20-per-cent drop in tourists

The arrival of foreign tourists has dropped by 20 per cent following the imposition of martial law, Permanent Secretary for Sports and Tourism Suwat Sidthilaw said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Navy chief Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, Suwat said the number of foreign tourists had fallen by tens of thousands.

He said he had received complaints from tourism operators in key tourist destinations, such as Pataya and Phuket, that the curfew affected their businesses. Narong said the operators would like the military junta to ease the curfew order.