allyoops

Best to book flights direct with the airline, booking through agencies leaves you open to this sort of stuff.

There are many factors to people staying away and most have already been mentioned. Thailand used to be a cheap holiday but that was no longer the case even before the virus, so people are looking elsewhere or staying home. It's an accumulation of things but TAT really only ever makes things worse. Petty charges, dual pricing, changing the rules, etc etc. TAT is Thailands worst enemy as far as tourism goes. For years now they have rubbished western visitors, letting them know they can come and spend their money but they are not welcome. With financial hard times ahead and high air fares the best thing Thailand can do is rid itself of TAT and start again with people who understand foreigners and are not racist.

Apparently some of the Indian tourists who frequent the soapy's are on a three day reward package from their employer. Good performance reward, air fares, three nights hotel and one paid for soapy. This according to a very good youtube presenter. This was from Pattaya but I dont see why Phuket wouldn't be getting a share. These are the high class tourists the government are on about, smacks of desperation to me. I think they might have realised that the numbers of white westerners will not be as high as they once thought, too many bills at home and air fares too high. I doubt if there will be many two weekers at christmas time.

I am sure people are just lining up to come to Thailand to get ripped off, after all their own countries are ripping them off right now, so why not Thailand. On the downside, they may not have any money left to go to Thailand to be ripped off.

A lot saying the tourists will not return so soon, but many will. My friend is going for a month from next week and will probably be there in the winter aswell. Unfortunately I will not be able to join him this time. I think the numbers will go up quickly for solo travelers but no where near pre pandemic levels. The air fares a quite steep and no doubt the hotels will hike their prices too soon and that will put off many especially with the cost of living squeeze. I think the Thai authorities will be disappointed, it will be the pensioners with money to burn arriving first, but in numbers not until the winter time in Europe and the USA.

Desperate to keep hold of the power and the control. The same sort of thing has been happening around the world, they loved the control and see the benefits of keeping it. The benefits for them that is.