Drop in tourism not so bad as press reports, says minister

[HeyHeyHey]

7 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

A local viewpoint from Samui (for what it is worth).

 

I look after villas and this July and August have been the busiest of any months in the last 15 years. All of the villas that do short term rentals are fully booked. Guests are even taking up the two or three slack days between longer bookings.

 

If there is a downturn in tourists then it is not where I am.

Yeah yeah

 

Open Airbnb, enter random dates in August for at least 4 persons - 306 villas available.

 

But you have 100% occupancy.

[Jiggo]

7 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

take out the government officials, the police and camera crews and there's about 3 tourists on the the beach. Yep, no problem

Heard of 'Spot The Ball' now 'Spot The Tourist'

[Mavideol]

TAT in denial as always

[TGIR]

Don't be too worried folks......it was just about thirty years ago a friend of mine took a vacation to Thailand and I kept looking for the people in his pictures of the hotels and places he had been. The hotels were empty and the restaurants were empty too........it's probably just a burp in the cosmos somewhere and the tourists will be back someday.  I just hope they stay off my golf course!

[Isaan sailor]

Curious thing these currencies.  Today the ChiCom Yuen tanked, and Thai Baht rose on USD.  Conversely, USD rose on Vietnam Dong.  Thailand has a hot money addiction.

[chama]

10 hours ago, Is this real said:

A problem can't be resolved if it isn't acknowledged.

"Down a bit."  If 40-60% over a few years is "s bit", what would be considered a lot?

Exactly, what does Thailand offer a tourist that they can’t get from Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines, or elsewhere?

 

Beach experience and attractions?  No.

 

Inexpensive?  No.

 

Exotic food?  No.

 

Exotic climate?  No.

 

Exotic attractions?  No

 

A safe vacation?  No.

 

 

 

So, after one visit, why return?

 

 

 

It's not the Baht, or the sunken boat that has crippled tourism.

 

Why should they come to Phuket? 

 

Thailand has shown, the past few years, that it no longer wants them, or ex-pats. 

 

They will go where they're welcomed.

 

 

 

And it seems that those considering a holiday are starting to figure these facts out for themselves. Once that starts it could snowball and will be very difficult to turn around.

[Tropposurfer]

Please tell me the location of this press release so I can go down there with my truck n scoop up the tonnes of BS that must be laying around there. There’s a lot of money to be made out of <deleted> apparently.

[Sydebolle]

Can I invite the minister to go through the list of closed restaurants and the more than 1'000 hotels presently on sale? Does he really think, those restaurants (excellent operators over decades) went out of business because of the government's recent acquisition of the three submarines? 

There is nothing more expensive then an empty chair in a restaurant or an empty room in a hotel - regardless of "how not so bad" this particular expert in touristic affairs looks at the present situation .......... 

[alan grice]

There must be a drop. No longer need a Crash Helmet for internal flights. Dont get whacked by a Backpack anymore.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[gadget monger]

Hate to drop this on the Minister.

[Traubert]

5 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Curious thing these currencies.  Today the ChiCom Yuen tanked, and Thai Baht rose on USD.  Conversely, USD rose on Vietnam Dong.  Thailand has a hot money addiction.

Yuan. Or Renminbi.

 

Keep printing those dollars, what's the national debt now 3.5tn?

[timendres]

24 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Yuan. Or Renminbi.

 

Keep printing those dollars, what's the national debt now 3.5tn?

Um... Off by an order of magnitude. Try $22T.

[Stargeezr]

If the hotels stay half empty from November to March, and especially Mid December to

mid January, we will all know that Thailand is the country of yesterday, and is failing completely.

  The TAT would not be able to paint such a glorious story of good times then,

Geezer

[ubon farang]

19 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I think that the rose tinting on your spectacles is too strong.

 

If you believe that Cambodia and the Philippines have exotic food and are safe then you probably did not leave your hotel. I have worked in both countries! The only exotic attractions that I found in the Philippines were some very lovely young ladies. At least Cambodia has temples, but you need to be Chinese now to enjoy a lot of Cambodia.

I agree Thailand is much better Than Cambodia. Was talking to an ex-pat in Kl airport and he was living in Phonm Penh He said he was afraid to go out at night there because it was not safe. He was only in Cambodia because he worked there. His exact words were" Give me Thailand anyday"

[peter48]

Follow the money - the baht is too high. It can't be just the Brits suffering from a plunging pound and of course any Brits left with any money will try Greece, Spain and Portugal where beaches are fun, warm weather persists, service is fine. Thailand service is not like it used to be - its often slow and glum. I almost had to wait 5 minutes on one beach restaurant counter  to purchase a beer while the untrained young Thai girls combed each other's hair - you can get better service in downtown London. 

[metisdead]

A troll post using a trolling representation of Trump's name has been removed.

 

A post using ALL CAPS has been removed.