kinyara

Asean Now tourism and aviation experts got this one so wrong. When the country reopened the consensus on here was that tourism to Thailand, especially long-haul European tourism, wouldn't recover due to the higher cost of air travel. However what has clearly become apparent is that Thailand's customers are still prepared to pay the higher airfares to come here, rather than save the money and holiday close to home. What a surprise.

You've openly admitted yourself on here with some degree of self-satisfaction to indulging in corrupt practices to claim annual pension increases from the UK which you were not entitled to. I thought you'd be right at home with the system here, until of course corruption doesn't work in your favour. Very hypocritical.

They are. The 8 million projected/estimated for 2024 equates to 21,858 per day, in February the daily rate had risen to 21,526 according to the numbers reported by the Minister of Tourism the other day. The numbers keep improving month on month.

Having to apply for a UK passport when you're stone cold sober is enough of an ordeal, this chap's problems have only just started. Well done to the OP and the Starbucks staff for assisting the guy in a difficult situation.

My own take is when you are in that price point is although you may find a lovely value unit it's more about who is living around you and how short term they stay. I've never felt the need to move in 20 years here because I live in a place where owner occupiers are in the majority, the smallent units are just shy of 70 sqm and minimum rental prices are 20k upwards. I see a lot of comments on here from renters where the ease of moving is important, to me that tells its own story and it's nothing to do with how nice their own unit is.

The Minister for Tourism you refer to is a she not a he, just thought I'd mention it.

Good start to the year for them, 12% ahead of the rate required to meet their 35 million target in 2024.

36th in the list of countries visiting Thailand in 2023, I wonder how many of the 85,897 actually stayed longer than 30 days requiring a paid for visa.

I don't think I've been in a bar on Beach Road in recent years when any of them have come in to relax. I get the impression it's a minibus in for shopping day out and a McDonalds, then minibus home and back in bed before dark. Do they have a weight limit for entry in the US military, maybe the ones I see are kitchen staff, cleaners etc.

My daily routine when I'm out walking is to stop for a rest and buy a 25 baht drink at 7-11 so I lower the average. It's the " convenience " in convenience store for me, I would never dream of making a 7-11 specific journey, it's not required, they are just there - everywhere.

Don't know what all the fuss is about, Russian tourist numbers were only marginally higher last month than they were in January 2023. They normally fall by half in April and half again in May, it's high season so what.

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have to book into a martial arts type resort if you want the crap kicked out of you, if you ever make it to Pattaya just be a real life persona of your online id.

Really don't understand why guys on here get so worked up about the activities of the local tourist authority, it's something they wouldn't pay a blind bit of attention to in their home countries.

Excellent system, received email notification the other day it was due in 14 days, submitted immediately and came back approved in a couple of hours.

If they could pop next door and turn my water into wine in the Queen Vic Sunday carvery I'd be most grateful.

Don't know what it's like these days, can't imagine it's improved, but I lived a couple of years in the Kantary Bay for work, really enjoyed it and a nice quiet getaway for weekenders. That said I never dipped my toes in the water, it has the highest proven rate of cancer/body deformity amongst new borns in any country in the world. You're basically having a chemical bath and surprise surprise it's completely covered up. Don't let me put you off but I'd pass on the prawn cocktail, it's an ecological disaster.

Yeah I remember they were reluctant to commit to a specific completion date when it was announced, just " we aim to finish before high season ". It would be nice if just once they could do it on time with no unforseen delays - read incompetence. I'm not holding out a lot of hope for that myself.

What's wrong with you guys that you end up arguing about the most simple task in this country.

Actually history is on their side. 2022 - TAT target 10 million - 11.2 million achieved 2023 - TAT target 25-30 million - 28.2 million achieved 2024 - TAT target 35 million - pro rata January 2.96 million - 3.035 million achieved

I see there was a fire yesterday evening at the The Ministry of Agriculture, from the news report " Documents and 10 chairs were damaged ". Probably just a coincidence. 😎

The lag time for me going to make the appointment in mid January was 2 weeks. As posted above by Safety First you only need your passport and licence with you first trip, full documents on second date.

If you mean reserve an appointment online, then yes it can only be done in person.

I'm not saying it's potentially millions but it's a reasonable market. I know many 50+ retired/semi retired/self-employed people who used to come for the Nov-April period when the visa situation allowed it. Now they restrict themselves to at most 90 days with the allowed 1 local visa extension. If longer was available they would take advantage of it, and this is a group who I would say have decent spending power in general. 60 days extra from just 1 person is equivalent to the average length of stay of 10 tourists from the near Asian markets regardless of comparative spending rates.

Australia was 16th in visitor numbers last year, and you're accusing TAT of being clueless.

A lot of the adverse news stories here, isolated as they are in the proportional grand scheme of things, are more like personal nominations for a Darwin Award as opposed to being events materially affecting other tourists. Judging by the continued/renewed popularity of Pattaya it would seem the hundreds of thousands of visitors who have trouble free enjoyable trips are capable of making that distinction.