Is the Chinese New Year 2012 going to be a damp squib in Thailand ?

Conversations with a cross section of Hoteliers and tourism business operators in Bangkok and Pattaya reveal that Chinese New Year may not bring the usual busloads of Chinese tourists this year. The main reason being advocated is the floods. Hoteliers for now are stuck in analysis paralysis and Chinese tour operators have not yet begun releasing the blocks of space that they are holding at hotels across Thailand. The more astute hoteliers though have begun sounding Indian operators out on the fact that they have rooms towards the end of January and are ready to take in Indian business. The coach companies though are going to have to realise that the Chinese are not coming though for the efforts of Indian operators to be successful as coaches are sometimes as much as 9 times the normal prices during the Chinese New Year period with coach operators refusing to confirm even at the inflated prices. Let's watch and see what happens next.