Phuket, Thailand (CNN) — Pre-pandemic, Phuket’s Patong Beach was not a place you’d go for peace and quiet.
On any given day during high season, this popular Thai beach town would be filled with tourists from all around the world. Jet skis, longtails and speed boats roared through its bright blue waters. Some pulled parasails, their colorful puffs of nylon kites moving through the skies, keeping harnessed bodies afloat.
Massive cruise ships could sometimes be seen anchored offshore.
In the evenings, the streets adjacent to Patong’s beach were packed with travelers till long after the sun slipped into the Andaman Sea horizon, the air filled with the shouts of taxi drivers, massage staff and restaurant workers, all in pursuit of the next customer.
With few international tourists, Patong’s businesses have been forced to close.
Mark Phillips/CNN
These days, Patong is unrecognizable. Its…
