Thailand- the land of smiles- grins and bears it

The ?land of smiles? is putting on a brave face these days as Thailand fights to rebuild its struggling tourism sector in the wake of the bloody political crisis.

Foreign tourists have avoided the country while the government is taking drastic measures to attract them back ? including tax incentives for domestic travellers and tourism trade fairs ? in an effort to strengthen the damaged economy.

Arrivals at Bangkok?s Suvarnabhumi Airport are down close to 20 per cent this past month.

On the streets of Bangkok, popular tourist strips are virtually barren of foreigners, while police fervently ? ready to stop and search anyone deemed suspicious-looking after dark.

In a desperate attempt to project a safer picture to the international community, local airline Thai Airways has partnered with other tourism companies to offer close to 1,000 media professionals and journalists free trips to the battered country to generate more positive headlines.

Set to be the biggest public relations effort in Thailand?s troubled history, it drastically overshadows disastrous events from recent years such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. In short, the country needs international support more than ever as the falling Baht (it?s equal to three cents) struggles through the global economic crisis and rising oil prices.

It is especially bad timing for the country as it is entering the low season, which traditionally sees a dramatic drop in tourist numbers because of constant rain and high humidity.

Yet with travel warnings lifted for the time being, it is a welcome sign to see Friendly Planet, one of the world?s biggest tour operators, re-enter the troubled country for the first time since the crisis began. In effort to save the tourism infrastructure, Friendly Planet is offering its nine-day Taste of Thailand tour for $999, with the first departure on Aug. 25, after deciding to cancel all flights to the country two months ago with no penalty to its customers.

In addition to these measures, the government is offering lower landing fees to struggling airlines throughout the kingdom to help reduce ticket costs. To assist travellers, the government is also removing certain visa fees indefinitely.

The government also hopes to keep small businesses afloat throughout the country by offering cheap loans and cash incentives.

The hotel industry has taken one of the biggest hits of all and some of the country?s most popular tourist sites are offering outlandish deals at incredibly inexpensive prices. Several are even offering free nights all together.

Amidst all of this, the scene in Bangkok feels like the eye of the hurricane, as the rebellious red shirts recently stated to the local media that they are rebuilding and will not cease until the Thai government has been dismantled.

Yet Bangkok?s charm isn?t too hard to find. The few foreigners there are have become a sight for sore eyes in the view of the Thai people. But tension is still noticeable in the thick, humid air. Beneath the forced-smiles and inexpensive deals, the land of smiles still holds a collective grimace.

Sourced=the-star