Bangkok, Thailand – Reported by Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine
Owing to the ongoing flood situation in Thailand, The Siam’s board of directors and management have announced a new hotel opening date set for June 2012.
The Siam has not suffered direct flooding from its riverfront locale. It did experience a minor breach in October under the old neighboring wall of a waterlogged property that momentarily affected its underground car park. The royal Thai army was quick to respond, resolving the situation within a matter of hours. The rest of the hotel currently remains dry. All roads leading to the property are open, and site visits continue per schedule.
Since July this year, Thailand has witnessed severe monsoon rainstorms that have been at the root of the nation’s worst flooding in more than 50 years. Being located on the banks of the Chao Praya River, staff at The Siam is keeping careful watch over the tidal water levels pushing up from the Gulf of Thailand. Fortunately, both the hotel owners and designers at Bensley Design Studios had the foresight to raise the overall ground level of the property and construct a higher than average river wall which has so far succeeded in keeping the tidal fluctuations under control.
While the outlook for central Bangkok remains positive, areas to the north, west and east, including major manufacturing and supply hubs, as well as many staff homes, have been heavily afflicted. As such, The Siam has decided to postpone its opening in order to accommodate workers’ requests to return home to help their affected families and to reflect a realistic outlook regarding temporary delays in local supply chains and shortages of essential materials, which include concrete and sand (in high demand for flood walls).
Although there are travel warnings in place, the city center is open for business and the capital’s central business zone and tourist districts remain safe and dry. The Siam would like to highlight a few key points to those planning a trip to Thailand:
• After a recent five-day national holiday, most businesses are now open as usual
• Suvarnabhumi International Airport is fully operational; flights between all international destinations, key domestic cities and outlying islands are unaffected
• Inner city mass transit BTS sky train and underground MRT networks are functioning regularly
• Bangkok hotels are fully stocked
• A few streets and businesses close to the river have seen minor flooding, yet tides have fallen short of forecast highs.
The Siam General Manager Jason M. Friedman adds, “Like many countries over recent years, Thailand has suffered its unfair share of political incidents and those of Mother Nature’s force majeure, yet what sets us apart is our ability to remain the unequivocal Land of Smiles in the face of adversity. The most supportive action anyone can take is to spread the word that Bangkok and Thailand as destinations are perfectly safe as we move into what is normally the dry, sunny high season. Not only is Thailand a major player in the global supply chain, it is and will remain the true hub of Southeast Asia in the international tourism arena.”
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