Thailand plans to turn about half its prisons into tourist attractions to boost visitor numbers as the South-East Asian nation struggles to recover from an economic slump caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
Key points:
- Thailand has the region's largest prison population and inmates have limited rights
- Only around a fifth of last year's visitors are expected to arrive in Thailand during 2020
- The Thai Government has vowed to reduce overcrowding in prisons
Sporting events, art exhibitions, cooking contests and souvenirs made by inmates will be rolled out in 72 of the country's 143 prisons, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said this week.
A pilot scheme is being tested in five prisons, including those in the cities of Trat, Rayong and Ratchaburi, he said.
Thailand to turn prisons into tourist attractions amid COVID-19 slump - ABC News