Thailand’s tourism industry is expected to generate significant revenue from its upcoming Songkran festival, despite concerns about the safety of high-rise architecture following a recent earthquake in Myanmar.
The March 28 earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.7, caused a building under construction near Bangkok’s Chatuchak market to collapse, raising questions about the structural integrity of Thai buildings. However, Thailand’s tourism authority says that the impact on tourist arrivals is expected to be short-term and that the country remains a safe destination for travelers.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects 476,000 international visitors to arrive during Songkran festival in mid-April, generating 7.3 billion baht ($763 million) in revenue. The event is expected to generate more tourism revenue than it did last year, despite projections that the earthquake has dampened tourist arrivals.
Thailand’s tourism ministry has doubled down on its forecast for foreign arrivals this year, with an estimated 38 million visitors expected to arrive in 2025. However, some hotels and tourism operators are taking extra measures to assuage concerns about safety and ensure a smooth experience for travelers.
The Thai Hotels Association expects the earthquake will affect “the tourism atmosphere” during Songkran Festival 2025, but predicts a return to normal within two weeks after that. The country’s hospitality industry is hoping this boost in bookings will continue with the recent success of season 3 of HBO’s hit show “The White Lotus,” filmed mainly in Koh Samui.
Thailand’s tourism sector has been boosted by other events, including the legalization of same-sex marriage in January, which is set to establish the country as a regional destination wedding locale for gay couples. The country welcomed around 35 million international tourists in 2024, despite numbers being lower than those in 2019 due to various global events.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/04/is-it-safe-to-travel-to-thailand-right-now-thai-officials-say-yes-.html