Renewed enforcement of emergency decree not affecting Thai tourism: minister

Thailand's tourism industry has not been affected by renewing enforcement of the emergency decree, Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa said Tuesday, the Bangkok Post's website reported.

"Road shows and other tourism promotional events should ensure the tourist arrivals' number in 2010 to reach approximately 15 million as projected," the minister said.

Thailand's weekly cabinet meeting earlier Tuesday resolved to lift the emergency decree in five provinces and renew it for another three months in capital Bangkok and 18 other provinces, or totally 19 provinces of Thailand's 76 provinces.

Chumpol said the number of foreign tourists is rising steadily as most countries, except Saudi Arabia, had stopped warning their people about visiting Thailand.

Re-imposing the emergency decree, moreover, would ensure national security and public safety, Chumpol said.

Totally 7.4 million tourists visited Thailand in the first six months (January-June), 2010, the minister said.

And, the number of the tourists should rise further in the 2nd half, enabling the country's tourism industry to recover quickly, Chumpol said.

The cabinet's resolution was made as the emergency decree is going to complete its 3-month term of the enforcement on Wednesday, July 7.

Sourced=english.peopledaily