Blumpie

You are 100 percent true. What most on this forum talk about is the beer belly sit around in the sun kind of "tourist" which isn't really a tourist at all. They are long term travellers. Tourists stay a week or two, go all out, and leave. Those are by far the highest percentage of travellers in Thailand and the ones that rightfully attract the most interest. Sure there are exceptions but it is NOT the norm. As I wrote at the ending of the pandemic there would be a blip up and then it would drop. The world has seen this happen with the exception of Europe this year. Next year may be their turn. Thailand will have trouble attracting tourists this year. The question is do they really care?

Thailands tourism is in a gargantuan downturn and it is not coming back either. This isnt rocket science. For those that think this is nothing this is huge. When tourists get killed by a random shooting it affects numbers pure and simple. In the meantime, I'll let the usual drivel come out of official news sources about how things are fine.

When tourism numbers are awful throw up numbers high in the sky. The numbers are the numbers but I digress, feed them sugar and spice and all that nice.

True but seems slightly irrelevant. Chinese are now "marked" if they go on holidays abroad and many are just not interested in the hassle and potential hassle in the future. ITs a whole new world and they are not inclined to travel nearly as much. The halcyon days are over.

Like it or not fools pay for this kind of garbage - people who have more money than they know what to do with People who have old money and are squandering it away. It doesn't matter to me if they are just doing a high end pay off, Im not interested in retiring in Thailand anymore. It's not home it will never be home. They can boot you out anytime for any reason in the future. No thanks

The chinese are not coming back anytime soon. I'd revisit it in five years.

.... but I don't understand your tourism is doing great what's wrong...... LOL

Sadly Thailand will never be your home. It never ever was and never will be. You apply for a visa every year more than likely. When you can no longer afford it for any reason you will be shown the door in short order.

Garbage click bait.

It's very expensive and stressful to fly these days.

They should be worried

No Nooooooo!!!! I just spilled my beer!!!!

Democracy right... LOL

All these contrived numbers from TAT is pure fiction. Absolute nonsense. Total garbage. There is nothing but downside to tourism moving forward. The halcyon days of too many tourists are over and what's left? A land of rip offs and not adventure, just open sewers and rats, heat and stench. Honestly Thailand is no longer fun its just unimpressive. This is one of the biggest headwinds a place like Thailand can have. They thrived on over the top tourism from China and look at them now.

Wrote this many many times. Chinese tourism will be down for many many many years yet. The government does not want them travelling and they are having a difficult time getting passports. It's a strange country and not open like other countries.

I want to say that it IS an issue - the Chinese know about it, and with the backpacker crowd having enough of thailand and moving on to Bali (not that theres a lot of them anyways), people dont take kindly to being ripped off all the time. Look at tourism, it's way down and this is supposed to be the big comeback! Look at airfares. This is not good.

????

Coming to a country to smoke a joint is about the saddest thing that I can imagine. Are there people who are sad enough to fly half way around the world to toke up? Yes there are but hardly any

It's Thailand, everyone gets scammed. It's a country based on ripping people off. You know it. I know it. Dogs know it. Everyone knows it. Good luck, it won't be in my lifetime but empty words sure sound nice don't they? Verbal onanism.

Fake democracy continues, slack jawed yokels cheer from the sidelines saying everything is getting better and it isn't it's' the same old garbage. Fools!

We notice these thins but the average tourist does not. I agree though this kind of negativity third world garbage weighs on people's minds, as does the coup. In essence, is there a better place to go? Yes, there are several I can name off the top of my head and people do indeed go to those places. Thailand has always been a bit of a tourist dump if you think about it - people getting ripped off, police scams, etc. The only thing that's changed is they want high end tourists. Where's the beef? There isn't any. Nothings changed. The magic wand was waved and nothing happened.

I hope that I don't seem arrogant but I predicted that China's comeback would fizzle to a nothing burger and it indeed has and it wasn't hard to see either. Their government doesn't really want them travelling anymore and with the latest economic climate the headwinds are even more profound. So what is thailand? Let's just discuss what it is, it has stinky sewers, good street food, prices have gone up dramatically, and everything is kind of a rip off. It's a place many people want to visit. ONCE. And that's it. Where is the growth here? There isn't any really. Thailand has changed, its ok I guess.

Clickbait nonsense. Anything for a news story to keep ones focus off the real events.

Anything for a news story as long as it detracts from the real issues. It's amazing how people permit the powers that be to pull the wool over their eyes.

As a gay man I find it hilarious that many people put us all into a category where we are all like a stereotypical african american in the 1970s sitting on a porch eating fried chicken and watermelon on a hot sunny day. In 2023 in most countries nobody cares. Overt affection in public isn't considered to be polite especially in Thailand and it's important to understand cultural sensitivities. Many people are surprised to find out that I'm gay and I don't care, many of us aren't overt, wear it on our sleeves, or hide it per se. Fruit flies love to think of us in this stereotype and scream and cry for our rights and they are the worst of all if you ask me. I wish they would put their glass of wine down and get a life. That sounds harsh but it's the nicest thing that I can write about these middle aged meddling women. Do I go to Thailand because of some "gay bars" or hanging out with fellow gay people? NO. I go there for the food, and yes, the locals who are by and large friendly, and no, I don't go there to sleep around like some ugly fat buffalo. Theres a reason STD's are still prevalent in those social circles. Thats all that I have to say on this matter. Read it carefully, I don't care its 2023 and nobody cares.