BANGKOK, 11 April 2012 – A recent survey has revealed that the majority of foreign visitors to Thailand will be participating in the Songkran festival this year, with many indicating that Khao San Road is their favorite destination.
The Bangkok Poll has conducted a survey on foreigners’ opinions of Thailand and found that the factors which attract foreign tourists to Bangkok are archaeological sites and objects (33.2%), Thai culture, tradition and folk art (19.8%), and shopping venues (16.4%).
61.4% of the respondents said they will be participating in the Songkran celebrations while listing out their preferred locations as Khao San Road (14.7%), Chiang Mai province (14.2%), and Pattaya beach (8.5%). However, 15.2% will not be joining in the event, whereas 23.4% indicated they had no knowledge of the Thai New Year festival.
As for those expressing their wish to join in on the Songkran celebrations, 25.1% have expressed concerns for their safety. Traffic congestion is also one of the concerns for 23.4% of the respondents, while violent water splashing is a cause for worry for 17.2%.
When asked about the overall satisfaction in their trip to Bangkok, the average point out of ten stood at 7.42, which is a drop of 0.23 points from the previous survey. Foreigners are most satisfied with food and beverages (8.29 points), while the lowest points went to the city’s poor air quality (5.36 points).
Regarding their plans to return to Bangkok, 74.6% responded with a positive answer and only 4.5% said the contrary. Meanwhile, 20.9% said they were still uncertain of their future plans. 86.1% of the tourists are willing to recommend Bangkok as a holiday destination to friends and family.
The survey also asked about the factors which most affect foreigners’ decision to come to Thailand and found that they include the flood and haze pollution (29.9%), safety in life and property (23.0%), political unrest (22.3%), terrorism (17.9%) and deterioration of tourist sites (6.9%).
