Date: 20 April 2003

Amidst the SARS-phobia around the globe and the struggle of five-star hotels, handling cancellations of up to 90% of the package-tourists, businesses of budget travelers on Khao San Road still run smoothly.

Khao San Road, the gateway to countries in Indo-China region like Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia of young independent travelers, is still filled with SARS-undisturbed backpackers. Interviewed about SARS concerns, all of them showed no fear of the deadly virus and were determined to continue their trip around the region.

An owner of an Israeli restaurant on Khao San Road said that the number of customers he was having for this time of the year was about the same as previous years.

According to Tourism Authority of Thailand, almost 3 million of 10 million visitors last year were in the 18-30 group of age. A two-year study by the Thai Farmers' Research Center revealed that young independent travelers spend a total of more than 30 bullion baht per year. Consequently, young independent travelers are still the lively market that keep tourism sector in Thailand afloat from the crisis somehow.

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