After reading this article, one might think Thailand never needs to allow tourist back into the country.

 

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/recommended/1031?utm_source=slide_relate&utm_medium=internal_referral

 

Its NOT!

You'll get different replies based on where people are, because there are effectively two Thailands.  Away from the expat ghettos and foreign tourism areas, the country is the same as usual, but in those places, it's doom and gloom.  I've just been on holiday in Chantaburi and Bangkok before travelling back home upcountry.  We stayed on Chao Lao beach in Chantaburi.  The hotel, which was a large one and not a cheap, budget place, was full.  The beach front restaurants we went to were well attended.  Similarly, upcountry shopping centres, such as The Mall and Central Plaza in Korat and various Robinson centres, are still booming on weekends.  Coming to Bangkok, we did see the changes.  Tourist areas are eerily quiet, with hotels, and even 7-11s, closed due to lack of customers.  Visiting friends away from these areas, but still in Bangkok though, was the same story as upcountry, with no real obvious changes.  Those in the tourism industry will be hurting, with many out of work, but I suspect that, for the majority of Thais, not much has changed at all.

1 hour ago, ballpoint said:

Those in the tourism industry will be hurting, with many out of work, but I suspect that, for the majority of Thais, not much has changed at all.

 

Probably Ok to say this is the gist of the article.     Thailand survived OK, not thrived, prior to tourism and  there's no reason it couldn't continue to  do well  as according to the article.

On 11/25/2020 at 10:14 AM, ballpoint said:

Away from the expat ghettos and foreign tourism areas, the country is the same as usual, but in those places, it's doom and gloom.

How much money flows on from the "expat ghettos and foreign tourism areas" to other parts of Thailand, particularly, Issan?