The Gambia has asked Thailand for forgiveness after the West African nation’s foreign minister said that the Asian country was a haven for sex tourists.
The minister, Hamat Bah during a television interview in January this year said that The Gambia, was losing out to Cape Verde because that country has gained a reputation as a sex haven.
He is quoted as saying that “The fact is that this country’s image has been battered heavily… I was trying to find out why we are not getting Scandinavian tourists anymore, and I discovered that this country has been considered a sex destination”.
Hamay Bah went further on to say that “We are not a sex destination. If you want a sex destination, you go to Thailand,” he added.
The minister’s comment subsequently sparked a strongly worded response and protest from Bangkok. On Tuesday The Gambia apologised to Thailand after a formal protest was lodged by the Thailand government.
Thailand’s Culture Minister Veera Rojpojchanarat has said that “Thailand has improved a lot in this issue. After the ministry of culture worked on promoting morality, this issue has improved a lot,” Veera is quoted by the Thai media as saying.
The Gambian foreign ministry statement on Tuesday said it “regrets the unfortunate comments made by the Minister of Tourism and Culture.”
The statement said “measures will be put in place to prevent the occurrence of such an unfortunate incident.”
Gambia said the minister’s comments should not be “construed as a reflection of the government’s view on the tourism sector of Thailand.”
Source: Africafeeds.com
