The Mexican swine flu crisis is likely to have only minimal impact on Thailand’s tourism and, on the contrary, could provide a good opportunity to encourage an arrival of foreign tourists to Asia if the deadly disease was successfully contained, according to Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) chairman Santi Vilassakdanont.

Speaking of the outbreak of the Mexican swine flu virus, he said should the government maintain strict measures to prevent it, Thai tourism will not be adversely affected.

In contrast, the FTI chief is optimistic that more foreign tourists might travel to Asia if the spread of the disease was contained.

The overall picture of Thailand’s exports has improved, as witnessed by an increased number of purchase orders.

Unless swine influenza adversely impacts the global economy, he predicts, Thailand’s exports will continue to pick up.

Chanin Donavanik, president and chief executive officer of Dusit Thani Pcl, said it will be “a few weeks” to assess whether Mexican swine flu will affect Thailand’s tourism.

Optimistically, he noted, foreign tourists, who otherwise planned to visit Mexico and the United States, might shift to Thailand in larger numbers in the wake of the outbreak.

However, he believed the political situation would remain the central risk factor to Thailand’s tourism if it worsens. (TNA)

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