Tourism has collapsed pretty much everywhere. Among many other negative effects, the drop in visitors has created a housing shortage in Thailand.
The economist’s normal response to a shortage is, “Raise the price.” That strategy may not be feasible in this case. The houses are shells. The homeless are hermit crabs.
You read that correctly. Fewer tourists have created a hermit crab population explosion. Some of the desperate crustaceans are taking up residence in cans, glass bottles, and, well, any available space.
How many crabs are there? Let’s go to the ultimate source, BangkokJack.com.
“The reason (we need shells) is because of surging numbers of hermit crabs, I think tens of thousands,” Mu Koh Lanta National Park director Veerasak Srisatjung told AFP.
So head for the beach, find some nice spiral shells, box them up and send them to Mr. Srisatjung.
