Global slump the biggest factor: Nesdb

The sluggish economy in Thailand has resulted from the all-encompassing global slump, not the 2009 Type-A (H1N1) influenza, a national think tank concluded yesterday - and immediately drew widespread comment.

The statement by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) presented to a Bangkok seminar was challenged by many participants, including those from a local tourism body, who put the blame on political instability and the government's poor handling of the economy.

Although the seminar was entitled "The new influenza and its impact on Thailand's economy, society and tourism", participants had broad opinions over exactly which negative factors were worse for Thailand.

From the tourism industry's perspective, a strong reason cited was that Thailand's tourism authorities lacked good leadership and professionalism.

The Public Health Ministry also took flak from local journalists over the identities of two Thai people suspected of contracting the new flu virus,abruptly announced as suspected carriers of the disease.

The reporters complained they needed to know not only the victims' names,but details of their travels and arrival times from their overseas trips.

Maiyarat Pheerayankoses, chairwoman of the Association of Domestic Travel (ADT), said Thailand had been plagued by germs of another kind - the social and political division of Thai people stemming from "irreconcilable differences".

"Japan has issued a travel advisory to its Thailandbound travellers against wearing red and yellow shirts  a warning that later effectively scared away almost all Chinese tourists who usually make up the largest portion of incoming travellers," she said.

"And even if the World Health Organisation's Alert Level had been increased to [imaginary] Level 7 or 8, the negative sentiment would be shortlived. The longterm setback to the country's economy and tourism is always the political mayhem," she said.

Prasong Lertrattanawisut, chairman of the Thai Journalists Association, said politicians covered up the bird flu outbreak a few years ago, because of commercial interests associated with it. But this time information about the swine flu was widespread and not subject to any attempt of a coverup - but was confusing.

" The two persons at risk of swine flu came out of nowhere and nobody including reporters ever knew about their overseas trips and arrival times in Thailand or how they were exposed to the disease, because the ministry had hidden these details, citing their rights as patients," he said.

"Reporters wanted to know about those essential details from the Ministry of Public Health. It's completely and entirely different between what reporters want to know, and what the ministry thinks," he added.

Porramethee Wimolsiri, a senior NESDB adviser, said the swine flu "had little effect" on the Thai economy and the magnitude "would only somewhat increase" even if the WHOdesignated Alert Level was upped to 6. "The country's tourism is now in a sluggish tendency due to the global recession," he said.