Yeoh Siew Hoon reports on May 19, the darkest night ever in Bangkok -

Through most of May 19 night, when Bangkok, the city in our midst, was under curfew, I was in communication with friends in the city.

What a night of darkness they must have gone through. One reported gunfire outside his apartment. Another said phones weren't working. Another said he had completed his exercise in "miniaturization". One more said he was hiding under the dining table.

Words of jest spoken in the most dire of times for Thailand – they hide a sense of disbelief and horror that this could be happening in this place they all have called home for so many years.

Some have left the city. One went to Chiang Mai, but only to wake up this morning to find that the northern city has also been dragged into the fire. Yet another escaped to Hua Hin for a break.

At Marina Bay Sands this morning, where I was on a media tour, I heard several Thai accents in the lobby. Most of them were talking to friends back home to find out what was happening.

They had decided to come to Singapore to get away from the troubles.

I am off to Phuket this evening to attend an event. Don't worry, my Thai friends say. "Phuket is OK as no Red Shirts – only Democrats (Yellow)", one told me.

This is what the riots will spawn – even deeper divisions which will take a long time to heal.

In the meantime, lives have been lost and more lives will be affected. Tourism makes up about 6 percent of the economy but employs 15 percent of workers. At least 43 countries have issued advisories against travel to parts of Thailand.

The Tourism Council of Thailand said the number of foreign tourists may drop to 12.7 million this year from 14.1 million – I think that's an optimistic estimate. But if they are right, it would mean the country would have lost 100 billion baht in tourism revenue.

The day before the riots erupted, a friend told me her resort had only 20 guests for lunch – compared with the usual 300. "This is worse than anything we've ever been through," she said.

The riots have disrupted operations of companies such as Asian Trails, Asian Oasis, Accor and many others. Offices have closed and will remain close until the situation clears.

Economic losses are mounting – some estimates peg it at between 53 billion and 230 billion baht.

But beyond the numbers lies the real damage – the image of a peace-loving, Buddhist-dominated country that has never been colonized has been shattered.

Malaysia had its May 13, 1969. Now Thailand has its May 19, 2010.

Yeoh Siew Hoon, one of Asia's most respected travel editors and commentators, writes a regular column on news, trends and issues in the hospitality industry for 4Hoteliers.com.

Siew Hoon, who has covered the tourism industry in Asia/Pacific for the past 20 years, runs SHY Ventures Pte Ltd. Her other writings can be found at www.thetransitcafe.com. Get your weekly cuppa of news, gossip, humour and opinion at the cafe for travel insiders.

WIT 2010: October 19-22 SUNTEC Singapore ~ www.webintravel.com