SUPERNATURAL FALLOUT

[Amelia]

SUPERNATURAL FALLOUT

Andaman coast faces uphill climb reviving tourism due in part to Asians' fear of ghosts

Story by BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

Forget about the desperate pleas and offers of hefty discounts for airline tickets and hotels _ tourists, especially Thais and other Asians, are not quite ready to rush back to the beaches and resorts on Thailand's picturesque Andaman coast.

Asian tourists are expected to continue staying away in droves from the area struck by the killer tsunami on Dec 26. Not so much out of concern that a new round of deadly waves might occur, or even an outbreak of disease, but because of their fear of ghosts.

Deeply superstitious Asians believe the spirits of tsunami victims, possibly in their thousands, may still be haunting the white sandy beaches of Phuket, Phangnga and islands like Koh Phi Phi, once a holiday magnet popularised by the Hollywood film The Beach.

Accounts of ghost sightings in the international media _ even the normally staid BBC World found an angle just days after the wave struck _ and a profusion of lurid articles in Thai tabloids remain fresh in the minds of many tourists, despite seven weeks of religious rites, blessings and exorcisms which have been performed to ward off the spirits of tourists and locals who died in the disaster.

Of particular concern to Asian tourists are those still listed officially as missing. Estimated to number over 3,000 in the six southern provinces, these unfortunate souls belonging to both Thais and foreigners are believed by many to be still roaming the beaches, waiting to be located and put to rest.

Many Thais believe that when people die, they must be cremated by relatives following appropriate funeral rites. Failing this, the spirit of the deceased will continue to appear over and over again to show where its earthly remains can be found.

All tourism-related parties, ranging from government officials, hotel operators and travel agencies have listed superstition as the greatest hurdle to overcome before Asian visitors start pouring back into Andaman coast resorts.

Western tourists have not returned to the Thai Andaman coast for a different reason _ many are still mourning the dead. To this group, a sun-soaked frolic by the seashore so soon after the tsunami would be lacking in respect for those who lost their lives so tragically.

State and private-sector organisations charged with reviving the tourism industry have been left scratching their heads, wondering how to best ease fears and erase the horrific scenes etched into the memories of millions by sensational media coverage that lasted for weeks after the catastrophe.

"Frankly, I don't know how to address this [superstition] issue. It may take more time before people feel comfortable enough to return," conceded Sakthip Krairiksh, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Sport.

"It's no laughing matter and this superstitious aspect of the tsunami disaster is a real nightmare that is haunting us," said Pamuke Achariyachai, president of the Kata Group, a major resort operator in Phuket's Kata beach area.

Mr Pamuke joined other tourist operators in the South in an appeal to the media to stop reporting ghost stories or bringing up any other supernatural issues, which he said were driving Asian tourists away.

"All I ask [the media] is to refrain from writing any such stories for now. Many of these stories began just as hearsay, but now have been grossly exaggerated after countless retellings," he said.

The fear factor is proving to be a major roadblock in the industry's struggle to bring back tourists. The latest statistics showed passenger and flight movements at Phuket international airport last month had plunged 64% and 27%, respectively, from January 2004, with the number of international passengers falling 88.8% year-on-year to just 27,026. At the same time, domestic traveller arrivals slipped 42.4% to 154,485.

Hotels and resorts in Phuket and Phangnga _ the worst hit provinces, reported an occupancy rate of 7-10%, as many international and domestic airlines continue to suspend service to Phuket and cut back frequencies in line with a significant drop in demand.

A respected PR consultant suggested that more needed to be done to show that all the proper procedures and rituals have been conducted to "cleanse" the affected sites.

"It's not enough to just quietly perform the rituals. Audiences throughout Asia need to see that it has been done. The PR guys need to figure out how to do that," said Hasan Basar, managing director of Bangkok Public Relations Ltd.

"People are reassured when they see that lots of other people are already going back. The question is this: how do you break this chicken-or-egg cycle?" he added.

Attracting the media is one way, and events with an international television following across Asia could be just the bait needed.

"Once they are on site, all you need to do is fill the screen with people to reinforce the comfort factor of seeing lots of people in Phuket," he said. "You don't need to fill the island _ just fill the screen."

Such activities need to be run side-by-side with regular market promotion activities _ the whole range of travel industry discounts, specials and other financial incentives to lure people back, he said.

[Nicodema]

Hungry ghosts are certainly fearsome to these folks.

Matter of fact, they are fearsome period, even to those who don't believe in ghosts. Some walk in flesh.

[Pockey]

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Story by BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

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That's an impressive name.