Eighteen major travel agents providing outbound travel services concerning Thailand met today (8 April), and agreed to cancel package tours which depart for Bangkok between 9 and 13 April 2010 (both days inclusive). Affected tour participants may choose either:

(1) to be refunded all the money paid (which includes tour fares, Airport Passenger Departure Tax, etc but excludes visa charges) after the deduction of a service fee (for tours whose duration is five days or fewer, the service fee must not be more than HK$150; and for tours lasting for six or more days, it must not be more than HK$300);

OR

(2) to retain all the tour fares paid for six months without needing to pay any service fee.

As for air-plus-hotel packages which depart for Bangkok between 9 and 13 April 2010 (both days inclusive), the travellers may contact their travel agents to work out a solution. If the travellers decide not to depart as planned, the travel agents will help them claim a refund from the service providers in order to minimise their losses.

As regards arrangements for package tours which depart for Bangkok on or after 14 April 2010, they will be announced through the TIC when the travel agents concerned meet later.