The Asian travel association PATA and Focusright, a Swiss consultancy for business and human rights, analyzed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on informal workers in the Thai tourism value chain between December 2020 and March 2021. The investigation found that there is a particular need for measures to support workers in the informal Thai supply chain until the restart of international tourism. The report is peppered with haunting quotes on the situation.
A boat driver who usually also carries tourists said in an interview with Tum, a tour guide from Phuket: “I am facing financial issues and have debt at the moment. COVID-19 brought my family difficulties and I got depressed. I had to change jobs to be a fisherman to earn more money to support my family. There is not enough promotion or campaign from the government to get domestic tourists. I hope that the country will be reopened soon and available for the vaccine.”