For the past few months Thailand has been inundated with massive flooding. Throughout the disaster, the Tourism Authority of Thailand was reporting that none of the tourist areas had been affected, aside from some sections of Bangkok that had been damaged. Hotels in the capital city had also reported that they had not experienced any damages, although occupancy was low. Today, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has released an update regarding the country as a whole. According to the TAT, "Thailand is Open for Business!"
Flood waters have receded in most of the affected areas of Thailand’s central provinces and the surrounding area of Bangkok, including the Chatuchak District. The heart of Bangkok, where the majority of tourists are accommodated, remains dry and unaffected and is open for business. Cleanup operations have been underway since the second week of November and continue on a daily basis. The vast majority of Thailand’s most popular destinations to the north and south, including Phuket, Ko Samui, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Sukhothai, have had no flooding whatsoever and remain dry. The main tourist attraction affected in Thailand was the World Heritage Site in Ayutthaya, where the water receded in early November. The site has been cleared and is open to tourists. The Fine Arts Department is working in close connection with UNESCO to repair a few parts of the World Heritage Site which require restoration.
Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra joined in a weekend clean-up in several districts of Bangkok and Thon Buri, where floodwaters have fully receded. On Saturday, November 19, the city governor led workers from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and volunteers to clean up the ‘Lad Phrao 5-way intersection’ and surrounding areas. This major intersection is located in front of Chatuchak Weekend Market and the Central Department Store complex, which includes the Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok. Twenty-five water-trucks were used to clean debris and residue left behind by the floods. The weekend long clean-up saw a massive turnout by the Thai public, private sector companies, the army and police, gathering volunteers from throughout Thailand to help in this effort.
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