Tourists Trickling Back to Thailand’s Empty Beaches

Tourists wait for a ferry on Koh Chang.
Tourists wait for a ferry on Koh Chang.

TRAT — With the threat of coronavirus declining each day, tourists are now making way back to Thailand’s beaches and islands.

Saksit Mungkarn, secretary of the Trat Tourism Association, said he expected to see about 5,000 tourists coming to the island this weekend. He said the island is ready to welcome visitors, though some establishments will remain closed as they need more time to prepare for the reopening.

“We already see the arrival of 200 tourists on the first day,” Saksit said. “This figure doesn’t include about 1,000 foreign tourists who are stranded on the island.”

Saksit said the new waves of tourists would be families, in contrast to youth travellers who were the main target group prior to the epidemic.

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Koh Chang deputy mayor Teerasak Damrongcheep said business owners should remain vigilant of tourists and returning employees’ symptoms. Visitors should wear face masks and keep their travel histories logged on the government’s Thai Chana platform, he said.

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Some tourists also return to beaches in Chonburi province, media reports said.

After closing down for two months amid coronavirus travel restrictions and lockdown measures, many hotels across Thailand are slashing their prices to attract local visitors.

Some hotels in Bangkok even offer packages for Bangkokians tired of self-isolation at home.