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

[nrasmussen]

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. 

Of course not, but I do think that someone like TAT might be doing it.

[Blue bruce]

Did tot ever about the way they treat foreigners, with their dual pricing, immigration regulations, and the exchange rate have anything to do with lower tourist numbers.. i think not, blame it on the global economy or anything else except there fumb regulations. What us???? It cant be us, must be something to blame

[Simon85]

I just read the news and still I don't understand what they really expect after their currency went skyrocketing. First they say that probably at the end of the year they won't get the 40M tourists target but then if you're living here as an expat or resident you always have to let them know where you are and what you do because if you don't they shove you out form the country. It seems that they are just welcoming tourists, because of course they bring a lot of money inside their pockets, but IMO if you settle here now you're somewhat inconvenient to them... What's the deal? ????

[nrasmussen]

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"

I mentioned this because some posters here argue that the numbers might be more or less fictional, when indeed there is a way to get some real ones. Whether either scenario is the case, I certainly don't know.

[GAZZPA]

4 hours ago, madmen said:

It's the baht , its always always about the money. The rest is just noise

Yours points are affecting mostly expats. A grudge , political climate, justice for the rich? Seriusly what are you talking about, your averge 7 day tourists could care less 

You are seriously underestimating the power of the media here. Yes the baht is an issue, however the other factors are also considered when spending your hard earned cash on your annual holiday. I am out of Thailand now but here back at home it is known about the political stuff AND there is the TM30 all over the press. I think people would still come to Thailand if it was simply the baht but add in the other things and it just looks risky when there are countless other places to go.

[flashbrown99]

Who knew?
 
Oh wait, Everyone except the ToT.
 

Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[balo]

They are clueless . 

 

[IAMHERE]

TAT, TOT, TIT, TET  ; ok then what is TUT?  Maybe those numbers are really  TUT TUT TUT ?

[raccos21]

Blame strong baht and trade war! Really! I don’t think so.

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

TOT, the phone company? Did they call you and said that?

You mean... "say that" if you're going to be picky about things!

[KhunFred]

Raise prices, that'll show 'em. ????

[essox essox]

20 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?

great questions....will we ever get to know just how they compile the figures...

I would say the come from people passing thru immigration

[kcpattaya]

Greed to blame. 
Thailand is heading the same direction as Spain did 20 years ago.

[overherebc]

7 minutes ago, kcpattaya said:

Greed to blame. 
Thailand is heading the same direction as Spain did 20 years ago.

At least you can still get decent wine in Spain without taking out a mortgage.

[JayBird]

No worries; TAT will inform us that next year there will be 80 million visitors to make up the deficit !

They simply need to redefine what a tourist is.

[MrBobHouse]

20 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

 

Correct (Total count of non Thai passports going through airports and border posts?), that is what TAT is using.

 

In other words, they don't differentiate between different type of tourist. Any non-Thai that enter Thailand = 1 tourist. Flawed accounting of course. 

 

That's literally how every single county in the entire world calculates it their tourist data.

 

Here's data for every other country and how they got it.

 

You got a better system?

[spidermike007]

12 hours ago, Yinn said:

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

They have not stopped. Planes come everyday from Europe. 

You are buying into the TAT nonsense. First of all, there is no doubt those numbers are doctored. Second, the quality of tourists is way down, so the people in the industry are not feeling the benefit. When you have millions who stay in hotels at 60% off, eat at the hotel buffets, and shop in 7/11, there is not much benefit felt by the masses. Everyone I know who has anything to do with the tourism industry says the same thing. It is a pale shadow of it's former self. They are not making this stuff up. It is their livelihood. 

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, MrBobHouse said:

That's literally how every single county in the entire world calculates it their tourist data.

 

Here's data for every other country and how they got it.

 

You got a better system?

Nobody are tracking how many people are crossing the now open borders within the EU, so surely the French equivalent to TAT is using a different methodology when they publish data for tourist numbers in Paris and France as whole.

 

Do I have a better system, well maybe. TAT could publish 3 numbers

#1. Total foreign arrivals in Thailand = The whole shabang, e.g. all non-Thai

#2. Holiday makers = (#1) minus (Non-imm, diplomat, Non-B, Non-A, UN, migrant workers, less than 24 hours in the country, etc) Tough number to calculate, but not impossible.

#3. Tourist days = #2 x days stayed in country

 

They could even make sub categories based on regions, but journalists have short attention spans.

[forrwhat]

The Thai way is that they overcharge those 39 million tourists to make up any financial shortfall.

 

[Daveyh]

It's been a known fact for sometime that the baht has been too strong, but Thailand has just ignored the signs & only have themselves to blame now. Also, double pricing must cease immediately as it does confirm that everyone is not equal & treated the same in the kingdom ......... equality in this politically correct "day & age" is a must. 

 

Value for money has been lost here & the mass exodus of the europeans from Thailand confirms this. Europeans are the first to vote their dissent with their feet by going elsewhere ........ now Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia & the Philippines are reaping the benefits as their exchange rate is much better, standards are superior, plus their command of the common language of the world is better. Thailand must improve all round & give true value for money, plus a reasonable exchange rate & making travel safer for everyone is a must. It's not going to change overnight, hence the spiral downwards will continue & it will take many years to get the tourists back from europe ..... a sad fact.

 

I think the mindset here, plus the influence of the mega rich minority will continue to keep the lid on baht as it's certainly making the minority richer & the general public poorer. I've been here "on & off" for nearly 20yrs ........ local people really are beginning to really suffer the consequences of this.

[Saint Nick]

22 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 .

Strange, that many tourists are full of praise for Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam.

Even Myanmar!

But right...I have the blinkers on!

[fhickson]

the lower the numbers the worse things are going to get for existing visitors

 

likely pent up frustration will be vented on the fewer who are here with increased scams and price schnannigans. locals in tourist areas will be on edge as financial problems increase

[stigar]

Chine declearing trade war against thai econymy.Enougth is enougth,THey  say the thai econmy is way to higth according the thai goverment says themselfes.THey will make thai economy down to the real,not what they brag about.TAT is just make numbers that not true.Just imagine.

[Almer]

3 hours ago, Daveyh said:

It's been a known fact for sometime that the baht has been too strong, but Thailand has just ignored the signs & only have themselves to blame now. Also, double pricing must cease immediately as it does confirm that everyone is not equal & treated the same in the kingdom ......... equality in this politically correct "day & age" is a must. 

 

Value for money has been lost here & the mass exodus of the europeans from Thailand confirms this. Europeans are the first to vote their dissent with their feet by going elsewhere ........ now Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia & the Philippines are reaping the benefits as their exchange rate is much better, standards are superior, plus their command of the common language of the world is better. Thailand must improve all round & give true value for money, plus a reasonable exchange rate & making travel safer for everyone is a must. It's not going to change overnight, hence the spiral downwards will continue & it will take many years to get the tourists back from europe ..... a sad fact.

 

I think the mindset here, plus the influence of the mega rich minority will continue to keep the lid on baht as it's certainly making the minority richer & the general public poorer. I've been here "on & off" for nearly 20yrs ........ local people really are beginning to really suffer the consequences of this.

I refuse to go to KK zoo as they have an advertised policy of double pricing, If my entrance was the same price as the other 7 in our family who wish to go  the zoo would do rather nice, but you will all understand im sure, without me nobody will be going, any comments from KK zoo will be appreciated in fact from any business double  pricing, the man in our  village who sells charcoal need not respond i have made my feelings quite clear to him 20 baht for a thai 50 baht for a falang

[ExpatOilWorker]

3 hours ago, fhickson said:

the lower the numbers the worse things are going to get for existing visitors

 

likely pent up frustration will be vented on the fewer who are here with increased scams and price schnannigans. locals in tourist areas will be on edge as financial problems increase

Or maybe not. Thais were pretty easy going and friendly in the years that followed the '97 Asian financial crises.

 

[Georgie65]

It's time to crush China, Russia and Europe's economies just like we did to Iran, N Korea & Turkey. All of the socialist/communist countries listed here including Denmark, France, Germany and especially the UK are not friends of America & haven't been for a very, very long time! Never forget, anyone who tries to cut side deals with the terrorist country of Iran are Americas enemies!!! These socialist, welfare mooching, opportunist parasite, Euro/Asian trash are not to be trusted or believed under any circumstances especially when national security is a concern.. It's time to embarrass China & Europe on the world stage, & let everyone know what lying, cheating, opportunist parasites they really are... You can't bite the hand that feeds and expect to keep getting fed! 'Attention' all Euro trash! Please do not visit the USA anymore... You are not welcome here! CRUSH!!! ???? ????????  #Trump2020  #MAGA2020  #Whitelash2020  #Eurotrash 

[Almer]

45 minutes ago, Georgie65 said:

It's time to crush China, Russia and Europe's economies just like we did to Iran, N Korea & Turkey. All of the socialist/communist countries listed here including Denmark, France, Germany and especially the UK are not friends of America & haven't been for a very, very long time! Never forget, anyone who tries to cut side deals with the terrorist country of Iran are Americas enemies!!! These socialist, welfare mooching, opportunist parasite, Euro/Asian trash are not to be trusted or believed under any circumstances especially when national security is a concern.. It's time to embarrass China & Europe on the world stage, & let everyone know what lying, cheating, opportunist parasites they really are... You can't bite the hand that feeds and expect to keep getting fed! 'Attention' all Euro trash! Please do not visit the USA anymore... You are not welcome here! CRUSH!!! ????????????  #Trump2020  #MAGA2020  #Whitelash2020  #Eurotrash 

 

Why don't you get to the point and not beat about the Bush

[nong38]

I arrived Sunday, one person in front of me at the desk, what does that tell you?

[MaxYakov]

5 hours ago, nong38 said:

I arrived Sunday, one person in front of me at the desk, what does that tell you?

You were in the wrong queue?

[PatOngo]

6 hours ago, nong38 said:

I arrived Sunday, one person in front of me at the desk, what does that tell you?

You had a whole plane to yourself!