BANGKOK, THAILAND, December 17, 2015 (Bangkok Post): Vendors convincing passers-by to buy garlands and pay respects to the Hindu God has become a common scene at the Ratchaprasong intersection. Four months after the deadly Erawan shrine blast, thick smoke from joss sticks has again blanketed the shrine as hundreds of tourists, especially Asians, are returning to the spot.
As the intersection has been well-decorated ahead of New Year festivities, and many tourists are returning to the area, business at the shrine is picking up. But it has yet to meet local business operators’ expectations. Orawan Chatthong, 32, a flower vendor, has been watching business picking up since the tourism peak season began last month. The number of tourists dropped sharply in the two months immediately after the Aug 17 blast.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has made improvements to its security cameras installed at the Ratchaprasong intersection and in nearby locations and is working together with security agencies to prepare for New Year festivities.