Bangkok shrine dancers face plummet in income

They are icons of Thailand – a must-see checked on tourists' lists – but with no visitors about because of the coronavirus lockdown, the dancers at Bangkok's Erawan Shrine have seen their income plummet.

To add insult to injury, there's a new addition to their glittering costumes.

For the past month, members of the famous troupe have viewed their world through visors.

With the face shields set off against the traditional costumes, it's the perfect symbol of pandemic Thailand.

Their stage at the famous downtown shrine is tiny and cramped, so social distancing is impossible.

The visors are their concession to the need to block any possible transmission of COVID-19.

For patrons of the world-famous troupe, who pay for a dance to curry favour with the shrine's deity, it's an incongruous sight.

"We've never seen something like this," said office worker May Ithijaroon.

In pre-pandemic days, the shrine was a major draw, especially for Chinese tourists who paid up to 22 US dollars for a short dance.

As many as 10,000 people would visit every day, keeping the dancers on their feet, almost without a break.

But when Thailand first went into lockdown, the performances stopped.

They began again at the start of May, but with incoming flights still prohibited there are no tourists.

The dancers have since had to rely on local worshippers and the numbers don't compare.

Though declining to give figures, the dancers say their income has fallen by around 70%.

While worshippers kneel and appeal to the heavens, there is no answer yet to the dancers' own prayers, as commercial passenger flights from abroad remain banned until at least the end of June.

(Representative Image)