Chinese visitors had returned to Thailand confident that the military government had restored order after the political turmoil – and violence - of the previous two years.
Just when the Tourism Authority of Thailand was celebrating a great set of international visitor numbers, with Chinese tourists leading the way, the Bangkok bomb that killed 20 and injured hundreds on Monday night, has put fear back into minds of travellers.
Chinese visitors had returned to Thailand confident that the military government had restored order after the political turmoil – and violence - of the previous two years.
The number of Chinese arriving in Thailand in the first half was close to four million, more than double the number recorded in the same period in 2014.
The Erawan shrine, near Bangkok’s Rajprasong intersection where the pipe bomb exploded, is popular with Chinese tourists. Many will now be reconsidering their travel plans.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called it Thailand’s “worst bomb ever”, indicating it was aimed to have a negative impact on Thailand, “both socially and economically”.
“They want to destroy our economy, our tourism,” the PM said.
Four Malaysians killed in the bomb explosion were from the same family, the Star online reported. Other victims were from Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand.
It has left a sense of shock in Thailand, which until now had been spared the kinds of terrorist incidents experienced by some of its neighbours.
Thailand’s tourism sector has invariably bounced back from political skirmishes of the past but those events were largely kept in-house, and tourists were free to come and go as they pleased in Bangkok.
This time it’s different. Tourists were the target.
And this time recovery may take longer.