(Photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool)The Tourism and Sports Ministry is expecting 36.9 million foreign tourists to visit Thailand this year if the Covid-19 outbreak grinds to a halt by next month. In case the virus is gone by April, the country can expect a maximum of 36.9 million foreign tourists to visit the country throughout the year, generating 1.78-trillion-baht, Mr Phiphat said. As the disease spreads, tourist numbers have declined to just 550,000, or a 57% decrease, between March 1 and Wednesday, according to Mr Phiphat. Meanwhile, Thai Hotels Association president Supawan Tanomkieatipume said tourists have almost disappeared from hotels, with only 10% occupancy. However, the Public Health Ministry's academic committee is considering to exclude China from the list of countries deprived of VoA privileges due to the decreasing number of new patients, Sukhum Kanchanapimai, permanent secretary for public health said.

Source: Bangkok Post March 13, 2020 23:37 UTC