BANGKOK, March 19 — Thailand may lose between Bt15-20 billion in tourism revenue in 2011 due to decline of Japanese tourists arrivals in the wake of a massive quake and tsunami which had devastated Japan’s northeast coast on March 11, according to a research conducted by privately-run Kasikorn Research Center.

The research said it was earlier projected that about 1.2 million Japanese tourists would visit Thailand in 2011 and the country would earn Bt38 billion as Japan’s economy has started recovering. But the devastating earthquake and tsunami that rocked northeast cost of Japan last week and subsequent crisis at nuclear power plants are expected to put pressure on Thailand’s tourism as it is now believed that only about 850,000 Japanese would visit the country this year, down 12 per cent from last year, which would translate to revenue of approximately Bt23 billion, a decline of 23 per cent.

MCOT