Thailand sees rare but significant drop in tourist arrivals

[LongTang]

9 hours ago, DLock said:

It's quite clear to see that the Thai Government would rather a certain segment of the expat community leave, so they are making it harder to stay.

 

Those expats that frequent the bars, keep the sales of Leo singlets up, take care of Somying and her 2 kids and contribute to the sick Buffalos are a dying breed. They add very little to Thailand.

 

The Thai Government wants short term tourists or high net worth ex-pats. 

The thing i liked about old Thailand is it always allowed its poorer population to keep its head above water.  Now, it changed to who cares that Somying, her 2 kids and sick buffalo will sink underwater, or the street food vendor couple who is trying to make a living.

The most important thing is to get rid of all those pesky foreigners so they won't interfere with the way we run things around.

 

Its sad that you say "They add very little to Thailand.", from my point of view, any foreigner that keeps one poor Thai family afloat is someone to Thank and not Boot.

[marcusarelus]

3 minutes ago, LongTang said:

The thing i liked about old Thailand is it always allowed its poorer population to keep its head above water.  Now, it changed to who cares that Somying, her 2 kids and sick buffalo will sink underwater, or the street food vendor couple who is trying to make a living.

The most important thing is to get rid of all those pesky foreigners so they won't interfere with the way we run things around.

 

Its sad that you say "They add very little to Thailand.", from my point of view, any foreigner that keeps one poor Thai family afloat is someone to Thank and not Boot.

You must have missed that famous Thai politician advising the local ladies to marry a Farang.  Most of the farming is being mechanized.  If you want to act like your keyed in probably should drop the buffalo reference as it went out 20 years ago.  

[LongTang]

5 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

You must have missed that famous Thai politician advising the local ladies to marry a Farang.  Most of the farming is being mechanized.  If you want to act like your keyed in probably should drop the buffalo reference as it went out 20 years ago.  

Is that all you could come up with? Sad..

[CGW]

14 minutes ago, LongTang said:

always allowed its poorer population to keep its head above water.

I would question that? farming is a bigger percentage of GDP than tourism, few "farmers" live above the poverty line whereas as the "middlemen" buyers and sellers live way above the poverty line, they are happy to keep things as they have always been, them making the money!

A few food sellers & farang are totally irrelevant to these people! in the Big picture they are nothing to them.............

[piewarmer]

On 4/27/2019 at 7:37 PM, Bugsy777 said:

Australians, British, Americans, Canadians, Germans etc frequent the bars.  Thousands of Thai's are employed in the bar scene. It's just as nice sitting in a bar in Siem Reap or Da Nang etc as in Pattaya and a sight cheaper.  And if you get ripped off for the bill, it's still affordable.  In Pattaya the ripoffs are in the thousands of baht.  For so many reasons, the Thai government is slowly killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Bhat too high, no alcohol sales allowed 15 hours a day, closing times of bars including religious holidays, cannot vape or play cards here, other SEA destinations better for sure.

[Percy P]

On 4/27/2019 at 11:14 PM, Benroon said:

Absolute garbage - it amazes me that all the info is out there to stop ludicrous statements like this (and Vietnam’s GDP is catching Thailands) etc etc amongst others and yet they’re still on here!

I don't know  to who's reply your referring to but if it was the Baht., Supply and demand dictates the value .

 

On 4/27/2019 at 10:27 AM, orchis said:

how can a decline of 0.7% represent 3.5 million people?
if that's the case what's the total of visitors to thailand in 2018?

It doesn't the wording is wrong . It shouldn't be 'fell by'but 'fell to 3.5 mil .A drop of 7% from previous year.

[HuskerDo]

20 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

I also hate them polluting my passport.

 

Thailand is the absolute worst.

 

The Thai immigration officials don't even try to stamp the pages in consecutive order. 

And yet you return there. Hmmmm!!!

[HuskerDo]

13 hours ago, batata said:

 never seen a race eating so many times a day as Thais do... wonder how many meals a day they have

WOW! Rather racist remark.  

[HuskerDo]

On 4/27/2019 at 12:15 AM, RobMuir said:

You sound very unhappy and your post seems to indicate you don’t like thai people and are happy to see them fail.

 

Which makes me wonder “why are you here”?

 

I think you may be overestimating the importance of the farang. Thailand was never taken over by the farang like Cambodia, Burma and Laos and look how far ahead of those third world countries Thailand is.

 

And Chinese tourism is much more beneficial financially to Thailand than a few farangs.

Well said Rob!!

[Scott]

Abusive post and reply removed.

[kiwikeith]

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 3:16 PM, Tofer said:

Perhaps they should spend some of their, now, spare time cleaning up their act, particularly in terms of the environment, safety on roads and water sports / boat trips.

 

Pictures of garbage heaps are now being posted on google earth, does nobody get the message?

I'm not in LOS at present as having to tidy up affairs at home.

Thinking of returning soon permanently again.

My good friend has just returned to Canada from Hua Hin, where I maintain a home.

He says to give it some serious thought, and that just returning for short stays might be better as, the place is falling apart, the crime is up and the bars are empty, and that is what the figures are saying.

Tourism is down, TV posters are quite often saying the same thing and getting out of Thailand.

 

When employment levels drop, drug use amongst the young increases, crime follows as they need money to fuel the habit, essentially it is common knowledge that the major supplier of meth ingredients is China.

They are the main suppliers of meth ingredients smuggled into Australia and NZ, and no doubt LOS.

Tourism down crime up bars empty spells employment down, drug use up, crime up.

 

On top of that these drugged and drunk people are driving around on uncontrolled roads further making Thailand a place to avoid. 

LOS is virtually going into a tail spin and growing worse by the day, if the powers that be don't get their act into order who will be the last falang to turn the lights out when they leave?.

[HuskerDo]

5 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

I'm not in LOS at present as having to tidy up affairs at home.

Thinking of returning soon permanently again.

My good friend has just returned to Canada from Hua Hin, where I maintain a home.

He says to give it some serious thought, and that just returning for short stays might be better as, the place is falling apart, the crime is up and the bars are empty, and that is what the figures are saying.

Tourism is down, TV posters are quite often saying the same thing and getting out of Thailand.

 

When employment levels drop, drug use amongst the young increases, crime follows as they need money to fuel the habit, essentially it is common knowledge that the major supplier of meth ingredients is China.

They are the main suppliers of meth ingredients smuggled into Australia and NZ, and no doubt LOS.

Tourism down crime up bars empty spells employment down, drug use up, crime up.

 

On top of that these drugged and drunk people are driving around on uncontrolled roads further making Thailand a place to avoid. 

LOS is virtually going into a tail spin and growing worse by the day, if the powers that be don't get their act into order who will be the last falang to turn the lights out when they leave?.

Kiwi - With all due respect aren't you labelling all of Thailand with your comments when it really only applies to  your home area (Hua Hin) unless you have more info for the entire country or other areas which I/we'd like to hear about. Thanks!!

[morrobay]

36 minutes ago, HuskerDo said:

Kiwi - With all due respect aren't you labelling all of Thailand with your comments when it really only applies to  your home area (Hua Hin) unless you have more info for the entire country or other areas which I/we'd like to hear about. Thanks!!

And I would like to here some other references about Hua-Hin "falling apart" from those that live there. 

[marcusarelus]

56 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

I'm not in LOS at present as having to tidy up affairs at home.

Thinking of returning soon permanently again.

My good friend has just returned to Canada from Hua Hin, where I maintain a home.

He says to give it some serious thought, and that just returning for short stays might be better as, the place is falling apart, the crime is up and the bars are empty, and that is what the figures are saying.

Tourism is down, TV posters are quite often saying the same thing and getting out of Thailand.

 

When employment levels drop, drug use amongst the young increases, crime follows as they need money to fuel the habit, essentially it is common knowledge that the major supplier of meth ingredients is China.

They are the main suppliers of meth ingredients smuggled into Australia and NZ, and no doubt LOS.

Tourism down crime up bars empty spells employment down, drug use up, crime up.

 

On top of that these drugged and drunk people are driving around on uncontrolled roads further making Thailand a place to avoid. 

LOS is virtually going into a tail spin and growing worse by the day, if the powers that be don't get their act into order who will be the last falang to turn the lights out when they leave?.

Sounds to me like you are talking about California and one of the reasons I moved to Thailand 20 years ago.  You hear the same stuff all over.  In fact there once was a billboard outside of Seattle saying the same thing when Boeing crashed years ago.  

 

Thailand and the Farang who know how to live there are fine.  The complaints come from the inept, unlucky or depressed. 

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, kiwikeith said:

I'm not in LOS at present as having to tidy up affairs at home.

Thinking of returning soon permanently again.

My good friend has just returned to Canada from Hua Hin, where I maintain a home.

He says to give it some serious thought, and that just returning for short stays might be better as, the place is falling apart, the crime is up and the bars are empty, and that is what the figures are saying.

Tourism is down, TV posters are quite often saying the same thing and getting out of Thailand.

 

When employment levels drop, drug use amongst the young increases, crime follows as they need money to fuel the habit, essentially it is common knowledge that the major supplier of meth ingredients is China.

They are the main suppliers of meth ingredients smuggled into Australia and NZ, and no doubt LOS.

Tourism down crime up bars empty spells employment down, drug use up, crime up.

 

On top of that these drugged and drunk people are driving around on uncontrolled roads further making Thailand a place to avoid. 

LOS is virtually going into a tail spin and growing worse by the day, if the powers that be don't get their act into order who will be the last falang to turn the lights out when they leave?.

Wow, just wow.  Really best you stay away - it seems so dangerous.

 

A temporary 0.7% drop in arrivals and now Thailand is empty, everyone is on meth and going to be stealing and mugging to fuel their habit, China has been dragged in, drugged and drunk people everywhere, last one out turn off the lights?  All that you missed out were zombies I think.

I've been reading the same crap on here for years every time there is a slightly negative story - it is "another nail in the coffin" of this place, greed blah blah, Thailand has failed, tourist industry is over, sexpats saying the barstool next to them was empty last night so there you have it, everyone is going to Cambodia now (really?), etc etc.  

 

Yawn.

[smedly]

1 hour ago, kiwikeith said:

I'm not in LOS at present as having to tidy up affairs at home.

Thinking of returning soon permanently again.

My good friend has just returned to Canada from Hua Hin, where I maintain a home.

He says to give it some serious thought, and that just returning for short stays might be better as, the place is falling apart, the crime is up and the bars are empty, and that is what the figures are saying.

Tourism is down, TV posters are quite often saying the same thing and getting out of Thailand.

 

When employment levels drop, drug use amongst the young increases, crime follows as they need money to fuel the habit, essentially it is common knowledge that the major supplier of meth ingredients is China.

They are the main suppliers of meth ingredients smuggled into Australia and NZ, and no doubt LOS.

Tourism down crime up bars empty spells employment down, drug use up, crime up.

 

On top of that these drugged and drunk people are driving around on uncontrolled roads further making Thailand a place to avoid. 

LOS is virtually going into a tail spin and growing worse by the day, if the powers that be don't get their act into order who will be the last falang to turn the lights out when they leave?.

got to commend you for a very realistic accurate post against a backdrop of 2 pages of total nonsense - well done 

[stanleycoin]

1 hour ago, morrobay said:

And I would like to here some other references about Hua-Hin "falling apart" from those that live there. 

I saw these guys heading out of town on Friday, just past the Go Kart track.

They must know somethings up.  

[smedly]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Wow, just wow.  Really best you stay away - it seems so dangerous.

 

A temporary 0.7% drop in arrivals and now Thailand is empty, everyone is on meth and going to be stealing and mugging to fuel their habit, China has been dragged in, drugged and drunk people everywhere, last one out turn off the lights?  All that you missed out were zombies I think.

I've been reading the same crap on here for years every time there is a slightly negative story - it is "another nail in the coffin" of this place, greed blah blah, Thailand has failed, tourist industry is over, sexpats saying the barstool next to them was empty last night so there you have it, everyone is going to Cambodia now (really?), etc etc.  

so tell us how it actually is according to bloggs instead of trying to "wow just wow" another TVF member 

 

go for it 

[Moo 2]

General Prayut, get the baht back on track like during the Thaksin era and the tourists will flock in again.

[WeekendRaider]

On 4/27/2019 at 10:43 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

True. Only a few years ago, word (e.g. on Wikipedia, several webboards) was, that tourism accounted for 7 percent of the economy...

Nikkei Asian Review put it at 20% a few weeks ago.  but it's bigger than that.  and it is being pushed in all kinds of ways yet in Europe we now have a "Extinction Rebellion" movement beginning.... with "rail only" being, as it has always had to have been and still and forever will be.... the first real baby step we can take on carbon emissions.  yet CPN is it? is raising money to link the 3 hubs, that were only gonna be one hub not so long ago, with rail.  except the customers will be flying in and out.  flying?  not once we get this on a roll, or an existing, or not previously existing, "Earth system" dynamic is crossed.  like a light switch... not slowly getting hotter and more fires etc.  the first baby step is "rail only".  always was.  

 

p.s. also, anything worth more than a few minutes a day to read..... should be something you have to pay for.  that includes The Guardian and even Thaivisa.com.  Nikkei Asian Review is a good read for instance.

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

so tell us how it actually is according to bloggs instead of trying to "wow just wow" another TVF member 

 

go for it 

Ok, here it is, according to Joseph Bloggs:

 

Thailand is a fantastic country with fantastic people.  Millions and millions of tourists come here each year and have a great holiday, going back home with amazing memories.   No hassle, visa free entry (for most), it's a relatively cheap destination still, there are many fun and interesting places to go, beautiful scenery, food, and people.  Getting around is very cheap.   99.9% of tourists don't get raped, murdered or scammed.  Believe it or not almost none of them get mugged by your marauding gangs of meth heads.

 

Bangkok is a fantastic, vibrant, dynamic city.  Great infrastructure (ARL, BTS, MRT), an unbelievable amount of further infrastructure under development.  Great food, amazing bars and restaurants, cool buildings (old and new). It's changed a lot in the 24 years I have been here and it can be considered a great world capital.  Some people don't like big cities, that's fine.  But Bangkok has everything for me.

 

Of course Thailand is not perfect.  The roads are dangerous, Bangkok traffic is bad, it can be dirty and smelly (but it is a huge city), there are too many whinging western expats here who look down on Thais, there is corruption.  But you know what, most tourists don't give a damn as it doesn't affect them; they are here to have a good time, and that's what they get.

 

In short, things are the same as they ever were.

[PatOngo]

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 10:19 AM, RotBenz8888 said:

 

 

And if that doesn't work, they'll start to pay people to get their asses here.

I don't think they want people to bring their donkeys, I think they want them to bring money!

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

On 4/28/2019 at 6:43 AM, PatOngo said:

How can they resist a World Class International Family Resort like Pattaya? Ladyboys, pick pockets, beach erosion, girly bars, baht busses, it has something for every family!

That's only if one's mother and father are in their 90's..? ????

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

On 4/28/2019 at 11:56 AM, hottrader77 said:

i was told at airport immigration that tourists can only go into thailand for 3 months a year thats a 60 day visa and 1 30 day extension as i arrived back from singapore wanting a free 30 day visa exempt stamp , i want to go to philippines for 2 weeks but worried that when i return to thailand and want another 30 day visa exempt stamp as i have my return flight to uk in june they wont allow me in and i could be stranded at the airport , NO WONDER TOURISTS ARE NOT COMING BACK TO THAILAND !! <deleted> !!

 

On 4/28/2019 at 1:00 PM, marcusarelus said:

Used to be more till Phibun published the Thai Cultural mandates.  "Eat meals at set times, no more than four daily;"  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_cultural_mandates#Mandate_1

Well, Going to Thailand is not like it use to be. Never worried about how many trips to Thailand were in my passport. Never worried about if I had a visa or not before boarding my flight and never worried about booking an accommodation. Just bought a ticket and bam I was in Bangkok, in a taxi, heading to Thermae. It was exciting for me. Now there's too many things on my mind when I land even I've stayed here since 2009. And I've seen a many of foreigners with families not permitted entry and the look of worry and frustration was visibly on their faces. Can't imagine trying to book more tickets for a return flight. That would be nerve racking and hella expensive to book a "Now Ticket" spending time in detention would not be an option. Traumatic experience and even more for the children. 

[LongTang]

9 hours ago, JSixpack said:

It wuz paradise then.

 

 

Exactly.

 

 

It's impossible for Thais to change jobs or find new jobs nowadays. Once a job is lost, it cannot be replaced. There’s no economic growth, no births, no new tourists, just divving up the Pie left by the Golden Egg Layers, haggling over the remains.

 

But we need to dive deeply into classic TVF Golden Egg Economics to understand why. Many don't realize the source of their opinions expressed here.

 

Before the Big Bang in 2003 (the disastrous rise in visa fees) leading to the present mess, the Thai economy existed as the Primordial Fixed Pie, known technically to our most distinguished economists as Ur Pie (Ur Mince Pie to the Poms among them). Ur Pie contained all the vendors, all the shops, all the consumers, and all the money in Thailand--and all that there ever would be.

 

The Primordial Pie was “baked” over centuries by the mythical Golden Egg Layers (GELs), who had arrived to find Thais all living in trees. They created civilization and a perfect economy for Thailand by generously bestowing golden eggs wherever needed.

 

The GELs kept beer prices and bar fines low. Nothing cost more than 100 baht, the most anything should ever cost in Thailand. Most importantly, consistent with Steady State Theory, they ensured No Change, the fundamental principle of a successful Thai and North Korean economy. It applies all the way down to the micro level of the small shop and food stalls. Not that the GELs didn’t schoolmarm, bash, and whinge a lot, too.

 

The happy Thais had it SO good in those days. They smiled all the time and demonstrated proper servility towards the superior GELs. There were no closed shops, empty malls, traffic, cracked pavements, overhanging signs, or potholes. Crime didn’t exist because the GELs ensured a high standard of living for all. No thefts, scams, corruption, or pollution. All beaches were pristine. Correct change was always given with a charming wai, no intolerable small change scams. Haircuts always turned out perfectly. Fried eggs were properly cooked, never runny. French fries were always proper homemade chips with gravy and vinegar, “nice, crispy and most important HOT”-- not disgustingly thin, cold, and soggy as all of them are now.

 

Under the benevolent rule of the GELs, the Goldilocks economy already had exactly the right number of everything. More would be insupportable. Hence the cries of doom here on the forum whenever a new building goes up.

 

But in 2003 the incredibly stupid, insane rise in visa fees killed off so many of the ever-benevolent GELs, Thailand’s ONLY engine of economic development! Like something out of H. G. Wells, Thai Immigration Morlocks began preying on the gentle Eloi. The GELs were forced, or are perpetually being forced, to head for the exits. You know, the paradise of Cambodia etc. All the farang real estate owners were desperate to sell.

 

And so most Thais had to head back to the rice fields. The few left near cities just built useless malls, hotels, restaurants, and condos for show, as in a kind of Cargo Cult to attract non-existent customers and tourists. Look at these ruins:

 

 

 

[To Be Continued]

 

In short, Thailand has always been ruled by the elites, a true democracy can not withhold here as it will shred the current wealth distribution (which is the reason for the current state of government). The old elites knew how to keep the balance, hopefully the new ones will succeed as well though till now its not looking promising.

 

The fact that you have mingled North Korea with Thailand shows how you completely misunderstand my point (How many of North Korean poor rural families are allowed by the elites to be supported by foreigners??? ZERO !)

 

Your so called Golden Egg Layers are just pawns the elites play with, till now they did it wisely for everyone's benefit.

 

As for you nice photos, It only Shows the elites stronghold then And now... Not much of a point is it?

 

 

[pedro01]

This thread is indicative of one important fact.

 

If your experience of Thailand is limited to the dying sex tourism industry and a crappy 1 bed appt in View Talay - the country is on it's last legs.

 

If, on the other hand, you go out in the daytime - you will notice it's booming with a growing, vibrant middle class. 

 

Must suck to come here 'rich' and see the locals overtake you. 

[dcnx]

On 4/26/2019 at 10:16 PM, Tofer said:

Perhaps they should spend some of their, now, spare time cleaning up their act, particularly in terms of the environment, safety on roads and water sports / boat trips.

 

Pictures of garbage heaps are now being posted on google earth, does nobody get the message?

Why fix things when you can come up with new plans to lure them back?

 

Thailand doesn’t deserve the tourists it gets. Serves them right if the entire industry collapsed.

[josephbloggs]

6 hours ago, pedro01 said:

This thread is indicative of one important fact.

 

If your experience of Thailand is limited to the dying sex tourism industry and a crappy 1 bed appt in View Talay - the country is on it's last legs.

 

If, on the other hand, you go out in the daytime - you will notice it's booming with a growing, vibrant middle class. 

 

Must suck to come here 'rich' and see the locals overtake you. 

I would also add that if you are distrustful of people, give them zero respect, think you are superior, then you are not exactly going to find love in return.

 

If you treat Thais as equal, show them respect, then they are incredibly warm and friendly people (until they get behind the wheel of a car) and they respect you right back.

 

And the poster above wishing the whole tourist industry collapses, what a sad and pitiful thing to say.

 

[Sonhia]

T O T are not opening their eye's.

 

Thailand is expensive. Thais in general are rude and aggresive. Thailand is unsafe with double standard charges for foreigners, has poorly maintained, filthy dirty hotels, roads, bars, restaurants etc... with corrupt Police, especially in Pattaya, with violent and aggressive motor bike plus car taxi drivers plus the B S visa issues with foreigners not being permitted to own, 100 percent, businesses, property and so on. Where do I stop!

 

Thailand is not the same. The bubble has burst.

 

Not all Thai or Thai establishments are bad, but in the general sense, Thailand has losts it's silver edge, with too much political unrest and uncertainties. 

 

I feel sorry for the young Thai generation.

 

 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

If you treat Thais as equal, show them respect, then they are incredibly warm and friendly people (until they get behind the wheel of a car) and they respect you right back.

So you think someone with a university degree should respect someone who left school at age 12 and lives in a mud hut?