kinyara

What documents did you need and is it still by appointment arranged by an earlier visit ? Thanks.

The official numbers to end of May was 10.7m, I think you'll find when the official numbers to June are released at the end of the month they will be around 13 million.

Correct, there is just over 2 million per month this year compared to just over 3.3 million per month in 2019. Shouldn't be a shock to anyone as this is the level the Tourism Authority expected this year. Number fudging is the siren call of those unable to accept the gradual recovery from ground zero of Thailand's tourism industry, and in reality utter nonsense within the bigger picture of some 70,000 tourists arriving daily.

Well year to date May, 79% of Thailand's recovering tourist numbers didn't come from either China, Russia or the USA. As usual it's an overrly dramatic click-bait headline by the author rather than the reality already acknowledged by TAT numerous times so far this year, especially with respect to China.

Canterbury Tales. There was a several page long thread on the same topic a few weeks ago, just go back a few pages and you'll find it.

Appreciate the quick reply and good to hear it worked out for you. I'm used to the Apple Thai laptop prices being cheaper than the UK but when I checked on the Mac Mini it's even more discounted at just shy of 30%, which is a very attractive price for the spec on the 16GB/512GB model. Pretty sure my lower spec 2019 laptop which is 8GB/128GB cost me significantly more. I've got 2 previous Apple keyboards, an old wired one and a wireless one I can use - I prefer the wired but maybe the wireless might be a bit more responsive with the Mini, plus a decent Logitech mouse. Not having to buy the additional stuff is part of the attraction. Reading comments on my photography forums, users speak well on the reliability of their previous Mac Mini's. Thanks again. ????

Can I ask if you went ahead and bought, and you are happy with the purchase ? Since I have all the external devices needed I was thinking of going for the Mini M2 16GB/512GB version myself, main usage would be not too demanding photo editing.

Both.

I'd be surprised if they didn't achieve the low end of their 2023 forecast which was 24 million, they were already 700k over that 2 million average per month required to May.

I think it is you that forgot to read the article. " The environment and climate in Thailand also pose concerns, with only 35% of respondents happy with the air quality "

South Korea is currently and in the recent past Thailands 4th biggest market, arrivals to May were 82% of peak 2019 figures, seems like their attempts have been pretty successful.

Good time to release this news, when the attention of the majority is focussed elsewhere.

Certainly little understanding of economic productivity or obviously the current economic reality for many.

Clearly his misunderstanding since it was never expected.

WHERE was all that news about how the Chinese were coming in huge numbers ? Never read reports or official statements saying that. 5 million was the TAT target for this year, only 45% of 2019 pre-covid. The rate to May was 25%, and that weakness has been widely reported and acknowledged by TAT.

There is a photo of an Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann on his linkdn profile, describes himself as a self-employed CEO, location Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The RTP have been proven to be naive in the past, never sure whether it's deliberately by design or accident. That Roger Bullman case was shocking, Norwegian who was subsequently charged with murdering a Brit in a Phuket hotel who wasn't put on active surveillance as an obvious flight risk after being granted temporary bail pending further investigation. Surprise surprise manages to disapppear over the border on the eve of being officially charged.

Reminds me of the last one I can remember which was the Hells Angel/Aussie Biker case where the killers hired a vehicle equipped with a tracking system to transport the body out to the countryside where they buried the body.

The news report does mention the suspects are going to be charged with " concealing, transporting and destroying his body ". There was also the point about the cleaning up of his own car and a lack of sighting by the neighbours of him or his car at the property where the freezer and body were found.

Caught on film transporting a dead body by the only working CCTV camera in Pattaya. Unlucky lads.

I find the Visa Section of the Pattaya City Expats website a useful reference point in keeping up with the actual local office situation. They seem to have enough members that any real changes consistently affecting applicants are highlighted. https://pcec.club/. I always check it in advance of doing anything in Immigration for latest requirements and paperwork.

I think that's the sort of issue the UK Embassy in Thailand should be made aware of as well and raise with the DWP on on behalf of their citizens out here. I lwatched an interview with the Minister in charge on a UK TV consumer money programme a few weeks ago and it sounded like the DWP is in a real mess response time wise even with pension queries within the UK.

In simple terms tourist arrivals, ( and departures ) are recorded at all the entry points to the country through the immigration computer system. The National Office of Statistics do all the analysis of the data gathered and the Ministry of Sports and Tourism report and publish it monthly, quarterly and annually via their official website. It's a fairly straightforward data gathering and reporting process that TAT aren't involved in. I've noticed Vietnam report their numbers the first week after the month end but with Thailand it's the last week of the month. Like many things it's really no different to how any other countries operate.

From the article " TAT says that IF things continue at this rate Thailand CAN expect UP TO 30 million visitors ". Note their words, it's a forecast not gospel. They were actually proved correct in their forecasts last year.

Unfortunately you don't have a choice as far as the Immigration database is concerned, it's just a question whether it's you choosing to input the data yourself or handing your passport over to the Immigration officer for him to input the same data.