Chumpol seeks business opinions on Thurs

 The ministry will collect the total number of workforce in the tourism industry and the number of those are likely to be laid off as foreign tourist arrivals have not yet returned to the normal level prior to the closure of the Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 Chumpol said the ministry would urge financial institutions to offer soft loans to SME operators. Moreover, it will ask the government to waive several government taxes and some fees levied on SMEs.

 "Tourism is an important part to drive the economy and I would help operators to stay," said Chumpol.

 There are fears that the airport closure as well as global economic problems may plunge the tourism industry to a negative growth rate next year and a million workers may be out of job.