Mandalay Airport has been closed as its ATC Tower has collapsed and transport infrastructure damage is widespread (Photo: Social Media)
Three days after a deadly earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand, killing over 1,800 persons, as rescue efforts continue, the extent of damage caused by the disaster is becoming clearer.
While all sectors of the economy in the two countries will feel the impact of the quake, the most vulnerable is tourism, which is a key area of the economy in the two countries. But Myanmar will reel under the impact of the quake for far longr than Thailand.
The earthquake has destroyed transport infrastructure including roads, bridges and railway tracks. Moreover, it has also damaged airports in the country, especially Mandalay Airport in central Myanmar, which was at the epicentre of the quake, and where the Air Traffic Control Tower has been reduced to a rubble, forcing a total closure of the airport. The situation is similar at the airport at Naypyidaw, capital of Myanmar.
In a press statement, aviation authorities of Myanmar say that due to the earthquakes experienced, all flights to and from Naypyidaw and Mandalay have been cancelled, with effect from the day of the quake itself and that the two airports will remain closed indefinitely
“We will resume operations once we receive approval from the relevant authorities and the condition is safe for our guests and colleagues,’’ says the statement.
The airport authorities say that affected passengers can opt for a one-time free date change, within a week after the airports reopen and subject to seat availability. Alternatively, they can also seek a full refund of the tickets.
“Our passenger safety is our priority. As the situation is dynamic, we continually monitor ongoing developments to make informed decisions. We appreciate your patience and understanding and look forward to welcoming you on board as soon as possible,” reads the statement.
Meanwhile, across the border in Thailand, though buildings have collapsed and there have been several casualties in the capital Bangkok, tourism stakeholders say that the tourism impact would be lesser than in Myanmar and more short-term.
Thai Hotels Association says that international tourist arrivals are expected to drop by 10-15 pc or even more in the next two weeks. A short-term impact is expected for the tourism industry because of safety concerns, it adds.
Though the impact may be short-lived and certainly at a lower scale that in Myanmar, the timing of the disaster does not come at a good time for Thailand, where the number of Chinese visitors has declined, due to some safety-related incidents, unrelated to the earthquake, that occurred earlier.
Hoteliers say that bookings during the upcoming Songkran festival in April haven’t been as good compared with two years ago. Foreign tourist arrivals have been falling on a weekly basis since the end of the Lunar New Year rush in early February.
Economists of Bank of America have warned that there is a downside risk to its forecast of 38.1 million tourist arrivals this year in Thailand, as the country moves into the low season when European tourists subside.
Sorawong Thienthong
The tourism stakeholders say that even a short-lived impact on tourist arrivals will hurt an economy where the industry employs one in five of the country’s workforce and accounts for about 13 pc of Gross Domestic Product. Thailand is banking more on tourism as its exports are under pressure due to uncertainties following trade tariffs threatened by United States President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the Thai Government has reassured international tourists about their safety and security in the country. “Thailand is safe for tourists and the government has ordered a safety audit of hotels and major tourist attractions,” Sorawong Thienthong, Minister of Tourism and Sports, of Thailand was cited by media as saying.
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