Flood response leaves Thailand high and dry

When Thomas Cook’s incredible share slump hit the headlines last week, it was interesting to note that one of the reasons the company cited for its poor performance was Thailand’s floods. 

Of course, there’s not a great deal you can do about ‘forces majeur’, other than wait until they subside. But you might be interested to hear that Bangkok is not actually flooded.

I am reporting now from Travel Daily’s Bangkok office, high above the Thai capital’s busy streets. Right now there is no water on the streets below. 

In fact, there has never been any water on the streets below, or anywhere in central Bangkok. The international airport has always remained open, as have the vast majority of city’s hotels and attractions. 

So I find it strange, to say the least, that thousands of people have been forced to cancel their holidays, and that businesses have lost millions of pounds, for no good reason.

Yes, floods have affected parts of northern and western Bangkok pretty badly. But in the all the main business and tourist areas, people are happily going about their business.

Well, ‘happily’ perhaps isn’t the right word. Few people in Bangkok are happy right now. Everyone associated with the city’s tourism-reliant economy has been affected, from top bosses at Thomas Cook right down to the street-side souvenir sellers. 

Bangkok is in trouble; not from floodwater, but because its main economic artery – the steady flow of tourists – has been severed.

Many people in Bangkok blame the media (the BBC in particular) for exaggerating the crisis, but I think this is unfair. The BBC has a job to do, and naturally they will show images of the worst-affected areas. 

The responsibility has to lie with governments. When the FCO imposed its ‘all-but-essential travel’ warning on Bangkok, did they actually visit the city beforehand? 

And did the British embassy staff in Bangkok not look out the window, get on the blower back to Blighty and tell them everything was ticketyboo, thanks chaps? And if not, why not?

Instead, businesses are on the verge of collapse, people are losing their jobs, and all for nothing. The Thai flood crisis has claimed many lives, but the mismanaged response to it has ruined countless more. 

I urge every one of our British readers to spread the message – Bangkok is open for business! Maybe we save other businesses from going the same way as Thomas Cook.