Thailand expects tourism to recover after new year festival
The acute respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may subside in the second half of 2020 or earlier, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan said on February 23, expecting that the country’s tourism would recover after its Songkran New Year festival.
An information panel on February 20 shows some flights from Chinese cities to Don Mueang airport are cancelled as the coronavirus outbreak affects air travel. (Photo: //www.bangkokpost.com/
Bangkok (VNA) – The acute respiratory disease caused by a novelcoronavirus (COVID-19) may subside in the second half of 2020 or earlier, Thailand’sMinister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan said on February 23,expecting that the country’s tourism would recover after its Songkran New Yearfestival.
Speaking at an eventin Phatthalung province, Pipat stated that the disease has had serious impacton Thailand.
"Although thevirus has caused damage to the tourism industry in the first half of the year,I am confident the situation will return to normal in the second half or afterthe Songkran Festival, when China will likely produce a vaccine againstit," he added.
According to him, whenthe summer comes, coronavirus will not be able to withstand the heat and thesituation in many countries, including Thailand, will improve.
He shared that thegovernment is preparing to introduce financial measures to help disease-affectedbusinesses.
Thailand served 38.9million foreign tourists last year, with revenue from tourism constituting 18percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
The government predictedthat the tourism sector may lose 30 percent of the number of Chinese visitorsin the first quarter, and even 50 percent in the second quarter if the diseaseremains a threat. In 2019, spending of Chinese tourists reached 18 billion USD,accounting for one third of the total expenditures by foreign tourists inThailand.
The Tourism Authorityof Thailand also forecast that the number of international holiday-makers tothe country can decrease by 5 million this year, resulting in economic loss of 500billion THB (15.7 billion USD)./.
Thailand’s Department of Consular Affairs has advised Thai nationals residing in China to consider travel out of China while airlines are still operating.
Thailand is planning to pour 400 billion baht (12.66 billion USD) of state investment into the economy in the second quarter of this year after the passage of the delayed 3.2-trillion-baht (101.1 billion USSD) annual budget bill for fiscal 2020.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
An information panel on February 20 shows some flights from Chinese cities to Don Mueang airport are cancelled as the coronavirus outbreak affects air travel. (Photo: //www.bangkokpost.com/ 
