lafinyelela ngaphezu kwamaphesenti angama-76 ngo-Agasti.
Kodwa ubungozi bezepolitiki busele kubo bobabili umkhakha wezokuvakasha kanye nomnotho uwonke. Imibhikisho yezepolitiki iyaqhubeka futhi ngemuva kokuthula kanti izinkulungwane zabasekeli balowo owayenguNdunankulu odingisiwe uThaksin Shinawatra zihlela umbuthano omkhulu wokulwa nondunankulu wamanje u-Abhisit Vejjajiva ekuqaleni kukaSepthemba.
