Thailand govt debunks reports of deserted tourist spots

Reports of tourist spots Cha-am Beach and Amphawa Floating Market being deserted have been debunked by government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke. Contrary to a viral video showing a quiet Cha-am Beach in Phetchaburi on a Sunday and social media claims about a lack of visitors at Amphawa Floating Market in Samut Songkhram, tourists continue to frequent both destinations.

A video depicting an empty Cha-am Beach gained traction online, along with posts suggesting that Amphawa Floating Market suffers from low visitor numbers due to a recession. Government spokesperson Chai took to X to condemn the spread of what he called fake news aimed at tarnishing Thailand’s tourism image.

“People are trying to distribute fake news on social media nowadays to damage the image of Thailand’s tourism.”

Chai also linked to a news story featuring the Thai Hotels Association (THA) president and local business owners at Cha-am Beach, who confirmed that the area still attracts tourists. In another post, Chai shared that officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) had visited Cha-am Beach and found it busier than the viral posts suggested.

The THA president and local hotel proprietors backed this up by revealing that 50 to 60% of hotel rooms are typically occupied. For the upcoming long holiday, 70 to 75% of rooms have already been booked in advance.

Meanwhile, TAT officials from the Samut Songkhram office visited Amphawa Floating Market on Saturday and observed a robust number of Thai and foreign tourists enjoying the attraction. Krittaya Meetawee, mayor of Amphawa subdistrict, acknowledged that visitor numbers have not fully rebounded to pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels. However, he noted that the floating market still draws a significant number of tourists, including many international travellers, particularly from China.

Krittaya attributed the temporary decline in visitors to some shops and tour businesses at the floating market closing due to economic difficulties. He assured that these businesses have now reopened.

Regarding the viral video showing a lack of tourists at Amphawa Floating Market, Krittaya clarified that the footage was taken outside the main tourist area.

Both Cha-am Beach and Amphawa Floating Market remain popular destinations, countering the misleading social media reports, reported Bangkok Post.