Thailand is already facing considerable difficulties in coping with the environmental impact of its tourism boom, which is expected to attract around 40 million visitors this year. However, the government and the Ministry of Tourism and Sport want to increase the number of visitors even further. The influx is expected to reach the 65 million visitors in a decade. Thus, the challenges for the country and, above all, for the environment will continue to grow in the coming years.
Southeast Asia's second largest economy is planning to invest around 400 billion baht in expanding airport capacity and connecting the large terminals with high-speed rail. As a result, the number of foreign tourists could increase by more than 60% to approximately the size of the British population by 2029, according to forecasts by the World Travel and Tourism Council.
Tourism and revenue from tourists is an economic elixir of life for Thailand, and the sheer number of visitors expected to be 40 million is one of the reasons why the nation has the strongest currency in Asia this year.
However, the ecological challenge of coping with this tourist deluge is steadily increasing. An example of this is the indefinite closure of the legendary Maya Bay, which became famous through the Leonardo DiCaprio movie "The Beach" to facilitate the recovery of the ecosystem.
Already last year, the head of the National Park in Krabi, which is also responsible for the Bay of Maja, said that Thailand lost around 35 million baht in revenue from the closure of the beach for tourists alone in the month of July.
The difference in revenue becomes clear when you compare the income from the bay with the figures from the same month last year, when the bay was still open to tourists and accessible, he added.
"The number of tourists is growing too fast for the country to cope with," said Somprawin Manprasert, the chief economist of Bank of Ayudhya Plc, a Thai unit of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.
"We need to implement a better system for tourist and travel management that can help with congestion and environmental issues. We do not see enough of it yet, "he added.
Thailand is not the only one dealing with the consequences of mass tourism, ranging from coral damage to plastic, waste and sewage pollution in the sea. Neighbors like the Philippines and Indonesia are also facing similar challenges.
The difference for Thailand is that tourism accounts for one-fifth of the economy in some measures, making the sector's administration a crucial issue for the country's prospects.
Although arrivals have weakened somewhat in recent months, civil servants see them as temporary in the face of a slowing global economy.
For years, officials have been trying to lure travelers into less-traveled parts of the country to lessen the pressure on traditional hotspots such as the capital Bangkok and beach resorts like Phuket or Pattaya. However, these initiatives have so far been only partially successful.
The planned infrastructure upgrades in Thailand include new terminals at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in Bangkok and the extension of another near the Pattaya seaside resort at U Tapao in Rayong.
That would mean a capacity of around 190 million passengers per year in all three facilities by 2025, out of the current 78 million passengers. At the airports in the country, many more passengers are already being handled than previously planned. And according to official figures, the numbers continue to rise every year.
However, the traffic improvements alone are not enough to ensure the sustainability of tourism, said the Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat, before he was appointed to the Senate.
"We need to promote more energy and water efficiency, reduce the use of plastics and, at the same time, recycle more," he said.
Sources: Bangkok Post, thaizeit.de, Thailand Tip, pnohmphempost.com, blick.ch