The economies of countries dependent on tourism are clearly hurting, with visitor numbers plummeting as a result of the pandemic.
The Thai government estimates a loss of 100 billion Thai baht (over US$3 billion) in the first quarter of 2020 and a loss of about 1.45 million jobs as a result of this slump in tourism.
However, the actual loss cannot be captured in these numbers alone. Many cross-cultural exchange opportunities have been lost as well.
I spent much of the previous decade living in Chiang Mai, a medium-sized city in northern Thailand, which relies heavily on tourism. As a scholar who was studying the relationship between tourism and Buddhist temples in the region before the pandemic started, I am able to assess the impact of COVID-19 on these sites of religious importance.
published : 27 Apr 2021 at 09:40
Sr.Gp.Capt. Kampee Kampeerayannon, Chairman of Thai People Council for the Nation, Religion, King; Chairman of the Executive Committee and CEO of Sufficiency Economy City Co., Ltd. (SEC), performed a traditional Lanna-based life ceremony in honour of the Thai New Year
, as well as donating 500,000 baht to the abbot of Wat Suan Dok Royal Monastery to help restore the pagoda, partially damaged by a recent storm. Also participating, in the ceremony, were Air Chief Marshal Theesil Kampeerayannon, Founder of SEC; Mr. Saksorn Kampeerayannon, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Operating Officer, SEC; Ms. Tharichaya Kampeerayannon, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Financial Officer, SEC; Dr. Charoensuk Duanglomchan, Senior Advisor, SEC; and Phra Thep Priyat, Ecclesiastical Provincial Governor of Chiang Mai.