TAT launches Amazing Thailand Grand Sale Passport Privileges to boost spending by foreign tourists

Praphorn Praphornkul

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale Passport Privileges project to stimulate travel spending by foreign tourists from now to January 31 next year.

 

The TAT Governor, Yuthasak Supasorn, said the project aims to increase spending by foreign visitors, especially tourists from China, Russia and the UK. The TAT is working with its alliances, such as airlines, shipping companies, manufacturers, shopping malls, hotels and resorts and jewelry shops, to organize sales and promotional activities, with discounts of as much as 60% on certain items. Foreign tourists, who show their passports to participating vendors, can enjoy these privileges.

 

Mr. Yuthasak said the project is expected to attract at least 10 million participants and encourage at least one million foreign travelers to spend in the country.

 

To promote the project, the TAT has distributed leaflets in English, Chinese and Russian to tourists at shopping malls and major tourist destinations. Tourists can visit www.passportprivileges.com for more information, such as promotions, discounts and names of participating vendors. The website is available in over 30 languages to reach a wider audience, using Google Translate.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2019-11-23

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Another gimmick that won’t fix the underlying problems.

You wonder why the TAT elected to concentrate on Chinese Russian and UK markets, what, are they bigger spenders than other nationalities or perhaps the opposite, those markets are the least spenders and they aim to increase spending from those nationalities, and where the beloved Indians in all of it i wonder?...

Thieves rejoice as a new supply of fresh passports has been found to be stolen..

This smacks of desperation to somehow try to reverse the trend of falling numbers. 

A little work fixing the many problems might be time better spent.

Getting a discount on one or two things isn't going to help a lot if you are being ripped off on most of the rest of your trip.

Things must be hitting rock bottom..

 

17 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

This smacks of desperation to somehow try to reverse the trend of falling numbers. 

A little work fixing the many problems might be time better spent.

Getting a discount on one or two things isn't going to help a lot if you are being ripped off on most of the rest of your trip.

I think they do this every year.

45 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The TAT is working with its alliances, such as airlines, shipping companies, manufacturers, shopping malls, hotels and resorts and jewelry shops, to organize sales and promotional activities, with discounts of as much as 60% on certain items. Foreign tourists, who show their passports to participating vendors, can enjoy these privileges.

Are they trying to convince me that this program will actually mean that Thais pay more than foreigners with a passport??? In the land of dual pricing? Ain't gonna happen.

In the meantime let's try and get rid of all the retired expats....we don't care that they spend at least 65000 a month all year round.

 

I have a hard time spending less then 100,000... a month for the last 7 yrs!

20 minutes ago, 300sd said:

In the meantime let's try and get rid of all the retired expats....we don't care that they spend at least 65000 a month all year round.

 

I have a hard time spending less then 100,000... a month for the last 7 yrs!

I wonder where the burden is for them, having retired expats living here?

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

TAT is working with its alliances, such as airlines, shipping companies, manufacturers, shopping malls, hotels and resorts and jewelry shops, to organize sales and promotional activities, with discounts of as much as 60% on certain items.

Nice of TAT to give away private enterprise's hard earned money to attract inbound tourists just to build up the numbers to make them look good.

Government funded helicopter money for tourism seems to have dried up.

Expats might want to take note that there are some hospital discounts on that website. Have to ask them about promotion before getting bill/service. Just thought it worth mentioning.

I find the statement of just producing passport to get discount misleading; as it clearly states on some of the offers, that you need to specifically need to mention the promotion (just a passport and assumption is clearly not enough).

The land of Slogans..

TAT holds this low season event every year - usually in the middle of summmer (rainy season) -so, this shows some real desperation holding it at the beginning of high season. And, as usual, TAT never publishes a list of participating companies.

At TAT, ideas are never lacking, only that they totally miss the finish line!

6 hours ago, zydeco said:

Are they trying to convince me that this program will actually mean that Thais pay more than foreigners with a passport??? In the land of dual pricing? Ain't gonna happen.

They already do as foreigners can claim back 7% VAT on purchases - Thais can't.  But carry on imagining you're persecuted....

They certainly don't know me.  I am probably the penultimate not buyer.  I ignore all ads.  I still use a 3g flip top phone with just voice and text.  I have money but not many things are desired, and less are needed.  I go to Thailand for the get away, love walking around a small city such as Pattaya, do like the ladies, love the choice of foods from all over the world, love the foot massages and an occasional oil massage when I am on my way back to the hotel and a shower and the pool.  I don't buy souvenirs.  If people want stuff, they can take the 13 hour then 3 hour flights from the USA.  I stay in Thai local hotels whenever possible.  I eat at the Thai owned restaurants not the Hooters, not the KFC, etc.  I may not be the biggest spender when I visit, but I do put money into the Thai economy, not necessarily the big business places like shiny malls.

 

  Thailand is a fantastic draw.  All they need to do is not make it less attractive as they are doing for many long stay visitors or expats.  These little promotions are silly.

As expats we can do far more to help or hurt western tourism.  Word of mouth, social media outlets, etc.  TAT and Bank of Thailand should realize this, and do more to appease us with a more realistic Baht.  At this point, I’m not recommending Thailand to any of my friends in the west.  If the Baht rises much more—I will actively dissuade people, whether I continue to live here—or not.

18 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

As expats we can do far more to help or hurt western tourism.  Word of mouth, social media outlets, etc.  TAT and Bank of Thailand should realize this, and do more to appease us with a more realistic Baht.  

Listen to yourself.

The Bank of Thailand and TAT should appease you, Jeez.

Much better idea. Take a look at the crock of <deleted> online visa application. Site crashes all the time five pages of cr@p to print copy and scan. Totally ridiculous. I know at least three people who could not be bothered and went elsewhere 

8 hours ago, 300sd said:

In the meantime let's try and get rid of all the retired expats....we don't care that they spend at least 65000 a month all year round.

 

I have a hard time spending less then 100,000... a month for the last 7 yrs!

As someone who's a teacher here... How do you live if you have a hard time spending less than 100k in Thailand? 

Here we go again, more gimmicks, but, I do note Indians are not on the list, but I remember TAT not long ago said Indians are the saviour for Thailand and each spend 0ver  5,800B per day. 

11 hours ago, madmitch said:

I think they do this every year.

When I walk around some stores, I see a lot of shops with the exact same "SALE" sign up all year long. 

 

49 minutes ago, djayz said:

When I walk around some stores, I see a lot of shops with the exact same "SALE" sign up all year long. 

 

Even in department stores, Pierre Cardin shorts are ALWAYS 50% off.....same goes for Tefal products always 30% off.

 

ishopchangi.com is a real cheap shop with european prices. IT's waiting there on Changi when you arrive.

3 hours ago, fruitman said:

Even in department stores, Pierre Cardin shorts are ALWAYS 50% off.....same goes for Tefal products always 30% off.

 

ishopchangi.com is a real cheap shop with european prices. IT's waiting there on Changi when you arrive.

Cheap European prices?

 

I checked the site.  An iPhone 11 is more expensive than it is in Thailand.  And then if you are a tourist in Thailand you can reclaim 7% on top.  I checked for Teefal products but they don't have any.  

I did another random search for a Body Shop gift set - 70 baht cheaper in Changi than in Thailand (but your 7% saving would recoup that).  Hardly worth flying over for.

TAT makes me so dizzy,  I’m getting nauseous 

i aint showing some scammer my passport and i dont think they even have the authority to even request to see it so how exactly was this thought through and put in to action...oh yeah...tit..

Amazing Thailand indeed. I wanted to buy the Frozen 2 lego castle as Christmas gift for my daughter. The lego store want 4100 baht for it. 

Same box in Europe is 2050 baht. 

 

Every year I make a list of things we need, from kitchenware, electronics  make up for the wife, clothes, toys, books and believe it or not, the differences in prices are enabling me to buy airtickets to Europe  for my family. 

 

Same when we go to Japan.

And all the tourists actually wants, is that Thailand would stop its double pricing system!

show your passport and let our vendors see if you get double pricing, triple, quadruple...