Thai tourism and economy take a big hit from outbreak in Wuhan

Pedestrians wearing protective masks walk along a street in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. The coronavirus impact is of particular concern to Thailand’s tourism industry, which makes up about 21% of the economy and has lost considerable business with the decline of travellers from China, its biggest customer base. - Bloomberg

BANGKOK (The Straits Times/ANN): This is supposed to be the top tourist season in Thailand, with beaches and major tourist attractions packed with visitors, especially those from China who make up the largest single group of foreign tourists to the kingdom, South-east Asia's second-largest economy.

But many such places are now half-empty or almost empty after China decided to suspend tours abroad on Jan 27 in the light of the worsening coronavirus outbreak. Up to 492 people have been killed by the virus which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Almost all the deaths have occurred in China.