Thailand braces for domestic tourism reboot

After an over two-month closure in Thailand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, popular tourist attraction in Bangkok, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, is scheduled to reopen on May 30, according to local authorities. Also, the renowned Grand Palace has announced it will reopen to visitors from June 4.

As one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia, Thailand is likely to see its foreign visitor arrivals tumble by 65 percent this year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, with its stringent ban on incoming flights extended till the end of June.

Last year, domestic tourism made up six percent of the country's GDP, while spending by foreign tourists accounted for 11.4 percent. Among them, Chinese travelers took up more than a quarter of foreigners' total spending. Amid unsettling figures caused by coronavirus, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, a deputy governor of TAT, pointed out that China remains Thailand's biggest international tourist market. 

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