To protect itself from coronavirus, Thailand completely closed its borders for six months before reopening them slowly. Today, anyone who wants to visit must first complete a 14 day quarantine in a designated hotel. As a result, Thailand officially has less than 100 deaths from Covid-19.
But for an economy largely dependent on tourism, what is the impact of this policy? How has the shutdown affected the environment? For those willing to go through the quarantine, a unique experience awaits. Thailand is once again a paradise of totally deserted sublime beaches with luxury hotels available at knockdown prices.
From the mythical archipelago of Koh Phi Phi, immortalised in the film ‘The Beach’ with Leonardo Di Caprio, to the mountainous jungles of the north of the country via Pattaya, the world capital of prostitution, the disappearance of mass tourism has had unexpected consequences everywhere.