With heightened warnings regarding the flooding situation in Thailand now reducing, things are getting back to normal across most parts of Thailand. It’s true that Thailand has gone through the worst floods for many years, although major tourist regions such as Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui have remained largely unaffected throughout the trouble. However, this has not stopped the mainstream media exaggerating the problems in time-honored fashion.
PTA President Somboon Jirayus, believes that the world media has used sensationalized images when writing about the flood problems, “Flooding images in the foreign media have [negatively] affected Thailand tourism, including in Phuket,” said the President.
“Many countries, especially in Scandinavia, have issued travel advisories for their tourists to avoid traveling to Bangkok because they misunderstand that Don Mueang Airport is the only airport in Bangkok, and [they have] assumed that flooding has affected all of Thailand,” he continued.
Although I feel for the people who have been dramatically affected by the Thailand floods, most of which in the north of Thailand and the surrounding areas of Bangkok and the city, President Somboon Jirayus has a point about the western media’s portrayal of the floods. This is not the first time they have slightly dramatized certain situations to sell newspapers… the military coup springs to mind!
I just hope that Phuket tourists realize that Bangkok is over a 12 hour drive to Phuket, and when something happens in the capital, we very seldom feel the effects on Phuket Island.
