Thailand draws 3.1 million tourists in August, a record for the month

Kitiphong Thaichareon

 

FILE PHOTO: Tourists take a selfie at a department store in Bangkok, Thailand, September 21, 2016. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand welcomed 3.13 million tourists in August, a record for the low season month, and there’s no sign that the strong baht is hurting an industry that’s been a rare bright spot for the economy.

 

Tourism accounts for 12 percent of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, whose growth has picked up after years of sluggishness but still lags regional peers.

 

The August arrivals were 8.66 percent above a year earlier and marked the first time visitors during that month topped three million.

 

The visitors in August generated 163 billion baht ($4.93 billion) in revenue, up 11.7 percent from a year earlier, Pongpanu Svetarundra, permanent secretary of the tourism and sports ministry, told a news conference on Tuesday.

 

“The August number is considered very high as it’s the low season,” he said.

 

During August, the number of visitors from East Asia increased 10 percent from a year earlier to 2.26 million, with nearly one million from China, up 10.3 percent.

 

Numbers from the Middle East rose 19.4 percent to 103,784 in August while those from Europe were flat, at 437,739.

 

BAHT NOT AN OBSTACLE

 

For January-August, there were 23.55 million arrivals, up 5.36 percent from a year earlier. Revenue in the first eighth months rose 7.5 percent to about 1.2 trillion baht.

 

The government has forecast about 35 million tourist arrivals this year, up from 2016’s record 32.6 million

The baht’s strength has not yet affected tourism, Pongpanu said. The currency has risen by about 8.2 percent against the dollar this year.

 

“The baht is not yet an obstacle to tourism, unless it gets stronger,” he said, adding that he hopes the central bank will keep the currency from appreciating further.

 

A central bank official told the news conference that the baht’s strength had not impacted tourism as other currencies were also appreciating, and that the central bank was closely monitoring the market.

 

A representative from the Association of Thai Travel Agents urged the central bank to cut its policy interest rate by 25 basis points to help hold down the baht and lower costs for the tourist industry amid increasing competition.

 

The Bank of Thailand has left the rate unchanged at 1.50 percent, near record lows, since April 2015. It next reviews monetary policy on Sept. 27, and most economists expect no change.

 

Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Richard Borsuk

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-19

all chinese 0 $ tours ?

Havent seen them in Pattaya, aug was dead

Bunch of bullshit. East Asian figures are up because close to a million Cambodians and Burmese went home to get the right papers for work and every one is recorded as a visitor when they come back.

As for the numbers on revenue, educated guess at best and more likely pure fabrication, plucked out of thin air. We all know the major tourist areas are begging for customers. I have never seen so many bars and restaurants closed. Real tourist numbers and revenue are way down, everyone knows it, and lying or manipulating numbers isn't going to change it.

I have the answer here but don"t tell anyone

 

There is a new invisible resort that is hidden from view, its so good and top secret only TAT and quality tourists know about it and I do not lie. (But lying is not a problem anyhow is it). So that is where all these new tourists go and also the reason we do not see many in the old resorts. Sure fact the Europeans have voted with their feet and who can blame them? But come December TAT will say best ever year for British tourists, just after the UK says tourists numbers to this place have hit an all time low like last year.

 

Its all called the brownstuffgame and some live in it up to their necks, can smell it from here.

 

Its another Far eastern Mystery.

Edited September 19, 20178 yr by wakeupplease

I live in Chiang Mai, and can tell you for a fact - NO tourists here.  Got a friend who lives in Pattaya.  Says you can go out and drive golf balls on the beach and not worry about hitting anyone.  

 

TAT takes their figures from a simple process - Anyone who lands in a Thai airport, even if they are simply on their way to board another plane for a flight somewhere else, is counted as a tourist.  

 

The REAL tourist numbers?  No where even close to what TAT spouts on a regular basis. 

 

 

Just now, Just1Voice said:

I live in Chiang Mai, and can tell you for a fact - NO tourists here.  Got a friend who lives in Pattaya.  Says you can go out and drive golf balls on the beach and not worry about hitting anyone.  

 

TAT takes their figures from a simple process - Anyone who lands in a Thai airport, even if they are simply on their way to board another plane for a flight somewhere else, is counted as a tourist.  

 

The REAL tourist numbers?  No where even close to what TAT spouts on a regular basis. 

 

 

I told you they all go to this top secret megga resort in the mind of TAT, can't argue with that can we.

I've said it before and I'll repeat myself again. I don't disbelieve the arrival numbers.

 

1. As darksidedog pointed out, a lot of trips home and back by illegal migrant workers:

 

2. Chinese and other Asians are up in arrival numbers but as they only stay around four days at a time they are no replacement for the missing Europeans

 

3. European numbers are steady, which you'd expect for low season, but does this figure include Russians?

 

What I disbelieve are the expenditure figures. Impossible to calculate but it wouldn't surprise me if that income section on the arrival card came into the equation here. 

I have also red this new in a French newspaper. TAT need to spread their fake news.

Does TAT stand for "The Alternative Truth"?

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Bunch of bullshit. East Asian figures are up because close to a million Cambodians and Burmese went home to get the right papers for work and every one is recorded as a visitor when they come back.

As for the numbers on revenue, educated guess at best and more likely pure fabrication, plucked out of thin air. We all know the major tourist areas are begging for customers. I have never seen so many bars and restaurants closed. Real tourist numbers and revenue are way down, everyone knows it, and lying or manipulating numbers isn't going to change it.

Could a contributing factor be that both swampy and Don Muang are now international airports? A tourist that arrive in Swampy on a long-haul flight and then takes a budget carrier to Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, etc now have to enter Thailand and are counted as a tourist, at least by TAT's standard.

Recent beer with staff from Dusit hotels speaks high occupancy with Pattaya fully booked many times in the past month. Lots of Chinese.

1 hour ago, wakeupplease said:

I have the answer here but don"t tell anyone

 

There is a new invisible resort that is hidden from view, its so good and top secret only TAT and quality tourists know about it and I do not lie. (But lying is not a problem anyhow is it). So that is where all these new tourists go and also the reason we do not see many in the old resorts. Sure fact the Europeans have voted with their feet and who can blame them? But come December TAT will say best ever year for British tourists, just after the UK says tourists numbers to this place have hit an all time low like last year.

 

Its all called the brownstuffgame and some live in it up to their necks, can smell it from here.

 

Its another Far eastern Mystery.

The Inactive Post Hotel?

Tourist (well supposedly tourists) figures up, however, revenue from tourism well down!

Thailand is attracting the wrong crowds now.

IF this is true (lol) then Chinese and Indian are all I saw.

 

So who's getting this vast tourist expenditure?????

TAT gave up issuing their annual report in since 2014. I guess, they realized, what is the point anyway?

 

https://www.tourismthailand.org/About-Thailand/About-TAT/TAT-Informative

 

163 billion divided by 3.13 million is Bht52000 per tourist. Do the Chinese and SE Asians spend that much on their holiday?

 

4 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

163 billion divided by 3.13 million is Bht52000 per tourist. Do the Chinese and SE Asians spend that much on their holiday?

 

That includes food accommodation tours and the last night visit to a dirty show.

13 minutes ago, Mattd said:

Tourist (well supposedly tourists) figures up, however, revenue from tourism well down!

Thailand is attracting the wrong crowds now.

who's the wrong crowds?

You lot obviously aren't trying hard enough:

 

How many tourists can you see?

 

Wrong, try again; how many tourists can you see?

 

 

 

If TAT's numbers are correct, Thailand would have a $54 billion trade surplus from tourist alone, which Thailand obviously don't have, but hey, nice try TAT.

I work in the Airline industry and can be sure these numbers does not add up...as 3%alone are drop into bkk airport and rout out to Cambodia and Vietnam ....the direct flights are to bkk cheap and getting additional local thru lions or nok air is a combo .

And another 1.5% add tourist visa but coming for business purposes .

That alone tells these figures are completly out of touch.

Thais and Math in management marketing is bare knuckle handed until assumtion are incorporated.

 

Europe released a figure 5days ago towards SE Asia tourist fig. that is very apart from those stated here by 11% less.....stunning how media can boost

I was out and in 3 times in August, so they can take 2 off that total.

next they will be telling us that there is very little unemployment in thailand  lol

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Bunch of bullshit. East Asian figures are up because close to a million Cambodians and Burmese went home to get the right papers for work and every one is recorded as a visitor when they come back.

As for the numbers on revenue, educated guess at best and more likely pure fabrication, plucked out of thin air. We all know the major tourist areas are begging for customers. I have never seen so many bars and restaurants closed. Real tourist numbers and revenue are way down, everyone knows it, and lying or manipulating numbers isn't going to change it.

Is it possible that you are confusing sex tourists with tourists? The hordes from china might be less sex-touristy? 

Please dont take this as personal attack.

And please for the sake of god dont think i believe the numbers from the officials lol. 

Just curious here.

Try telling the thai bar girls that tourism is up. They all look very lonely in them bars, or fighting over the one old man that drifted in.

Probably mostly Chinese and Korean tourists. Only a few big companies (Airline+Tax Free Shop+Hotels) have any profit from these tourists. Nothing for the local bars and shops and the local people. And it keeps other tourists - who will use money - away. But it is good for the statistics.

I remember my Statistics lecturer saying at the first lecture, about 50 years ago: "Give me a set of figures and tell me what result you want, and I'll present them correctly, without cheating, to your desire"

First year I came to Thailand, 1987, three million was the figure for the whole year. The biggest portion of that was probably Europeans, Japanese, and Malaysians coming across the border for day trips.There were virtually no Chinese tourists of course. It was a beautiful, exotic, fascinating and friendly place.

 

These days, lots of people taking selfies at shopping malls and skytrain stations. Why do they bother?

Edited September 19, 20178 yr by charmonman
typo correction

I remember when Khao San Road used to be dead until evening, especially this time of year.  Now even in the daytime, it seems pretty crowded.  All nationalities, too.  Just my observation.  

29 minutes ago, hobz said:

Is it possible that you are confusing sex tourists with tourists? The hordes from china might be less sex-touristy? 

Please dont take this as personal attack.

And please for the sake of god dont think i believe the numbers from the officials lol. 

Just curious here.

Only sex tourists go to bars and restaurants? I guess everyone else just wanders around shopping malls and temples?