Thailand hopes to become new stop for luxury cruises

[snoop1130]

Thailand hopes to become new stop for luxury cruises

By Coconuts Bangkok

 

Photo: Sid Mosdell/Flickr

 

Thailand hopes to soon be a stop for high-end cruise ships and is rushing to set up the infrastructure needed to make that happen.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn referenced a recent research by the government agencies that Thailand should develop facilities to attract cruise ships because they bring high-spending tourists, reported Bangkok Post.

 

This research suggests that high-end cruise tourists spend THB6,174 daily, which is more than the THB4,000 that is spent, on average, by foreign non-cruise tourists that visit Thailand.

 

Full Story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/thailand-hopes-become-new-stop-luxury-cruises/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-11-3

[Misterwhisper]

Yes, that's right, just keep expressing your contempt for those millions of low spenders who - often enough with their entire immediate families - stay in your kingdom for one, two or even three or four weeks, parting only with a measly 4,000 Baht ($120) per head and day. Instead, court those few hundred big spenders who make port with their fancy cruise ships, typically only coming to shore for a single day excursion and allegedly throwing around with a hefty 6,174 Baht ($185) per head before returning to their vessels.

[Thian]

What can they do in phuket? See patong and the ladyboyshows? Or play with soidogs on the beach between the plastic crap? Maybe speak to the kind chinese tourists on the boat to phi phi to stand on the beach there?

 

 

[wakeupplease]

The Hub of cruising next then. The whole world loves the place in some peoples minds, but what is the real truth.

 

 

[Sir Dude]

Quality big spender tourists will never really come as it's one giant shameless rip-off and everyone knows it, plus it doesn't have the facilities or whatever that these types of tourist want/expect.

[observer90210]

Good for the cruise ships as they could follow the current trend and dump their waste at large of Thai beaches.....

[Oziex1]

Clearly they are not serious about attracting these ships as they have not mentioned the H word.

[Thongkorn]

They Will need a turd breaker on most rivers and beaches first,

[coulson]

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

This research suggests that high-end cruise tourists spend THB6,174 daily, which is more than the THB4,000 that is spent, on average, by foreign non-cruise tourists that visit Thailand.

Thailand....the hub of hope

[Thongkorn]

Thailand where they spend billions on Building hotels, and yet you still have to wipe your arse and put the paper in a bucket at the side of the toilet,  

[swissie]

So, "regular" tourists spend only 4000 Bht per day (120'000 per month.)

How many Expats spend 120 K per month, per person?

- Could it be, that at some time in the near future, Expats will be declared as undesirable Cheap-Charlies?
The introduction of unattractive, but expensive 5/10 year "visa's" make me wonder.
A harbinger of things to come?
Cheers.

[nausea]

6 hours ago, wakeupplease said:

The Hub of cruising next then.

 

1 hour ago, coulson said:

Thailand....the hub of hope

And it was so refreshing to see an article without the word "hub".

[wakeupplease]

29 minutes ago, nausea said:

 

And it was so refreshing to see an article without the word "hub".

Coming soon as TAT need time to hype up the figures, watch this space.

[bendejo]

I've never taken such a cruise, but I have been in ports when they docked and saw what the tourists do.  The cruise company will have excursions for the passengers, like cultural tours or shopping tours (or both combined), maybe a few hours on a beach, etc, but at the end of the day (literally) they return to the boat, as opposed to staying in a hotel.  Will the $$$ that comes in from this be worth the investment?

 

There is (or was?) some sort of cruise thing on the Andaman side of Malaysia, I'd see the ships anchored in the strait in Penang.  Never inquired what the route was, I guessed it started in Singapore or KL and went up as far as Langkawi, which isn't far from Phuket.

 

 

[realfunster]

Perhaps they should revisit past headlines, such as : ‘Phuket Taxis Blockade Luxury Cruise Ship Passengers from Disembarking’ .

 

Those kind of issues likely need addressing first...?

 

[kcpattaya]

Well there is a lot of work to do for Thailand if they want to cater to these type of cruiseliners.
As a frequent guest on cruise ships myself - I experienced Thailand stops at e.g. Koh Samui.
What a terrible experience. 
Dirty - smelly - unfriendly welcoming - "meter"-taxis that DO NOT turn on their meters and would easily charge THB 1,000 just to drop you off near Chaweng... 
Complete joke. 

[ksamuiguy]

research suggest!

 

 

[yellowboat]

The government's obsession with money.  The trouble with the inbred, Thai elite is that they think they can charge the same prices as other capitals.  The fact is they cannot.  Most five stars hotels are surrounded by shabby neighborhoods with craze exposed wiring.  Heard French tourist complain bitterly about Sukhimvit, as they sidewalks are less than something to be proud about. 

 

Like the myth of trickle down economics, rich people do not spend foolishly or lavishly where there is no value.  That is why the Thai people are poor and that is why the wealthy are only marginally interested in Thailand. 

Edited November 4, 2017 by yellowboat

[ChrisY1]

[alant]

Perhaps STOP is the key word here;

STOP being able to have a drink between 2 and 5 pm

STOP posting having a good time and a drink on social media

I will stop there...

[RichardColeman]

"Look ma, what are the long, brown floaty fish over there".

[Happyman58]

Hope the tourists on the boat have a sense of humor  They will have to when they see the the rubbish lying on the beach Maybe the Thais can organize them to clean up there beaches 

[Krataiboy]

Great idea. The wealthy always get a kick out of seeing how the other half lives. "This way, ladies and gentlemen, for the TAT tour. . . "

[Moti24]

As soon as the captain claps eyes on the cesspit of a sea, he'd probably refuse to dock.

[Lucky mike]

Maybe share terminal with the subs ? If water deep enough ?

[d123]

Could someone please explain just what ‘infrastructure’ Thailand is rushing to put in place? I really would like to know

[natway09]

Yippee, more cruise ships to dump their rubbish & add to the pollution!!!

When will they ever learn

[khunPer]

19 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

Yes, that's right, just keep expressing your contempt for those millions of low spenders who - often enough with their entire immediate families - stay in your kingdom for one, two or even three or four weeks, parting only with a measly 4,000 Baht ($120) per head and day. Instead, court those few hundred big spenders who make port with their fancy cruise ships, typically only coming to shore for a single day excursion and allegedly throwing around with a hefty 6,174 Baht ($185) per head before returning to their vessels.

4,000 baht a day must be an outdated figure. According to Deputy Prime Minister Thanasak Patimaprakorn, daily tourist spending is expected to increase to 5,200 baht per person this year (2017), from 5,100 baht last year.

Source: Thailand expects tourism revenue of nearly $50 billion in 2017 (Reuters, 9th January 2017).

 

Even less difference between tourists, or even a family in perhaps four weeks, spending about 5,000 baht a day, to cruise guests spending almost same amount, just some 20% higher, in one day only. I would rather invest infrastructure in 10 air-loads of 2-week average "quality" tourists, that a ship-load of 1-day guests...

Edited November 4, 2017 by khunPer
20174

[d123]

1 minute ago, khunPer said:

4,000 baht a day must be an outdated figure. According to Deputy Prime Minister Thanasak Patimaprakorn, daily tourist spending is expected to increase to 5,200 baht per person this year (20174), from 5,100 baht last year.

Source: Thailand expects tourism revenue of nearly $50 billion in 2017 (Reuters, 9th January 2017).

 

Even less difference between tourists, or even a family in perhaps four weeks, spending about 5,000 baht a day, to cruise guests spending almost same amount, just some 20% higher, in one day only. I would rather invest infrastructure in 10 air-loads of 2-week average "quality" tourists, that a ship-load of 1-day guests...

Actually, why bother with the ‘invest infrastructure’? The TAT will be forecasting a further billion or so tourists queuing to enter LoS, regardless if the infrastructure is there or not

[Lancelot01]

In Bermuda most cruise ships were called 'ghost ships' by the locals because they ghosted in, few if any got on or off, then ghosted out again.

The passengers had all inclusive deals including all meals / drink etc..

Those who did venture ashore bought a few postcards and odds and ends of bric-a-brac before returning to their ships.