Thailand set to welcome 39 million tourists

[raccos21]

[DrTuner]

8 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

Exactly, and my suspicion is that they are counting arrivals for those who land in BKK to then fly to neighboring countries such as Vietnam. 

Yes, they would be counted as tourists, if they clear the immigration before proceeding to another country. The raw data is here: https://www.immigration.go.th/immigration_stats

 

Immigration does not disclose information about the length of the stay so impossible to know just how big a percentage uses Thailand as a simple hop.

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, khunpa said:

How do you report this article to that new Fake News Department???

Email:Lieut-General Phakemtilyoumakem @Minitrue.com

[bronzedude]

Who says you con't make this stuff up?

[Kaopad999]

1 minute ago, DrTuner said:

Yes, they would be counted as tourists, if they clear the immigration before proceeding to another country. The raw data is here: https://www.immigration.go.th/immigration_stats

 

Immigration does not disclose information about the length of the stay so impossible to know just how big a percentage uses Thailand as a simple hop.

Thank you for clearing this up.

[unamazedloso]

is that number for tourists in transit elsewhere?

i leave every 90days so i guess i make up 10% of actual tourist number who technicaly isnt a tourist at all and the rest must be just lost i guess..

 

funnily enough i did see some tourists today. poor suckers rented old rusty girl push bikes and were pushing them up a hill that leads no where. I could have stopped and told the to make a uturn immediately but tourists need a little adventure i guess...

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

based on the current performance for January to October.

Yet the streets and bars are all empty, hotels half empty with staff wondering what's going to happen?

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, Cadbury said:

I travel the Hanoi Bangkok route many times a year and have done so for the past 12 years.

I arrived in Hanoi last week from my most recent trip and couldn't believe my eyes at the arrival immigration area. It was packed to the scuppers and ALL immigration counters were open. It was full to an extent I had never seen before in all those years. 

A quick check of the crowd and I would estimate 65% were western foreign tourists with the rest mainly mixed Asians. Locals, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese etc.

Outside the terminal was absolute chaos as people departed for their local destinations.

Does this partly answer the question about the disappearing farang tourists in Thailand?

 

And after encountering the chaos you report, how many will go back there I wonder.

[CharlieH]

Reported post with derogatory remarks removed.

[chuck holmes]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

39 million arrivals does not mean 39 million tourists. I have been out of the country three times this year and obviously come back again three times. I am not a tourist, but I have been counted three times, and i am not alone. You only need to visit any of the genuine tourist areas to see that tourism most definitely is not up.

I agree we just returned from New Zealand for the second time this year did not see the tourist.

[chuck holmes]

Just now, chuck holmes said:

I agree we just returned from New Zealand for the second time this year did not see the tourist.

We will go to singapore for new years maybe tourist will return when we come back.

[manta]

Jackanory!! 

[khunPer]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

39 million arrivals does not mean 39 million tourists. I have been out of the country three times this year and obviously come back again three times. I am not a tourist, but I have been counted three times, and i am not alone. You only need to visit any of the genuine tourist areas to see that tourism most definitely is not up.

Yes, and the slowly change in tourists from mainly Western – i.e. Europe, Australia, and NZ and US – to Asian, also makes a change in number of nights spend in the Kingdom. Where a Western tourist typically would spend two weeks (or more), an Asian tourist spend 4-5 days only; the Thai new have stated earlier.

 

This might explain why the number of tourists in hotels can be decreasing, while the number of arrivals is increasing – besides Darksidedog's three extra counts this year – well I'm also guilty for an extra count in 2019...????

[Pedrogaz]

And what a welcome. I had the misfortune recently to come through Suvarnabhumi. Immigration still has not been fixed....mile long queues, 3/4 of the booths unstaffed, 500 Chinese people milling around, waiting for VOA. As I got into the final queue to get to the booth they opened up another 6 or so and I asked myself what are these people doing when the queue is starting to form....isn't their job to staff the booths?

Then there are the Chinese. Why not print a Chinese version of the form so they can fill it in? I try never get in a queue behind Indians or Africans as they always get a hard time by the I/O, but the Chinese look the same as any other Asian group. 

The two girls in the big queue were not checking the forms properly (too busy chatting to each other). They didn't even glance at my form. The result was that a group of Chinese in front of me, all got rejected and sent to fill the form in properly by the I/O. Each taking 5 minutes or so to deal with. The queues on either side of me were flowing smoothly and I was watching them progress towards nirvana while I was sat in purgatory. Eventually the booth next door was opened and I rushed to the head of the queue. Ahhh the relief....the good news was that there was no wait in the baggage reclaim because my bags had already arrived.

[DLock]

7 hours ago, Lungstib said:

The Thai population is listed as 69m. A tourist for every 2 Thai citizens, really? 

 

Singapore population is 5.6million people and arrival last year was 18.5million = 3.3 arrivals per citizen.

 

...on an island about the size of Phuket.

 

Makes Thailand look decidedly weak...

[Lee bamber]

My local taxi driver tells me his trade is down by 60% compared with last year

[Caine]

If BS  was music we'd have the London Philharmonic.

[Lacessit]

It depends on how the numbers are done. Sure, you have bussed-in Chinese tourists occupying hotels for a week or a fortnight in CM or CR. Meantime, long-term rentals of condos in those same places are falling off a cliff.

[Duck J Butters]

8 hours ago, BuckBee said:

everything is up, doesn't reflect this when look at businesses/locations in tourist hot spots .

doesn't reflect this when talk to many thai's in resort hotel business or any business suporting tourism, exception being some who get slice of chinese tour group action .

Many businesses in Thailand are way up this year.  It really depends on what sector you're in and who you talk to. My wife is Thai ( not Chinese as many have suggested as the only businesses that are doing well ) and runs a very successful business in medical tourism. She's up 400% from 2018. True, her business does rely on wealthy tourists but they are from all over the world, not just China.

 

I think a lot of people on Thai Visa are not aware that Thailand has the most advanced medical treatment centers in the world. Yes, the world. Perhaps you think I'm kidding? I'm not. It's true. Thailand has very liberal healthcare policies which has resulted in Thailand having the most advanced alternative medicine / cancer / anti-aging / stem cell clinics in the world. The procedures that Thailand offers are not available in most countries due to being considered “unethical” / "unproven" as well as being blocked by Big Pharma and Big Medicine. Western medicine is not interested in curing people ( that would be financially devastating to the West ), they are only interested in treatments and "quick fixes", Keeping people sick and coming back is "big money" and the key to the endless wheel of wealth that is Big Medicine. Hence, many desperate Westerners who have been told they have 6 months to live ( most drugged up on dozens of prescription meds which is one of the major sources of their never ending cycle of grief ), come to Thailand to seek out the latest and greatest in healthcare. Many return home detoxed and cured of what has been ailing them. This is just a fact. Thailand may be a developing country but it’s healthcare ( if you have money of course ) cannot he matched by any country on planet Earth. Many of the top doctors from America and Europe are attracted to Thailand for this very reason.

 

I'm sure most expats on Thai Visa cannot relate to the paragraph written above but it is the reality that I live in. I live in a Thailand where tourism is booming. Hence, why you can't just make blanket statements claiming that Thailand is going downhill and that tourism is going to hell. Some may be experiencing this situation but that has not been my experience at all. I see a Thailand where the future looks very bright indeed.

 

[Soikhaonoiken]

Here we go again, more Micky Mouse stories from TAT..... ????????????

[P100]

Great. I always knew the crisis in Thailand is fake. To see the walking street in Pattaya empty like a graveyard is probably some kind of eye disease I am suffering from. To see so many shops and bars close down, to see Thais desperately going after the few remaining foreigners is just some kind of a fata morgana I guess.... Don't worry the government tells you it all is ok... Thailand on its way up... An then the bell rang and I woke up from that dream !

[Tchooptip]

OK I understood if they try to eject so many people in overstay it's only to make a little more room for the 39 millions coming soon ????

[Langkawee]

Would love to know how many millions just transit using airports as hubs. If changing to a 2nd LCC at an airport, you are given an exempt entry, 30 days. Perhaps they also count non-LCC who do not get stamped in as an exempt entry. The truth would be interesting but will never be told.

[Langkawee]

1 hour ago, Duck J Butters said:

Many businesses in Thailand are way up this year.  It really depends on what sector you're in and who you talk to. My wife is Thai ( not Chinese as many have suggested as the only businesses that are doing well ) and runs a very successful business in medical tourism. She's up 400% from 2018. True, her business does rely on wealthy tourists but they are from all over the world, not just China.

 

I think a lot of people on Thai Visa are not aware that Thailand has the most advanced medical treatment centers in the world. Yes, the world. Perhaps you think I'm kidding? I'm not. It's true. Thailand has very liberal healthcare policies which has resulted in Thailand having the most advanced alternative medicine / cancer / anti-aging / stem cell clinics in the world. The procedures that Thailand offers are not available in most countries due to being considered “unethical” / "unproven" as well as being blocked by Big Pharma and Big Medicine. Western medicine is not interested in curing people ( that would be financially devastating to the West ), they are only interested in treatments and "quick fixes", Keeping people sick and coming back is "big money" and the key to the endless wheel of wealth that is Big Medicine. Hence, many desperate Westerners who have been told they have 6 months to live ( most drugged up on dozens of prescription meds which is one of the major sources of their never ending cycle of grief ), come to Thailand to seek out the latest and greatest in healthcare. Many return home detoxed and cured of what has been ailing them. This is just a fact. Thailand may be a developing country but it’s healthcare ( if you have money of course ) cannot he matched by any country on planet Earth. Many of the top doctors from America and Europe are attracted to Thailand for this very reason.

 

I'm sure most expats on Thai Visa cannot relate to the paragraph written above but it is the reality that I live in. I live in a Thailand where tourism is booming. Hence, why you can't just make blanket statements claiming that Thailand is going downhill and that tourism is going to hell. Some may be experiencing this situation but that has not been my experience at all. I see a Thailand where the future looks very bright indeed.

 

So funny. I nearly lost my leg because one of the most expensive hospitals in Thailand gave me amoxicillin instead of clyndamicin. Your sarcasm is world class, I almost missed it. 

[keystonecoppers2]

 

 

                           DLock!

 

              And Singapore is heaven, compared to Thailand! The only obstacle is,

              that it is to expensive. If I had the money, I would have lived there already!

                               

[keystonecoppers2]

 

 

                  Duck J Butters!

 

            From what I`ve heard, some few years ago, Thailand was the first country

            to do laser operations, regarding eyesight. I could be wrong, but that`s

            what I heard. I`ve also heard that they had a cure for AIDS, so I don`t know,

            how much pinch of some salt you need to have! Actually, the AIDS thing is 

            not in the believing from my point of view!

          

            Have a nice evening, and be careful out there! 

 

             

[Fex Bluse]

2 hours ago, Duck J Butters said:

I'm sure most expats on Thai Visa cannot relate to the paragraph written above

????

 

You cannot produce a single resource that suggests Thailand is the or even among the most medically advanced in the world. Not one. 

 

Thailand is an absolute nobody in the medical fields. They invent nothing and collaborate on little. What they do is medical tourism using Western and East Asian invention. That's all. 

 

The most medically advanced countries are below. 

 

https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/10-most-advanced-countries-in-medicine-364917/11/

[macgver]

Is TAT dreaming or what?

[mindfulness]

As a TV profile has already pointed out. 

TV headline states ‘Tourists’, report states ‘Arrivals’ 

 

Who the **** is doing the spin doctoring ? 

[Traubert]

I'll never understand why it's so important to everyone except those involved in tourism.

 

Anyway, Monday trigger 1. Tourism.

 

Coming later this week : Trigger 2. Road deaths.

 

Followed by trigger 3. The Baht exchange rate.

 

I've begun to set my watch by them. ????