Airlines, tour operators see no disruption in Sri Lankan traffic to Thailand after coup

Sept 20 (LBO) – Tourist and business traffic from Sri Lanka to Thailand is expected to go on as normal following a military coup there, with few inquiries and cancellations, tour operators and airlines said.

Thailand is popular among Sri Lankans as a leisure and shopping destination for with business travel contributing.

Our operations will be normal and all domestic and international flights will go on as scheduled, a spokesperson for Thai Airways in Sri Lanka, told LBO on Wednesday.

Thai Airways has three flights a week to Thailand, also carrying onward traffic from Bangkok. In addition, Cathay Pacific and national carrier SriLankan Airlines also fly to Thailand.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown Tuesday in a non-violent coup on allegations of corruption, with the military taking over control of the country.

Travel agents in Thailand, quoted by the AFP news agency, said the coup could result in a 30 percent drop in traffic, with some Asians postponing their trips

Thailand expects some 13.6 million foreign tourists in 2006, with Asians making up 60 percent of the total, reports said.

But local outbound tour operators say they expect no significan