Eastern destinations ride out flight disruption falloutTourism operators along Thailand's eastern coast say the region is largely insulated from the flight disruptions currently affecting southern destinations. Despite headwinds stemming from the Middle East conflict, sentiment among businesses in eastern seaside provinces remains positive. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pursuing a dual-track strategy to sustain momentum -- stimulating domestic travel across eastern provinces while intensifying international promotion of Trat's island cluster. Fresh from attending the ITB Berlin, she noted that disruptions to Middle Eastern transit routes have already forced some passengers to reroute flights. By contrast, destinations in the East, including Pattaya and Trat's Koh Chang, Koh Kut and Koh Mak, appear less affected, she said.

Source: Bangkok Post March 21, 2026 16:04 UTC