Gaybutton Posted September 17, 2006 Posted September 17, 2006 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ SOUTHERN BOMBINGS Hat Yai Weeps, Fears Worst Published on September 18, 2006 Canadian teacher killed, 14 foreigners among 70 injured n Business leaders expect to lose millions of tourist dollars The fatal bombings on Saturday night have cast a grim shadow over this vital economic and tourist hub of southern Thailand. In the space of a few hours after the bombings, thousands of visitors fled the city and many more cancelled hotel bookings. Community business confidence has also been rocked. Six bombs exploded almost simultaneously at a bar, department stores, a hotel and a massage parlour at about 9pm on Saturday. Downtown Hat Yai was crowded with tourists at restaurants and entertainment venues. The blasts killed four including 29-year-old Jesse Lee Daniel, a Canadian teacher, the first Westerner to die in the protracted deep-South insurgency. More than 70 people were injured, including 14 foreigners, Health Minister Pinij Charusombat said. Among the foreign injured are six Malaysians, three Singaporeans, three Britons, an Indian and an American. Internationally-known Hat Yai is popular among foreigners - particularly Malaysians and Singa-poreans. Bargains and entertainment attract locals. It is the transport and finance centre of the deep South. Almost all business in Hat Yai, however, relies on tourism. Hat Yai is no stranger to violence. It was a target during the first term of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra before the insurgency shifted to Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani after January 2004. The latest major attack here was in April 2005 when a series of bombs exploded at Hat Yai Airport, a Carrefour and a hotel. One man was killed and several injured. However, the explosions this weekend are expected to have a harsher impact on the Hat Yai economy. It was the economic backbone of the deep South, said Songkhla Professional Tourist Guide Asso-ciation chairman Songchai Mungprasitthichai. "The bombings took place in the heart of the city, leaving no sense of safety and security for visitors. It's going to be very difficult to re-build confidence within a short period of time," Songchai said. He said as many as 7,000 tourists had been expected to visit the city over the weekend. All had cancelled their bookings or left the area. That had cost the city millions of baht. "They witnessed everything that happened because it took place right in the downtown area. We don't know how to explain what happened right in front of their eyes," Songchai said. Hat Yai would now suffer from a slowdown in tourism over the coming three months. Normally, the city would expect about 100,000 tourists in that period with the average person spending Bt10,000. "We are losing billions of baht," he said. "We are waiting for the day our businesses go bankrupt. We have been trying hard to cope ever since the violence spread to Hat Yai. But, after these bombings it is doomed," Songchai said. Retailers have experienced an immediate impact. Nearly 2,000 downtown shop owners depend entirely on Thai and foreign visitors. "After the explosions there were virtually no customers. Everyone fears for their safety," said Hat Yai Retailers chairman Nopporn Prakijwatanakul. Deputy chairman of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce Kawitpong Sirithananonsaku said the bombings would have a great and deep consequence on the Hat Yai and regional economy. "Since violence re-emerged in the deep South in 2004, investment in Hat Yai has been low. So has the confidence of the private sector. The bombings this past weekend have simply made the situation worse," Kawitpong said. The Nation Hat Yai Quote
