The long-reported smog in northern Thailand has finally worsened to the point of affecting the tourism sector. While some of the tourists turned to the south of the country, some have even chosen other destinations. This problem has largely been attributed to serious forest fires and agricultural burn, both in Thailand and in neighboring countries.
The hotel sector has reported a drastic drop in hotel reservations in the popular provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Only last month, about 15% of hotel booking in Chiang Mai has been canceled. When compared to 2018, overall hotel bookings have dropped by 20%. Suthirawat Suwanawat, General Manager of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, explained that the number of flights north from Bangkok has decreased by about 10,000 per day.
The air quality also dropped in other northern provinces, including Phayao and Mae Hong Sun, which led the Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha to visit the region. A public health official from Chiang Rai reported that the situation has worsened rapidly over the last few days, therefore warning of serious health consequences, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children and those already suffering from chronic respiratory diseases.
