Thailand: The brand and its tourism appeal takes yet another beating

 An ominous sense of d?j? vu is inevitable, as the country?s latest crisis is a bloody reminder of how Thailand has struggled with destabilisation and uncertainty since former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted from office in a military coup in September 2006.

The pro-Thaksin protesters are fighting to bring the Government down. They are adamant that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva came to power illegitimately and is merely a puppet of the military. The protesters have so far clashed with military forces and police, and have called on Abhisit to resign and call fresh elections. As the demonstrations and fighting have continued, some 21 people including civilians have been killed while more than 800 people have been injured.

In light of the violent clashes, Thai tourism arrivals could slump 20 per cent this year according to the nation?s Fiscal Policy Office. At the time of writing, flights for the Kingdom?s New Year holidays have already fallen 4.1 per cent, while the country?s full-year tourism revenue may fall by as much as 20.8 billion baht (US$645 million).

In late 2008, protests saw the country?s airports come to a standstill amid a familiar state of emergency. Businesses were nervy while tourists and visitors were left in a state of flux. Tourism Thailand was then believed to have slashed marketing spend in a ?hectic? scenario planning initiative, aimed at assessing how much of an estimated US$10 million annual budget remained to boost the country?s international image after the protests ended.