Thai tourism: 40 million tourists won't happen this year - strong baht, trade war to blame

[Parsve]

Hi Thailand you cannot both keep your face and explain away the lapse of tourism. You have to make a choice and also the right choice.

[lungbing]

1 hour ago, lootarzoon said:

Can TAT give us honest figures they can get from immigration with the hotels compulsory checking in foreigners registration??? Take out Thai and residents? They have all necessary docs to clarify real numbers with lowest ratio of mistakes

Yes, of course they can.  But they won't!

[Almer]

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Yes it most certainly does. Exchange rates are determining factor when people are choosing holiday destinations. Also holiday duration. 

Agreed

[ExpatOilWorker]

29 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

They do filter f.ex. non-immigrants out. I took a dive down the rabbit hole here: 

 

That is interesting and it basically means that the Non-Imm are a tiny minority compared to the overall flow of foreigners in and out of Thailand.

 

It also mean the answer is NO, to Eddie's statement in post #104, assuming he have been on a Non-imm extension for 28 years: "By which count my travels abroad and returns over the last 28 years would would have registered as over 100 tourist arrivals."

[Almer]

Just now, ExpatOilWorker said:

That is interesting and it basically means that the Non-Imm are a tiny minority compared to the overall flow of foreigners in and out of Thailand.

 

It also mean the answer is NO, to Eddie's statement in post #104, assuming he have been on a Non-imm extension for 28 years: "By which count my travels abroad and returns over the last 28 years would would have registered as over 100 tourist arrivals."

That is almost insignificant if as reported on a bad day they count transit passengers

[NoComment]

The Chinese stay with their tour operators. They spend very little money in the bars, 7/11, Thai shops or renting motorcycles and cars.

Indian guys don't spend anywhere near the amount of Western tourists.

Western tourists look at the strong baht and realize there are many other countries to visit at much value for their hard earned money. I was talking to a tourist who said he was paying the same money for a beer(Walking Street) as he would in England. He said he will visit Cambodia for Christmas because Cambodia is better value for money. He will discuss this with his friends (in a negative way) and will encourage them to visit anywhere but LOS.

[Isaan sailor]

5 hours ago, barryofthailand said:

Foreigners that live in Thailand go through the airports and evidently are counted as tourists so the numbers are flaud 

You got that right.  I travel back from USA 3 times a year.  I get the same TM6 form that asks me my income, where I’m going, etc.  No doubt I show up as 3 tourists every year.

[Phuket Pete]

Flights arriving at Bangkok should not be counted as tourists ! Particularly when people change planes and go somewhere else that is cleaner, cheaper and where government officials and the police are less hostile towards foreigners.

[fruitman]

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

Not only me but a couple of friends would really like to know how the figure are decided.

What factors are used to determine a tourist arrival.

Total count of non Thai passports going through airports and border posts?

Total number of hotel registrations of non Thai passports or just all passports.?

Total of passports in airports plus total of hotel registrations?

If they just counted the foreign online simcards in Thailand they would get a pretty good count of foreigners me thinks.

[RoadWarrior371]

2 hours ago, Almer said:

 further more if it wasn't for friends there we would not go, lady boy gangs , shooting, TM 30 to do, i would rather stay home.

 

Are you afraid of your own shadow as well?

[purcho]

7 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

has nothing to do with the Baht

And you know this how ??

 

[Peterbilt]

3 hours ago, adammike said:

Where can I go in Jan/Feb to get winter sun? I live in the Netherlands.

Canary islands.....
4 1/2 hour flight, no immigration hassle, no exchange rates to keep in mind
And there are even small dutch communities at least on Gran Canaria

[CygnusX1]

Another factor deterring tourists, possibly more important than the high baht, is the crackdown on short term Airbnb type apartment rentals. I know this is an issue that many forum members living in condos are passionate about, and I own a condo in Thailand myself. However, many tourists staying for a week or two far prefer the facilities of an apartment to the daily linen changes and free toiletries provided by a hotel. 

Just as an illustration, I stay exclusively in short term apartments on my annual visits to beach resorts in Croatia and Montenegro. Suppose that Montenegro cracked down on short term apartment stays (they never would, economic suicide, hypothetical only). I’d simply stop visiting that country and just travel in Croatia or elsewhere, as I wouldn’t be interested in paying double for a hotel room with no kitchen.

 

[ThePioneer]

42 minutes ago, NoComment said:

I was talking to a tourist who said he was paying the same money for a beer(Walking Street) as he would in England.

Did he get in England the same entertainment as in walking street with his beer?

 

43 minutes ago, NoComment said:

He said he will visit Cambodia for Christmas because Cambodia is better value for money. He will discuss this with his friends (in a negative way) and will encourage them to visit anywhere but LOS.

There we have. Thailand will be empty by Christmas this year

 

 

[pedro01]

2 hours ago, BestB said:

Understood, but also double the numbers 

More Chinese, not shopping.

[Steve Vincent]

Thailand no Longer the land of smiles...... businesses closing down daily as holidaymakers looking for alternative destinations....

-

Figures misleading as tourists being counted who only arrive for several hours before catching there connection flight shouldn’t be counted as tourist arriving in Thailand .... 

-

Returned home from Thailand in March visited Bangkok Pattaya before returning to my house in ubon * hotels half empty

markets smaller as traders struggle * bars empty * beaches empty motorbike taxi driver friend of mine has seen business fall by over 50% in revenue and has to take a second job to pay for mortgage suppose what I’m saying is everybody suffering from strong baht when the rest of the world is in a recession.

-

Thailand now more expensive than the uk in terms of living standards ..... my next visit will either be Vietnam or Indonesia as both countries still offer good value for money holidays without all the rules and regulations that Thailand impose 

[dimitriv]

2 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Instead of answering the question for themselves. How about  asking Europeans travelers why they have stopped visiting? . Same for expats  ask them for what reasons so many Of them have left and or are considering to leave.

 

 

I follow about 10 people on youtube, people who were making Thailand videos. 6 of them moved to Vietnam and Bali. Reasons were visa problems and cost of living. 

 

It looks like Vietnam and Bali have nice beaches too.

 

I know you cannot make any conclusions based on 6 youtubers moving away. But these were the people who inspired me to come to Thailand. Now they are advertising Vietnam; Easier to get a visa and much cheaper to live.

 

 

[Captain 776]

Didnt know we had democRATS here in Thailand.

 

Now its Trumps fault drop in Tourism.........he is a very influential guy........his standing up and stopping China from raping America for 500 BILLION a year........and that means Chinese tourists arent coming?

 

REALLLLY

[Huckenfell]

Wait ! there might be hope yet, as i read that Bali police have declared that any couples not married and caught sleeping together will be thrown into jail. This is a very large part of the young Australian couples who presently holiday together on Bali. Sure makes Phuket more attractive now. 

[Destiny1990]

2 hours ago, Misab said:

Mostly the strong Thai Bahts is to blame in my view.  A hotel in Phuket put it this way, Europeans tourist are down a lot, and Chinese tourist don’t stay long and do not use so much money as Europeans do, it takes 3 – 4 Chinese tourists to make up for the loss of one Swedish tourist.

most tourists don't check Before booking an holiday the rate of the foreign currency  myself included. 

 

imho other nearby countries are more welcoming foreigners and have become a more competitive choice for tourists and expats.

[dimitriv]

3 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

most tourists don't check Before booking an holiday the rate of the foreign currency  myself included. 

 

 

Maybe they do not check the currency. And if they do, they will not see if it is good or bad.

 

But they will notice the price of hotel rooms when booking.

 

[Destiny1990]

4 minutes ago, dimitriv said:

 

Maybe they do not check the currency. And if they do, they will not see if it is good or bad.

 

But they will notice the price of hotel rooms when booking.

 

Lots will only buy the plane ticket and finalize accommodation after arrival.

anyway its an combination of negative factors why tourists/expats  numbers are down.

[Chazar]

8 hours ago, quandow said:

They pull the numbers out their butts.

They cant do that because they are talking sheit already

[pookondee]

4 hours ago, kevinmartyn said:

YI read the full story and believe ot will be Far leSs than these numbers afterall why be forced in paying more for your holiday when there are other countries. Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia etc

Im not so sure about that. 

Most western currencies are in a downward spiral, due to the hard-on governments have for artificially lowering interest rates.

 

I know the $AUD is down against all of those.

You are even losing out changing Baht into Vietnamese Dong

 

 

[nrasmussen]

As far as I remember the TM.6 form has a "Purpose of visit" question, so in order to find the number of foreign tourists, don't they just count those where the answer is "Holiday"?

[Artisi]

5 minutes ago, nrasmussen said:

As far as I remember the TM.6 form has a "Purpose of visit" question, so in order to find the number of foreign tourists, don't they just count those where the answer is "Holiday"?

Can just imagine all the IO's sitting around at the end of each shift sorting thousands of TM6's into neat little bundles and then counting and reporting their findings - - yeah right. 

[emptypockets]

8 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

These aren't tourist statistics, theese are just stats from members of ATTA, an organization for south east asian travel buros... These numbers have absolutely nothing in common with the tourist numbers.

 

Guess why no malaysia is in there, because they don't use ATTA travel agents....

Muslims don't need a passport to go to Malaysia so the numbers would be a crock anway.

[Yinn]

9 hours ago, cerox said:

It is really surprising that after you tell me and others to buy Elite or leave that tourist numbers are down. I cannot figure out the reason why tourist numbers are down.

 

Apart from that I have always wondered who makes these numbers up.

 

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Wrong again. Just more deflection, and unwillingness to accept blame, for shooting the golden goose in the foot. Thailand has made so many mistakes when it comes to both tourism, and how they have treated the valuable ex-pat community. They are too many to even count, or recite, and I get accused of repeating myself when I do! These incompetent goons will not take responsibility for the problems they have caused, the millions of jobs that they are losing, and the incredibly bad job they have done. It is all about maintaining face for them.

 

There is something about this society that does not allow most people to grow up with an understanding of themselves. I think face has something to do with it. The utter refusal to take responsibility for one's actions and the unwillingness to "own" a situation, and man up when you screw up. That and the inability to question people, and situations. And the subsequent lack of curiosity. It is all a perfect storm, when it comes to preventing alot of people from becoming well developed human beings, with communication skills, and the tools needed to conduct meaningful relationships, beyond the surface. 

 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Always someone else to blame. Sadly I know a few longtime expats who are leaving because they are fed up with the B.S. and attitude of Thai officials ????

 

5 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Thanks to the mighty Baht, Thailand now relegated to has-been status.  Tourism and exports down. down, down.  But no worries, we have submarines, landing craft, personnel carriers, and soon, high-speed trains...

 

 

10 pages of pinongs all saying thai tourism number is down. Is UP. Your imagine.

 

Sorry it not down. 39.56 million is MOST ever. 

 

Maybe is down in Pattaya. But other place eg. Kao Lak is up a lot.

 

 

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Instead of answering the question for themselves. How about  asking Europeans travelers why they have stopped visiting? . 

They have not stopped. Planes come everyday from Europe. 

[pookondee]

29 minutes ago, nrasmussen said:

As far as I remember the TM.6 form has a "Purpose of visit" question, so in order to find the number of foreign tourists, don't they just count those where the answer is "Holiday"?

Hmm, Id suggest they never had the will or manpower to even read any of those answers, let alone process them.

 

In any case, the Thais have all but admitted that those forms got rubber-stamped and delegated to some warehouse 

Maybe in some magical province, right next door to Soi "Inactive post"

[emptypockets]

7 hours ago, madmen said:

No because its about the exchange rate. All of SEA has all the points you mention. You need to remove the blinkers and open your eyes .

It is always about the money. The whole world is doing it tough in reality. Those alleged Europeans going elsewhere apart from Thailand, aren't , in the most part, going anywhere.

I arrive and leave Thailand about 10 to 12 times a year, as do many others using Bangkok a as transit point or business travel. We aren't tourists but might be counted as such. I stay a couple of weeks to see the wife etc so I am probably a tourist, god knows I spend enough, but may others are simply passing through. One night maybe tow then gone.