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

[Cadbury]

38 minutes ago, pigeonjake said:

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

And there is no prostitution or corruption or even a dark economy which represents about 43% of the GDP.

 

[joecoolfrog]

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

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

Thailand is attracting the wrong crowds now.

 

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

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

Thailand is attracting the wrong crowds now.

But TAT are claiming revenue figures are up 11.7 % !!! . Of course details of these magical figures are nowhere to be seen which is logical because they are a complete fabrication. Its impossible to gauge tourist expenditure to a precise degree , especially as the results are announced so quickly.

It is possible to draw certain conclusions though as follows ;

If Chinese visitors are driving the increase in tourism ( which apparently they are ) ,yet stay for cosiderably shorter periods of time than Europeans ( which they do ) , then the revenue figures will not rise as a percentage in line with the visitor numbers.

Yet , surprise surprise , TAT announce revenue rising faster in % terms , its simply porkies !

[SpeakeasyThai]

2 hours ago, 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 will add to that.... Koh Chang dead and here tonight in Krabi town the streets are empty.

[SpeakeasyThai]

45 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

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.

At least you can have the pick of the ladies!! Good for you matey.

Edited September 19, 2017 by SpeakeasyThai

[HHTel]

Reminds me of "What is the difference between an accountant and a book keeper?"

Answer:

Ask a book keeper what 2 plus 2 is and he'll answer "Four".

Ask an accountant what 2 plus 2 is and he'll answer "What do you want it to be?"

 

[wvavin]

3.13 million visitors? I try my best to believe.

[Wake Up]

I personally hope the tourist stay home and leave Thailand for the rest of us. 

[TheLobster]

From a Samui perspective the tourist numbers may be incorrect but the revenue figures may be correct based on the amount of tourists that can't ride a bike so will have inevitably ended up in an accident, paying for extortionate bike damages and extortionate hospital bills.

[decca60]

I don't understand why you are challenging TAT figures.Like in every country, official numbers are The Ones to consider.  Whatever happens will show them the truth. Should tourists arrival be up or down, honestly I don't give a s....t. It' s not gonna change my life but surely the one of the local  believers doing business. How long will it take them to realize the official numbers are true or not....good question but none of my business

[peter48]

Yes Chinese but Europeans no and in many places on the coast everyone one was saying how July & August was really very quiet. The Chinese are replacing the Europeans. It just amazes me how undersold Thailand is in July/Aug etc ...great stretches of beach for miles on end deserted when if airlines were more competitive they could sell more. Thailand has a self fulfilling prophecy -its the low season so not many come rubbish. They flock to Spain or Greece with music and bars and no  controls in the middle of the day in supermarkets

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Tourism accounts for 12 percent of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy

Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Pongpanu Sawetarun revealed that in 2016, the nation earned 2.51 trillion baht from tourism, up to 17.7 percent of the entire GDP.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/969146-tourism-made-up-17-percent-of-gdp-last-year/

If its true that tourism numbers are rising this year, the associated revenues are not.

Or someone is just making up favorable statistics.

 

[hugh2121]

5 hours ago, Xaos said:

all chinese 0 $ tours ?

Havent seen them in Pattaya, aug was dead

There was one. I saw him in Big C Extra.

[surangw]

low season, right ?

 

[Elkski]

What motivation does tat have to publish fake numbers?.   

To make it seem like Thailand is the place to visit or do business?

Or try to keep the masses content and from an uprising?

So many cash transactions how can they guess the spending habits? 

Why are beer sales stopped 2-5 pm?   That pissed me off several times.  Go to a 7-11 after a day of travel or fun and want to take a few cold ones to the motel room.  

[howbri]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

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

Where did they all go to?

[Shroud]

Yeah, these fake numbers must be true considering the fact that I have never seen so many empty bars and restaurants during this season.

[sandrabbit]

27 minutes ago, howbri said:

Where did they all go to?

not Rayong they must all be down south or up north

[lockman07]

More propaganda & lies to save face & try to boost their poor economy.  The hens will come home to roost soon enough.  I've talked to inn keepers, bar owners, vendors & major hotels & terms they use most is "quiet" & "no customer".  Now that they've scared off half of the work force (the immigrants) who's going to do the work, the Thai men?  haha...not

[hobz]

2 hours ago, charmonman said:

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

That's what im wondering, yes, how many million from china come on some type of arranged tour that will never set foot near pattaya, patong? 

 

Or, if its not about sex tourism being the issue,, is it possible they go to china owned restaurants / bars mostly?

 

Ofcourse still most likely just a made up nr from TAT

 

[hobz]

To all you people posting about empty bars and restaurants:

Can you please mention where you are talking about? Maybe these chinese tourists are flocking to new unexpected areas?? How are the restaurants in chiang mai for example?

[tryasimight]

7 hours ago, Xaos said:

all chinese 0 $ tours ?

Havent seen them in Pattaya, aug was dead

I saw them in the hundreds two weeks ago around Walking Street.

Although admittedly Pattaya was relatively quiet compared to a few years ago. I'm talking Walking Street, Beach road and soi 6/7. Jomtien was even quieter.

Edited September 19, 2017 by tryasimight

[flyfrog]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

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

Just Chinese buses around causing traffic problems for the rest dead in Pattaya

[tryasimight]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

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.

Totally agree. Was in Country Road on Cowboy recently. The place looked quite busy until you looked a bit closer. I reckon ten customers and thirty girls.

[Currumbin]

Yes I leave each month so I am 12 of those tourists each year

[tryasimight]

3 hours ago, hobobo said:

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"

Like the 3 statisticians who went bow hunting. The first fired an arrow at a bird in a tree....misses....went high by a metre. 2nd has a shot....misses...goes low by a metre.

3rd shouts out 'We got it!'

[iReason]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

 

That would be roughly, 714.6 "tourists" per minute, 24/7, for every day of August.

 

Hmmm... sounds feasible...

 

 

Edited September 19, 2017 by iReason

[joecoolfrog]

3 hours 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.

Are you really suggesting that the majority of bars and restaurants (!@!) cater mainly to sex tourists ?

 

 

[dinsdale]

Pic says it all. Quality non-paying Chinese. These TAT idiots just haven't got a clue that we all (hopefully) know what bull....s..t spin is.

[silverado1]

2 hours ago, hugh2121 said:

There was one. I saw him in Big C Extra.

he was buying a bottle of water ? 

[Shaunduhpostman]

Did something suddenly happen, some miracle whereby Thailand has become a tourist mecca? Please tell how  this has happened oh holy American font of truth oh Reuters sirs.