Original report from Phnom Penh
28 November 2008
Thailand’s political crisis is costing Cambodia’s tourism sector $1 million a day in lost revenue, tourism officials say, while worries are growing about security for an upcoming Asean conference and the resolution of a monthslong border standoff.
Anti-government demonstrators have closed Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in their efforts to oust the prime minister. In Cambodia, 10 flights per day have been canceled between three airlines, and tourism officials say they are missing 2,000 tourists per day as a result.
Ho Vandy, president of the Cambodian Tourism Association, estimated that the average tourist will spend $500 on a four-day trip in Cambodia, amounting to a loss to Cambodia of around $1 million per day.
“The cancellation of international flights affects hotels, restaurants and the work of tour guides, guest houses, taxi drivers, tuk-tuks,” said Bath Sambo, president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Worker Federation. “We are very concerned about this.”
Officials also said Friday the instability could mean a cancellation of the Dec. 14 Asean meeting, which is to be held chaired by Thailand and held in Chiang Mai.
“In my opinion, the delay of the Asean summit is necessary because of the complicated situation in Thailand, where no one is responsible for the anarchy,” Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said.
The “complicated situation” in Thailand will also adversely affect talks next month, where a joint border committee was expected to discuss demining and demarcation, Hor Namhong said.
Anti-government demonstrators have closed Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in their efforts to oust the prime minister. In Cambodia, 10 flights per day have been canceled between three airlines, and tourism officials say they are missing 2,000 tourists per day as a result.
Ho Vandy, president of the Cambodian Tourism Association, estimated that the average tourist will spend $500 on a four-day trip in Cambodia, amounting to a loss to Cambodia of around $1 million per day.
“The cancellation of international flights affects hotels, restaurants and the work of tour guides, guest houses, taxi drivers, tuk-tuks,” said Bath Sambo, president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Worker Federation. “We are very concerned about this.”
Officials also said Friday the instability could mean a cancellation of the Dec. 14 Asean meeting, which is to be held chaired by Thailand and held in Chiang Mai.
“In my opinion, the delay of the Asean summit is necessary because of the complicated situation in Thailand, where no one is responsible for the anarchy,” Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said.
The “complicated situation” in Thailand will also adversely affect talks next month, where a joint border committee was expected to discuss demining and demarcation, Hor Namhong said.
21 comments:
it's a wake up call for cambodia to stop depend on tourism from thailand and flights from thailand! let this be a good lesson for cambodia to learn. thank you.
we are losing millions, the thais are losing billions.
Business is business . Tour operators will reroute tourist to cambodia through other ports like vietnam, singapore, etc this is going to be a blessing in disguise for cambodia.
The thais are on a suicide course. But then thats their problem.
Most ordinary Khmer people don't benefit from tourism...mostly prostitutes, tuk tuk drivers, and the rich Khmer and foreign business owners.
If you go the riverside, you'll see all the bars and restaurants filled with white people. Those places are all owned by Westerners. They charge $4 for a beer. It's just an entrance to hook up with the Khmer and Yuon hostess/whores working inside.
Outside are long rows of tuk tuk drivers fighting each other for customers. Some foreigners haggle over 1000 riels (0.25US) with Khmer tuk tuk drivers, but they don't mind paying $20-30 a person to dine in the Western-owned restaurants.
Much of the tourist money go back to the foreigners. Most of the remaining go to the rich Khmer property owners and corrupt officials. A small amount go to the whores and tuk tuk drivers. That's about it.
DO NOT LEARN HOW TO USE THE OTHERS TO BREATH,some time they stuffy in their nose how Cambodia will expect from it?
Cambodia should upgrade its airports to accommodate bigger carriers such as Boeing 747 or airbus.And tourists can fly directly to Cambodia .
Cambodia is learning a lot about peace, diversity and International relations, isn't it? I am glad that we are learning something... in fact we cannot afford not learning as our country is way behind in term of human capital and politics. Get smart, get organized and learn management!!!
It is not easy when you count on other country to live on... It is like asking people for a living... think for yourself...
@4:57 AM : Bullshit, you are obviously completely misinformed, or just biased. Of the riverside restaurants 50% or so are owned by Khmer.
And at what place exactly were you charged $4 for a beer? You also don't know where to go to get a beer at a fair price?
By the way, all these people working in the restaurants: they do not benefit from tourist dollars?
Cheesh, go back to school and have some economy lessons!
4 :57AM – man, you have a lot to learn about economy and business. Stop writing in this forum. Take a course in business or read a book in economy/business and then come back and tell us what you have learned. You see the bad thing about Cambodia is that a lot of people are so negative that they just can't see the positive side of any thing.
There is some truth in what 4;57 says
For example Korean tourists come with Korean tour operators, sleep in Korean owned hotels, eat at Korean owned restaurants, tour with Korean speahing guides. Only low level Khmer employees are employed.
That is what local cambodians told me.
I could go on and on
But the bigger picture is the tourist dollars do get through to the general poulation and improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of poor cambodians.
We must ensure this national treasure is not destroyed by the greedy politicians and the money they collect from entrance fees and taxes go to preserving the temples and improving infrastructure and the lives of ordinary cambodians.
Cambodia can't afford to lose any money at this moment. It must works with Thailand to resolve all disputes and get back to business before it's too late.
4:57pm, you're full of shit. U don't know a damn thing about Cambodia. Cambodian depend heavily on tourism. People at the markets, hotels, tuk tuk, and just about everyone else make a living off of tourists.
And 2:56pm, a few Cambodian told u some nonsense and you're going to take all their words for it? Can u name which hotels are owned by Koreans? I've worked for a Khmer owned hotel and we've been getting lots of Koreans. These Koreans don't normally stay and eat at the hotel because it's expensive, so instead, they go to eat at other restaruants that are booked by their tour guide which are Khmer who speak Korean language. And most of these restaruants are not Korean owned nor do they serve Korean food. Why the hell wld the Korean fly all the way to Cambodia to eat their own food? Does that make any sense? I have a few Khmer friends who own restaruants that cater to these tourists.
So just because u come here for a few weeks and asked a few dumb people, doesn't mean that u know every damn thing about Cambodia
If u go around listening to these idiots, you'll end up being ignorant just like them.
4:58
Watch your fucking language idiot!
I dont think you work in a hotel in Siem Riep or you wouldnt be so blind.
So go ranting somewhere else. Maybe you are a cpp fed dog or maybe one of their arrogant spoilt and completely deranged offsring. In that case no one can help you.
5:11pm, U watch your fucken language asshole. I work in Siem Reap u dumb ass! If i'm with the cpp, i don't need to work, u stupid ass. I can just go sign in and get paid!
U need to pull your head from your ass once in a while and start spelling the real shit.
Why are you blogging if you are working?
Overall Cambodia or HUN SEN needs to upgrade its facilities, infrastructures and especially the airport all around Camboadia for the travel.
Years ago I've thought they redraw a new international airport that can be the HUB of Southeast Asia so we fully give access to all airplanes.
HUN SEN really need to put some money invest in national airline.
Khmer PP,
So i work 24/7?
work 24/7 but dont bullshit 24/7
Yeah, keep telling yourself that 11:05PM.
well, it's a wake up call for cambodia to stop depending so much on thailand for airport use, etc... this way of turmoil can happen, and cambodia have to be ready all the time. hello!!
also, it goes to shows how a close neighbor inevitable rely on each other for business. anyway, can cambodia find othe alternative to the thai crisis? of course, there are many, many ways; just look at our home and other part of the world for business. after all, cambodia isn't all about thailand! god bless cambodia.
The comment about Koreans is nearly right. They don't only stay in Korean hotels and restaurants of course, but most DO come as organized groups, with everything pre-arranged and pre-paid.
Ask any tuk-tuk, taxi, shop, small restaurant, even beggars at temples, and then go see for yourself. They come in big organized groups, and individually, they DO NOT SPEND ANY MONEY, apart from what they paid the tour organizers - only a small percentage of that gets to cambodians.
As far as building the airport, WHY? Nobody, apart from NGO's and businessmen come specifically to cambodia. Why would they? Both thailand and vietnam offer a far superior tourist experience. They come to cambodia as part of a tour of the region, or as a side-trip to see Angkor wat. Building out the airport would just be a huge white elephant, and yet another massive opportunity for the corrupt government to steal from the people.
If cambodia wants to improve tourism, it has several things to do. Improve the corrupt, scam-ridden, dirty, and dangerous image that cambodia has. For example, you get scammed for $5 at immigration when you buy your visa. No, this is not some taxi driver trying to rip you off. This is IMMIGRATION! Prices need to get in line. Many things have to be imported, and the freight infrastructure is bad. Obviously many things are going to sell at a slight premium to thailand. But just go compare some of the prices. They are double, in some case. Again, the customs and immigration are taking a huge bite. Quality needs to be, quality. There's no point in building a huge 5 star complex, and then charging $500 a night. People can get that in much more exclusive and desirable destinations in the carribean, etc. And there's definitely no point in staffing your $500/night hotel with a bunch of monkeys who don't care about customer service. Cambodians have great smiles, but all too often, they just can't seem to be bothered.
Post a Comment