Gold is The New Best Friend!

Published April 18th, 2020 - 09:03 GMT

Thais are flocking to Bangkok's Chinatown to sell their gold jewelry as the price of the precious metal spikes and the economy tanks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gold surged to a seven-year high on Tuesday to $1,731.25 an ounce. That has boosted the price of gold across the world, tempting many to sell their stocks of the precious metal at a time of economic hardship without recent precedent.

Thailand's economy is forecast to contract by more than five percent this year after the virus shuttered borders -- killing the cash cow tourist industry -- leaving millions unemployed.
 

View as a slider
View as a list

An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus sell their jewelries in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

A police officer enforces social distancing as people wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus checks the temperature of a customer outside a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus paints the new prices of gold on the shop window of a goldsmith in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus sell their jewelries in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
A police officer enforces social distancing as people wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus checks the temperature of a customer outside a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus paints the new prices of gold on the shop window of a goldsmith in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee checks a gold chain offered for sale in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus sell their jewelries in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus sell their jewelries in a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
A police officer enforces social distancing as people wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
A police officer enforces social distancing as people wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus checks the temperature of a customer outside a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus checks the temperature of a customer outside a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus paints the new prices of gold on the shop window of a goldsmith in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
An employee wearing a face mask amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus paints the new prices of gold on the shop window of a goldsmith in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP
People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus line up to sell their jewelries in front of a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown on April 15, 2020. Hundreds of Bangkok residents rushed to goldsmith shops in order to sell their jewelries as gold prices reached its highest levels since 2012. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

You may also like

Subscribe

Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content