Hotel bombing leads to massive cancellations
SONGKHLA : Authorities are planning sweeping security improvements in Hat Yai district to revive tourists' confidence ahead of this month's Songkran festival.
The authorities and the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce met yesterday to work out measures to beef up security in the downtown area.
They hope the measures will lure back tourists after Saturday's bomb attack at the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel led to massive cancellations of bookings in the city during the Songkran festival from April 13-15.
The festival is one of the city's biggest draws for travellers. The authorities said improving security was imperative as it would help restore tourists' confidence, which could at least make up for some of the lost cancellations in tours andhotel bookings.
The tourism sector in Hat Yai ground to a halt in the wake of the attack. One of the fatalities was a Malaysian tourist, Low Tsian Hock. Several other Malaysians were also wounded.
Emerging from the top-level meeting yesterday, Pol Gen Chatchai Potranant, adviser to the Royal Thai Police Office, said checkpoints will screen vehicles entering the city around the clock through four main roads and more than 40 feeder roads.