Thailand reassures tourists it is safe to travel after earthquake

Even as Thailand reels from an earthquake that killed at least 17 people and damaged buildings in Bangkok, officials have been quick to reassure tourists that it is safe to travel to the country’s many tourist destinations.

Government officials said that no tourists have been injured and no tourist sights have been affected.

The Thai government declared a state of emergency in the capital to coordinate disaster response efforts after Friday’s massive earthquake with an epicentre in Myanmar resulted in 17 deaths in Bangkok.

At least 83 people remain missing, authorities say, adding that 32 others have been reported injured. Meanwhile in neighbouring Myanmar, some 1,700 people have died, with thousands more casualties feared.

“Travel, hotels, & events proceed normally. Inspections are ongoing for safety assurance. Tourist police monitor key sites,” Thailand’s Tourism Minister Sorawong was quoted as saying in a government post on X.

Officials also say there are no more travel cancellations. The international airports, for example in Bangkok and on the popular holiday island of Phuket, have also returned to normal operations, the operators announced. Previously, terminals and runways had been checked for damage.

In Myanmary’s capital Naypyidaw, meanwhile, an air traffic control tower at the international airport collapsed, killing at least six people.

Friday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake with an epicentre in Myanmar hit as Bangkok was hosting the Thailand Tourism Festival 2025, forcing crowds to flee the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC).

Tourism accounts for 12% of Thailand’s gross national product (GDP) and employs more than 20% of the total workforce, according to a speech by the country’s central bank governor last year.