Tourism minister in Samui: Hints at baht action and "new group" of tourists - all revealed next month

[cnx101]

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Which country will they both be coming from?

 Nigeria and Somalia

[Classic Ray]

The new tourist group consists of ex Thai Airways employees spending their redundancy money!

[racket]

5 hours ago, meechai said:

These people better wake up.

It was never all about the baht! Read my lips....NEVER about the BAHT

 

You think for instance an American is going to change vacation destination because now he only gets

30 baht for a dollar instead of 31-32-33??? Heck no !

 

Instead look at all the bad press Thailand has gotten

Start with a Military Junta/Seudo elected govt

 

Next add onerous immigration

Then look at things like visiting Thailand is dangerous to your health

60 dead per day on roads is not very enticing is it?

The list goes on & on  it is a cause & effect now in motion that will take years to clear

 

Because as this gets worse regular Thai's sellers/businesses get depressed / economically stressed

There goes the land of smiles

 

Next as folks move off to find better vacation spots they do not instantly come back because now you get 32 instead of 30 baht to a dollar

Instead they have already booked next years get away & will only return when they read once again favorable reviews from reliable sources

that Thailand is once again a nice vacation spot

 

The imbeciles confuse tourists with expats. Expats care most about income conversion to Baht tourist are tourist aka: two week millionaires

I cannot believe those in charge do not know this

 

Lastly do not forget there are still many folks in the world who will never support a Seudo govt like this no matter how good the

deal is

 

You are right but seriously I don’t think it’s the junta because the country was just as corrupt (if not more) before than it is today. Travelers would visit if the baht wasn’t overvalued, not because of politics. I’m not in favor but I’d say Thailand is way more stable & safe compared to rest of SE Asia.  

[Isaan sailor]

Um, while we’re on the subject of the high Baht—did anyone else notice the Chinese Yuan went up today vs. Thai Baht?  And at the same time, the USD sank 5 Satang vs the Baht?

So how about a bit less Chinese hot money inflow at Bank of Thailand?  It would go a long way—toward restoring tourism, and the economy.

[agood1963]

World economy to blame again wise up Thailand , tourists do not want to come anymore it is to expensive and they are not made welcome . 

[PoorSucker]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

 

Pray tell, can you give us the figures for ticket from London to New York and compare that with domestic flight?

I checked Stockholm - New York compared to Bangkok - Samui in February. 

You can can find 5000 baht on both. 

[agood1963]

Big spending Indians are coming , stay save bar girls .

[RichardColeman]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

No mention was made of regional competitors in the report.

Or Thais putting up prices to cover loses

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

TNA reported that the Minister for Tourism and Sports went to Koh Samui on a fact finding mission to hear local opinion as the tourism sector suffers a downtown in the number of visitors.

All the resorts will take a hard hit this year, only the single backpacking persons usually book a late flight.
All the families with kids etc have booked ahead with a schedule to coincide with the school holidays.

A German friend of mine has booked a resort hotel in Egypt for a month in July with his Thai wife & daughter...

they say it's half the price of coming to Thailand for two weeks!

[Isaan sailor]

I’ll take a stab at the incoming “new group of tourists to arrive next month”.  The scientists at TAT have developed a time machine, and will set the date back to 2016–when all western (and OZ and NZ) currencies had normal valuations.  And there were no free Chinese visas.

I can dream, can’t I?

[CNXexpat]

9 hours ago, racket said:

Another problem is that Thailand is marketing tourists to visit during the raining/monsoon season which is a deplorable time for travels since they expect sunshine and crystal waters, but upon arrival they will be welcomed by thunder showers and flash floods.

Sorry, but who booked a trip without taking a look before in the internet how the weather will be during his trip, deserves a lot of rain and thunderstorm.

[orchis]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

the tourism sector suffers a downtown

 

[Destiny1990]

Amazing it seems they have discovered a new kind of specie on this planet. loaded with cash on top of that. 

[balo]

I think they will target Pakistan next month, a hidden gem full of wealthy tourists,. 

[observer90210]

Most of the "Koh's" in Thailand have become mafia run dens with corrupt and criminal oriented individuals and police,  on the hunt to scam, rob, trap and extort or sometimes harm,  foreigners.....some nations have published warnings on their homeland websites to warn on traveling to the thai islands.....shameful !!!

[GalaxyMan]

Of course I'd never suggest that anyone from the government would ever deliberately lie, about anything, but I do have to wonder how many helpings of Samui mushrooms this guy had. ????

[Cake Monster]

Batten down the hatch,s . The Eskimo,s are coming.

[ChipButty]

Not enough tourists for Koh Samui hotels Oversupply has operators struggling

[Langkawee]

Koh  Samui is just like Bangkok. 7-11, Big C and Bangkok Banks everywhere, a concrete jungle hell hole. Stay away.

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, Langkawee said:

Koh  Samui is just like Bangkok. 7-11, Big C and Bangkok Banks everywhere, a concrete jungle hell hole. Stay away.

And you had dinner with Elvis yes?

Did you actually come to Samui or is that just from Google maps?

I can only assume that you are a troll.

Happy New Year Mr troll.

[lonewolf99]

If there was anyone at the TAT department that had 1/2 a brain cell and sat down and read Thai Visa forums they would understand all that is wrong with their sector in Thailand and everything else that is wrong. All the mitigating factors that are part of or the sum of the cause. 

It would take them a good while because there is about 10 years of the stuff to trawl through.

 

I know for a fact in the UK the tabloids love a horror story about murder, mayhem and sordid sex to splash all over their front pages - and Thailand never fails to come up with those goods. Constantly tarnishing their "friendly Thai" image.

 

There was a time when western tourists would put up with a "mild rip off" because when it came down to it, what was the pointing of fighting over small change when it came to the exchange rate. But not now and not having to put up with it all the time you come here.

 

Scandanavians, Germans and Brits of a certain age would flock over the winter to sit and drink gallon after gallon of cheap booze. The demographics of that in the next generation has undergone a complete change. In fact I think it is probably cheaper to buy a big bottle of Singha in Tesco in the UK than it is in a bar in Pattaya now and younger people with money live a fitter and healthier lifestyle.

 

All the above information and a lot more just goes completely over the heads of anyone at TAT or any other Thai junta department.

 

 

[thasoss]

On 12/9/2019 at 2:12 PM, lemonjelly said:

Everyone has done Thailand, it’s not nouveau anymore, the millennials have moved on... Vietnam, Europe.

exactly....thailand's allure has worn off

[thasoss]

TAT will never admit the real causes for tourisms decline due to loss of face.So many reasons,tourists now staying in rented condo's air BNB ,,,sees hotels half empty...........TAT's double and triple counting of arrivals at airports to boost numbers,I think a big factor too is bad press overseas,sinking boats,bus crashes,motor cycles deaths on tourist locations,surely faces in shops because tourists deciding not to buy,unclean beaches,lots of trash everywhere, and yes thai tourist locations becoming more expensive than other destinations,and in some places poor air quality.

And finally...thailand is yesterday's adventure,now it's vietnam,cambodia,and tomorrow it'll be myanmar

[LazySlipper]

On 12/9/2019 at 8:14 AM, webfact said:

He hinted that the government had plans for the baht and stimulus measures to lure foreign tourists. He promised a "new group" of tourists, more domestic tourism and sustainable tourism. 

Yes... domestic travelers... get the unemployed to start travelling in pick up trucks 10 high... cordon off the Thai economy because of a strong bht and we will begin the age old tradition of trading goods. 

They will also organize submarine trips available only to the Thais between Samui and Pattaya... at a discount Thai rate.

[phetphet]

 

Quote "Then he was off to examine a waste disposal area in Maret and take in a trip to the Na Muang waterfall."

 

I wonder if it's the waste disposal that hasn't worked for years. Along with the landfill mountain of putrid waste that he went to visit.

[Traubert]

On 12/9/2019 at 4:01 PM, Isaan sailor said:

Seems they could more easily lower the Baht (by slowing hot money bond sales and or lowering interest rates again), than fix all of their other problems that drive tourists away.

There is no hot money bond sales.

 

Its a figment of your imagination. What limited imagination you might have.

[spidermike007]

The high baht. Always an excuse. Never, ever take responsibility. It is all about you guys. You have caused this. You have brought this on.

 

On Samui you can also blame the high traffic deaths, the BA monopoly, and the extreme lack of local pride. 

 

Blame the TAT. Blame Prayuth. Blame the army. Blame astonishing incompetence and hubris. Or blame the air quality, the traffic congestion and a dozen other reasons. But do not cop out and blame the baht. It is one small factor. Be men. Show us some honor. 

[White Christmas13]

52 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The high baht. Always an excuse. Never, ever take responsibility. It is all about you guys. You have caused this. You have brought this on.

 

On Samui you can also blame the high traffic deaths, the BA monopoly, and the extreme lack of local pride. 

 

Blame the TAT. Blame Prayuth. Blame the army. Blame astonishing incompetence and hubris. Or blame the air quality, the traffic congestion and a dozen other reasons. But do not cop out and blame the baht. It is one small factor. Be men. Show us some honor. 

I do normally agree with you but not this time. Yes I agree with every thing you listed

but the high baht is a big factor for me as well. Being a pensioner with limited income

I need a lower baht to make it worth while to come to Thailand again. And yes the normal

young tourist don't care about a high Thai baht, but for me it is essential and maybe for

many other tourists as well. Yes I could go to other south east Asian countries but I have

friends in Thailand since I lived there for many years and still have a lady friend living

there and her family. So for me the high Thai baht is not very nice.

[metempsychotic]

On 12/9/2019 at 9:41 AM, Matzzon said:

Is it only me, or what in the world is "a downtown in the number of visitors???

You know what it is. Its a typo.

[mike787]

THis is gonna be good...can't wait, i'll get some popcorn ready!!!!