While Thailand’s media reported about Phuket being busy and restaurants serving alcohol up to 9 pm being “exciting” in Bangkok, Hua Hin bucked the trend.
The chairman of the Prachaup Khiri Khan Tourism Business Association said the seaside resort had received no benefits from the reopening of Thailand after two days.
Rungroj Seeluangsawat said there were no foreign tourists in town.
In November there was only 10% advance bookings at hotels – and they were all domestic Thai tourists, not foreigners.
He said that the industry would just have to wait in Hua Hin.
He blamed the unclear rules that have baffled tourists.
“We’re ready and open”, he said. “But only Thais are coming, and not many of them”.
Earlier Daily News had reported from Phuket and Bangkok optimistically touting the Thai government’s November 1st reopening as a highly positive step that had had an instant impact.
Meanwhile, many people on online forums put the matter into sharper perspective.
Plenty said they would wait and see before returning to Thailand amid continuing confusion about what documents they needed, how to get everything sorted and worries about what would happen if they tested positive for Covid in the kingdom.
This post was republished with permission from ASEAN NOW
