HÀ NỘI — Thailand’s tourism sector is facing renewed challenges as safety concerns following a recent earthquake are impacting international travel, officials have said.

The country is entering a five-day Songkran holiday starting on April 12 — a peak tourism period known for its festive water celebrations. But this year, a powerful quake near Myanmar late last month has caused a wave of booking cancellations.

Songkran will be affected this year due to a drop in foreign tourists, many of whom have cancelled trips, said Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, President of the Thai Hotels Association. Around 1,100 hotel room orders were cancelled within two days after the quake, he noted.

Thailand aims to attract 39 million foreign visitors in 2025 — matching 2019 levels before the COVID-19 broke out. Last year, the country welcomed 35 million.

TTB Analytics forecasts that Songkran holiday spending will fall by 13.5 per cent year-on-year to 36 billion THB (1.05 billion USD). SCB EIC, a research unit under SCBX, predicts a drop of up to 700,000 international tourists this year due to ongoing safety concerns.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called for the quick restoration of a collapsed building in Bangkok, urging officials to rebuild foreigner confidence.

Some tourists are now heading south to beach destinations like Koh Samui, where only minor tremors were felt. People are escaping the quake and coming here, said Worasit Phongkampan from the Koh Samui Tourism Association.

Thailand’s tourism — which makes up 18 per cent of GDP — also faces headwinds from US tariffs, which could reduce travel from both the US and China.

Last year, Thailand welcomed 6.73 million tourists from China, making it the country’s largest tourist source. The US followed with 1.03 million visitors. — VNS