Thailand still golden for Chinese tourists despite Zika fears

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Confirmation that the Zika virus had caused microcephaly in Thailand is not likely to scare off large numbers of Chinese tourists due to jet in for holidays in the next week, tourists and industry operators said. Thailand reported on Friday the first confirmed cases in Southeast Asia of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size, linked to the Zika virus, a day after U.S. officials recommended that pregnant women postpone travel to 11 countries in the region, including Thailand, because of Zika. China's "Golden Week" break, which starts on Saturday, sees an exodus to overseas holiday spots with tropical Thailand a favorite for Chinese visitors, who are already the most numerous in the country.