Over a month after water overflow from the Kok River flooded the Riva Vista Riverfront Resort in Chiang Rai, staff are still working to restore the hotel. Floodwaters reached waist-deep in the lobby and first-floor areas.

Mr. Kawin Srirattanaprasit, General Manager of Riva Vista Riverfront Resort, said 30 rooms have been restored while another 60 remain closed. Damage is estimated to be more than 2 million baht.

He said we are working hard to repair the remaining rooms and hope to be fully operational by November 1, the start of the winter high season in Chiang Rai.

The biggest challenge we face now is tourists’ fear that flooding problems still exist in Chiang Rai. People call reception and ask if there is still flooding or if it is safe to come to Chiang Rai.

This serious issue needs government attention because tourists are afraid to visit. He said the Chiang Rai Provincial Municipality or the Tourism Authority of Thailand must communicate that Chiang Rai is no longer flooded.

Tourists Hotel Chiang Rai — Tourist Booking into Hotel – File Image

Boosting Tourism in Chiang Rai

Normally, most hotels have high booking numbers in October, which marks the start of the winter high season. However, bookings this October are not good; most hotels in Chiang Rai are less than 50% booked by foreign tourists.

Mr. Kawin said hotels and restaurants in Chiang Rai are suffering, and the government needs to stimulate the economy and attract tourists. He said it’s positive that the government created the 800 baht co-share initiative, which only applies to 10,000 people in 45 provinces. He said this does not adequately help Chiang Rai hotels.

Meanwhile, due to the impact of flooding in the North on tourism in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, various agencies are implementing strategies to boost the sector in the final quarter of the year.

Ms. Pakakrong Tapparak, an Associate Professor of Statistics at Rajamangala Srivijaya University, expects the tourism sector in the North will benefit from cooler weather and the celebrations of Loy Krathong, Christmas, and New Year.

However, she noted that most tourism enterprises (82%) have not yet seen a rebound in revenues, and 54% of hotel operators continue to earn much less than in 2023.

According to Prof. Pakakrong, companies are urging the government to lower water and electricity costs, provide interest-free loans, and implement co-payment schemes like those established by the previous administration during the pandemic.

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) calls on the government to implement a co-payment initiative to revitalize the sector after the recent flood crisis.

TCT president Chamnan Srisawat reported that the recent floods have damaged the tourism sector by at least 500 million baht. He proposed that the government consider allocating up to 5 billion baht to offer a subsidy of 2,000 baht per person per day for three—to four-night trips.