by Nuttanan Srithorn BANGKOK, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Amid the global economic recession that started late 2008, Thais working in the spa business have even experienced that their income has been largely dampened by the rapid A/H1N1 virus outbreak and the country's lingeringly political instability. After the global economic crisis debut in September last year, Thailand's economy was diminished by the domestic political crisis, which caused to closure of two Bangkok airports, including the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Suvarnabhumi Airport was occupied by the People's Alliance for Democracy from Nov. 25 to Dec. 3, 2008, in the climax of protests to topple the then Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat-led Government. Approximately, it is estimated there are 1,200 spa operators in Thailand that create 25,000 jobs, according to the Thai Commerce Ministry. 'The situation between the pre-crises and post-crises is very different,' Mr. Phawat Kulcharat told Xinhua his tough experience as a manager at Rak (Love) Herbal Massage Shop, the spa and Thai traditional massage shop at Suan Lum Night Bazaar market in capital Bangkok. Phawat said: during the two airports' closure, no foreign tourists came to this place, 'so, we could not buy any food as we could afford only instant noodle (at five baht (0.15 U.S. dollars) a pack).' A plate of Thai foods, including rice, averages 30 baht (0.88 U.S. dollars) per meal. During the pre-crises, the spa shop earned from 40,000 baht (1, 173 U.S. dollars) to 60,000 baht (1,760 U.S. dollars) a day, generating by about 50 staff workers as each staff had five to six clients per day, according to Panida Satitamorndham, owner of Rak (Love) Herbal Massage Shop. 'Now, we earn only up to 10,000 baht (293.34 U.S. dollars) per day as each staff has only up to two clients,' said Panida. Phawat said, 'the current situation has just slightly improved as the business has just returned by 20 percent compared to that of the pre-crises.' Having worked in this business for five years, after the crises he said his bi- weekly income sharply plunges to 3,000 baht (88.0 U. S. dollars) from the highest bi-weekly income of 6,000 baht (176.0 U.S. dollars) to 7,000 baht (176.0 U.S. dollars) during the pre- crises. 'My income is not enough for my two daughters, who are studying in a university, so I have to borrow from a government education fund,' said Phawat. Moreover, the government needs to convince foreign tourists not be too much worried about the A/H1N1 virus outbreak, he said. In a latest survey asking 412 operators in the tourism sector during June 25-29 by Bangkok's University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, 60.5 percent of the respondents said the global flu outbreak is affecting their sales. 'According to the spa operators, the number of foreign tourists is sharply falling, resulting in cancellation of the spa and Thai traditional massage booking,' said the Commerce Ministry. The Ministry said according to the Thai Spa Association, in 2008 the market value of the spa business, including the Thai traditional massage service, was valued at about 15.0 billion baht (440.53 million U.S. dollars). However, it is projected the country's market value of the spa business for 2009 will fall to stand at 7.0 billion baht (205.58 million U.S. dollars) to 8.0 billion baht (234.95 million U.S. dollars). 