newnative

You should learn to look at the big picture, rather than be laser-focused on a small brushstroke applied back in 2016. If you read more, yourself, you'd know that in 2019, over 60% of the nearly 11 million Chinese visitors to Thailand were independent travelers, not in tour groups, be they budget tours or otherwise. So, about 6.6 million independent Chinese tourists that year, a far bigger figure than any other country. 6.6 million not in your so-called zero dollar tours from years ago. 6.6 million spending their money anywhere they wanted in Thailand. Just to be clear, the remaining 4.4 million in tour groups also contributed greatly to the Thai economy. Whether they were traveling independently or with groups, Chinese tourists dropped 543 billion baht in Thailand in 2019. No other country came remotely close. To even get into that ballpark, you would have to add the revenue from all the countries of Europe, which gives you 461 billion baht and change. You can certainly choose to focus on a small segment that garnered some publicity years ago, but it doesn't reflect the importance of the Chinese tour market to Thailand. As I said in my earlier post, it explains Thailand's actions in trying to boost the Chinese tourist numbers. You can find the 2019 revenue figures here: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1140714/thailand-value-of-tourist-spending-by-region-of-origin/

You're welcome. And, good luck with your condo shopping.

There are a number of good, big agencies in town. Coastal, East Coast, Gecko, Alan Bolton, PBRE, Prestige, FazWaz, Rightmove, Cornerstone, Pattaya Realty, and others. I've only had good experiences with the real estate agencies in Pattaya. I would start with Hipflat. Thailand does not have an MLS service but a number of agencies will list their properties for sale on Hipflat, as well as their websites. You can search areas of town, such as Jomtien or central Pattaya, for condo projects in those areas. You can also search by condo project name to see listings for sale. The information is sometimes out of date but you can get an idea of what's for sale in a project, some information on the project, and pricing. If you see a listing you like, you can contact the agency with the listing--and also check the agency's website for perhaps more information on the unit, such as whether it is in foreign quota.

2019 tourist revenue from China: 543 billion baht. They 'like the numbers'.

Or, thinking without the benefit of any actual information regarding international tourist revenue.

You, and the posters from the 'many previous posts' you 'recall', might ask yourselves the musical question, why, if Chinese visitors to Thailand contribute so little to the 'overall economy', then why is Thailand so hellbent on trying to get them to return in large numbers? Why bother with new visa schemes to try to entice them? Easy answer. Thailand would love to get back to 2019 China visitor numbers, nearly 11 million. That year, Chinese visitors spent 534 billion baht in Thailand. That includes those in tour groups and those traveling independently. By far the most of any country.

You don't need to 'whisper' it; of course his sentence will be reduced. The only question is by how much. Likely, a lot.

Translation: More tourists means we have to work harder so we are against more tourists.

Work.

Yes, that's what scares me--the cursed Electoral College. He was very badly beaten in the popular vote in 2020--by 7 million votes-- but could have still won the election had he strongly embraced early voting and vote-by-mail, as Biden did, and won some of the close states he lost. He might have 'found' 12,000 more voters, in Georgia, for example, and gotten their votes in before election day, had he embraced early voting. Instead, he lost Georgia by about 12,000 votes and ended up breaking the law after the election by coercing Georgia officials to 'find' him those 12,000 votes. Toooo late. Hopefully, Donnie will be just as brainless in 2024, should he be the nominee, but can we count on him being that major league stupid twice?

But, no ban on straight pornographic books; apparently still ok in the schools. Seems anti-gay--both you and DeSantis.

Well, it's pretty darn simple. When you are in a cult you lose the ability to distinguish fact from fiction. That's what it all boils down to, in the end. Given massive, factual, proven left, right and sideways information, facts, Trump cultists are unable to see a fact as a fact. Instead, they will believe the Big Lie, and all the other many lies spouted by their cult leader, Trump, because they have lost this ability. They are fond of posting first with a false statement, followed by a brain-no-longer-processing question, as the above poster has, because that's all they have left; they've lost the ability to determine fact from fiction.

Hope he is found guilty, since he is, and rots in prison for the rest of his life. Despicable human--I can see how he and Trump found each other. Maybe they can be cellmates.

Easily guilty. Block him from running in enough states and then let's see what the spineless Republicans do.

Not very impressive. Likely will be even less so with the huge price increases.

I don't believe a word of it.

Those are the two things he managed to come up with? Loan sharks and phone scams? Somewhere, the Red Bull cop killer is smiling.

I don't know why I didn't just do this in the first place and save myself some time. From Google: November through March is Thailand's high season, with relatively dry weather and agreeable temperatures. This is a great time to enjoy the country's cultural and natural splendor.

Agree with the above. Not 'priceless', half a million bucks and change. Hold the hype. The violinist must be an idiot, first to carry it around in what looks like a very unprotective sack and then forgetting it altogether.

Money might not make me happy but it definitely gives me more options to do different things, which may lead to making me happier--I'm a pretty happy person with or without money. And, it can certainly contribute to peace of mind, which can also contribute to being happier. I remember for so many years living paycheck to paycheck in my low-paying job, praying that something major and expensive to repair did not break that month--and then hoping the same thing the next month. Will I have enough money to pay the rent this month?--always on my mind. (Perhaps that is one of the reasons I've always liked owning the roof over my head.) Finally scrapped up enough money, along with a small loan from my Dad, to secure the down payment to buy my first condo, which I fixed up and later sold, paying Dad off. Did that a few times, making some profit on each, which was plowed into the next condo. And then, I had a big condo sale, netting $70,000. $70,000, of course, is peanuts to many but at the time I was only making around $30,000 a year, in very expensive northern Virginia, and I had little in the way of savings. So, it was a huge windfall for me, and I remember it to this day. Suddenly, I could breathe. Suddenly, I didn't have to be constantly worrying about being able to pay a big repair bill--or anything else unexpected that might come up. I could take a trip. I could trade-in my old clunker for a better car. As I said in my first sentence, having some money, for the first time, opened things up for me and gave me more options in my life, which made for a happier me.

You are SO right! I thought 50 was a very hard birthday--until 60 showed up. The absolute worst, though, was 70, which I've concluded is the very worst of all the '0' birthdays after very careful, detailed study. Let's disregard the oh-so-easy ones below 50. 50--still youngish. 50 is nifty. 60--no longer young but not really old yet. Swinging 60s. 70--old. Saggy 70s--not the same zing as Nifty 50. No sugar-coating it. Old. Yikes! 70! Can I really be 70 already--when I still feel so young at heart? 80, by the way, should I reach it, will be a breeze, a '0' birthday to finally celebrate, rather than dread, reaching. For the OP, rejoice in 'just' turning 50. You have 20 hopefully great years ahead of you before you reach the really yucky milestone--70. Enjoy every day. Now let me be off to research facelifts.

Well, that was obscenely quick. What happened to serving 1/3 of your sentence before a petition can be considered?

Just what I meant. The high season is yet to come. This is still August, for heaven's sake.

SOP for the Grifter King.

Color me shocked if he actually serves one-third of his sentence before he's pardoned.