Thailand to support post-quake tourism rehabilitation

BANGKOK, April 30 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, is ready to help rehabilitate tourism in Nepal, following a devastating earthquake in the South Asian nation last Saturday. Expressing her condolences on the massive earthquake in Nepal on April 25, Thai Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkan Wattanavrangkul said when the situation in Nepal returns to normal, her ministry will encourage Thai travelers to visit Nepal and urge business firms to organize corporate social responsibility trips there to help rehabilitate tourism in quake-hit nation. Kobkan told reporters that 26,160 Nepalese people visited Thailand last year, when 7,902 Thai people toured Nepal, while 10,768 Nepalese people arrived in Thailand during the first four months of this year. The minister reported, meanwhile, that 64 Thai tourists were in Nepal when the 7.9-magnitude earthquake occured but all of them were safe and already returned to Thailand. According to the minister, tour companies which have registered with her ministry's Department of Tourism offer insurance for all clients, covering up to 500,000 baht for each injury and one million baht for each death. (TNA)