@Mark ******
. Aren't all countries suffering from lack of tourists? I certainly know Australia is. And do you think economically, Thailand is worse off than, for example Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines? I've not been to North Korea (have no desire actually), only seen videos and pictures, but I really can't see Thailand striving to emulate it. I think because Thailand is very popular with western tourists, they (the western tourists) believe they have some kind of rights here, and the closing of the borders has upset this philosophy. Foreigners just need to be patient. The embargo will not last forever, but neither will it be lifted any sooner than deemed necessary.