Pooklook

April 2009 compared to April 2008,

increase of 25%

yes to Thailand despite that previous months where less than 2008

for you who will ask where i got this information from, i would have posted the link but they just removed April,

http://www.tourism.go.th/2009/en/statistic...rism.php?cid=26

it was listed 4 hours ago

Arrivals at SUVARNABHUMI INTERNTIONAL AIRPORT 2009

Jan - down -19.69

Feb - down -25.69

Mar - down -16.94

Apr - down -15.74

May - down -26.18

I followed Zeids link went on the website and downloaded the Excel spreadsheets

And it looks like they are DOWN every month this year compared to last.

as posted in another topic

number of tourist in thailand for april 09 has increased by 25% compared to april 08, that is teh first month this year that tourism is up compared on month to month.

and in april last year there was nothing, compared to april this year the songkran riots

for you who will ask where i got this information from, i would have posted the link but they just removed April,

http://www.tourism.go.th/2009/en/statistic...rism.php?cid=26

it was listed 4 hours ago

Arrivals at SUVARNABHUMI INTERNTIONAL AIRPORT 2009

Jan - down -19.69 %

Feb - down -25.69 %

Mar - down -16.94 %

Apr - down -15.74 %

May - down -26.18 %

I followed Zeids link and went on the website and downloaded the Excel spreadsheets

And it looks like they are DOWN every month this year 2009 compared to last year.

Just spoke with a friend whom I had recommended to him to visit Thailand.

His biggest concerns were his health (flu) and the possibility of quarantine (flu).

Does anyone know what you currently face as a tourist when you arrive??? i.e.

Thermal Scanner……What is the threshold for a tourist or a plane load of tourists

to be quarantined and for how long…..just imagine you’re trying to plan the

trip of a life time with these concerns….

“Containment is no longer a feasible option,” Dr. Keiji Fukuda, deputy director general of the World Health Organization, announced Monday night in Geneva after a meeting of the agency’s emergency committee on the spreading swine flu virus. “The world should focus on mitigation." This was reported on April 29th.

Mitigation guidelines issued by the CDC (February 2007) include social distancing strategies to reduce contact between people:

•closing schools

•canceling public gatherings

•planning for liberal work leave policies

•teleworking strategies

•voluntary isolation of cases

•voluntary quarantine of household contacts

Hi Guys, I had just planned an 88 day trip before the rule changed. If I get a 60 day tourist visa will I be able to

travel outside Thailand or is it single entry? If I don't get the Tourist visa and just get the 30day when I arrive, will

I be able to Fly to a neighboring country to get 30 days twice more to complete my trip or is there a

better way to do it that I have missed that still lets me travel? Thanks in advance

The baht is amazingly strong even after all the events of the last day. My sense is that the Thai baht is over valued. For it to grow in value 10% against the dollar this year alone to me means that speculative money is keeping it there. I think its better for the currency to reflect the real value to encourage future growth. Even before the overthrow the numbers for growth in many key areas had been downgraded. The change in visa rules can only make the problem worse. The danger of allowing the currency to be improperly valued and the system to be gamed is when the currency speculators pull the money out it can cause a wild swing much like we’ve seen in the gold and silver markets which can lead to long term problems. This seems likely to

continue in the short term as Thailand is at least a year away from elections. I hope that the Land of Smiles will get

someone who really cares instead of yet another CareTAKER…….

From: Bloomberg

`Issue of Confidence'

The baht may fall another 2 percent to 38.60 per dollar, the weakest since June, said Nick Bennenbroek, a vice president of currency research at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York. He didn't specify a timeframe.

``It's an issue of confidence,'' he said. ``I would not be surprised to see a very significant drop in the equity markets'' there, he said.

Shares of Thai Fund Inc., managed by Morgan Stanley, fell as much as 7.1 percent in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, and then pared the decline to a 4 percent loss.

The yen trimmed an earlier gain as traders anticipating declines in Asian shares used the currency as a proxy.

Because of limited trading in currencies like the baht, ``you got to express an Asian view in pretty much one currency,'' said Michael Jansen, senior market strategist in New York at National Australia Bank. ``The yen always carries the sentiment of Asia.''

At the end of Walking Street is Siam Bayview hotel and the road behind it leads you up to the hilltop which is now the site of the Naval Radio Station and the monument to the Father of Royal Thai Navy. The viewpoint on the hilltop offers a the best panoramic view of Pattaya Bay. Many great shots to be had both day and night. I used a Canon 20D and a 16 to 35mm 2.8 lense.

I’m a newbie to the board. I’ve been coming to Asia for 5 years. Usually a week or two with the Thai girlfriend every two months and a few side trips to Cambo, PI, Indo ect... Now with only 3 stamps allowed with VOA and the required 90 days away its going to change my life big time. I also think it’ll have a big impact on the airlines and the hotels because many people I know use BKK as a hub and hang out between business in all parts of SEA. I’m thinking how much fun it’ll be as the person looks through my passport at the dozens of stamps that I’ve gotten over the years that are not in order and tries to determine my status and the lines that might create as the big planes off load..... many things to ponder.....My girlfriend is already freaking out....under 50 and not to many options to be able to come on a regular basis as before. Watching the thai baht now to see if this and other recent moves by the Thai government begin to have an effect as more people become aware of the intended and unintended consequences.