They’re at it again in Thailand. On the eve of reporting the country’s worst tourist slump in decades, with hotels only 25 percent full, demonstrators in Bangkok have once again taken to the streets in political protest. This time it’s the thousands of supporters of ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra rallying against Thailand’s new leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. Chanting crowds have blocked roads and have been met by 3,000 unarmed riot police urging peaceful protest.
Last month’s protests culminated in the eight-day closure of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimates the protests caused a loss of $4 billion in revenue and triggered one million foreign visitors to cancel their plans to visit Thailand.