Koh Chang: Tourism devastated by third wave of Covid - 90% of tourists gone, 40% of small hotels shut

[webfact]

Picture: Manager

 

Manager quoted the chief of the Tourism Business Association of Trat in eastern Thailand as saying that tourism on Koh Chang had been devastated by the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Saksit Mungkan said that 90% of Thai and foreign tourists had disappeared.

 

Of the ten percent that were left there were a few foreigners resident in Thailand and some domestic Thai tourists.

 

He assessed that 40% of small hotels, resorts and homestays had shut.

 

Businesses that were open had just 10-20 guests. (ASEAN NOW is correcting an apparent typo in the article).

 

Saksit said that just 1,340 people had Covid in the province but travel restrictions and other rules had been responsible for causing the damage to the industry. 

 

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[Scrotobike]

Not bad keeping 10% of the tourists - I think this puts them ahead of the litter box.

[rbkk]

The weather looks inviting.

[gk10012001]

15 trips to Thailand and always wanted to go to a quieter island such as Koh Chang. Almost booked several times while I was in Pattaya, but on many of my first trips my budget was tight so I just stayed in Pattaya.  Now, I got all the money and time I need but just waiting for Thailand travel arrival policies to sort themselves out before I head back there

[Destiny1990]

However they have done quite well. ????????????

[Destiny1990]

1 hour ago, gk10012001 said:

15 trips to Thailand and always wanted to go to a quieter island such as Koh Chang. Almost booked several times while I was in Pattaya, but on many of my first trips my budget was tight so I just stayed in Pattaya.  Now, I got all the money and time I need but just waiting for Thailand travel arrival policies to sort themselves out before I head back there

Maybe 2025.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, rbkk said:

The weather looks inviting.

even that's changeable.

[sncoem]

Dan the hideous blogger didn't save the island ? I have seen many ridiculous videos from him made there...

 

[kaneko86]

Som Naam naa!

With all the restrictions and Xenophobia it's just your own fault Koh Chang people.

This is now the result of your narrow island mentality!

[Scouse123]

3 hours ago, kaneko86 said:

Som Naam naa!

With all the restrictions and Xenophobia it's just your own fault Koh Chang people.

This is now the result of your narrow island mentality!

I really am confused?

 

Policy and travel restrictions is on the CCSA and the Thai government and has nothing to do with Koh Chang people.

 

There hasn't been a narrow minded island mentality to my knowledge and I find this place a lot more welcoming and a lot less scamming than Phuket or Koh Samui.

[Charlie Halliday]

Same situation on Koh Phayam. This will be the 3rd interrupted high season and resorts here are rotting as owners have no money to refit and looks like another seasons without overseas visitors. It's a tragedy and could go on for years unless govts around the world accept covid is here to stay and we just have to live with it. 

[MrJ2U]

Some of those small hotels should have been shut long before COVID-19 arrived.

 

Koh Chang has been looking pretty shabby the last few visits.

 

 

[camble]

I’ve made three visits to Koh Chang this year, stayed in 5-star resorts for 3-star prices with few tourists.  I’ll be back as soon as they lift the travel restrictions.

[kaneko86]

16 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Policy and travel restrictions is on the CCSA and the Thai government and has nothing to do with Koh Chang people.

You are wrong my friend. Early this year Trat Province had a rule that you could only enter their islands following a negative pcr test or coming from a "yellow" province.

 

About the people there just see what happened with the non touristy salad pet/kok areas of the island. They didn't allow outsiders to enter and that's not ccsa or government policy.