Thailand’s Tourism Sector Struggles to Rebound

Local xenophobia, bureaucratic fumbling make recovery a nightmare

By: Murray Hunter

Thailand is making a faltering start to the return of tourists, with the first contingent of Chinese travelers set to arrive last week but were delayed by a security chief who cited the Vegetarian Festival as a reason for the delay. That is a sorry start for an industry that previously contributed more than 18 percent to the country’s g…