Where are the Europeans? Hua Hin/Cha Am tourism officials urged to look elsewhere for next wave of tourists

[Chivas]

Just comedy gold.....the strength of the Baht against the benchmark USD effects absolutely everyone bar none visiting Thailand. When these fruitcakes finally realise they need somehow to weaken it at least 10% out to 33 it will be simply too late.

The evidence is clear people are outbound to Cambodia Vietnam and the Phillipines in search of "better value"

 

Those that find it simply will never return to Thailand..... When you got nutjobs actually spouting and believing that Indians spend 10,000 Baht a day then you know we're in a complete and utter Banana Republic

[Chazar]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

At the end of the meeting it was decided to have another meeting

kin unbelievable..........

[Chazar]

1 hour ago, Sametboy2019 said:

When one hand doesnt know what the other is doing!

Oh they both know what theyre are  doing .........  in fact one hand is  enough  for their job

[from the home of CC]

Three couples (from Canada) that have visited me here (Hua Hin) for 3-4 months every year for the last 5 years. This year is no different. There has been no mention of immigration problems nor the bahts rate. But these folks are tourists, not expats pretending to be a tourist.

[MikeRing]

6 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

Three couples (from Canada) that have visited me here (Hua Hin) for 3-4 months every year for the last 5 years. This year is no different. There has been no mention of immigration problems nor the bahts rate. But these folks are tourists, not expats pretending to be a tourist.

The CAD is so low and the Baht is too high. I wouldn't expect them to come for much longer. Texas, Mexico etc are only 4-5 hours away, $500 flight and getting cheaper than Thailand.

[Pravda]

I think these articles are a bit unfair.

 

Did the meeting really went on in such a comedic jargon as expressed in this article?

 

It's a bit of ridiculous journalism written by your average Thai Visa poster.

[from the home of CC]

2 minutes ago, MikeRing said:

The CAD is so low and the Baht is too high. I wouldn't expect them to come for much longer. Texas, Mexico etc are only 4-5 hours away, $500 flight and getting cheaper than Thailand.

They've been coming for 5 years now and have no plans to change. They do all have pensions and are not scrimping in their retirements. We all used to go to Mexico (and many other countries in that part of the world but fell for Thailand years ago. I came and stayed and they return every year. These people I wouldn't consider wealthy by any means. Seems to me, many travel that really can't afford to and then complain when having to budget.  

[WalkingOrders]

Regarding Expats vs Tourists and spending. I am not sure if this group is counting long term expat retirees as tourists or not, but I look at the spending of each like this: An expat retiree - either has a lump somewhere or gets a Gov check every month. He never runs out of money, or he leaves.  He spends his monthly check in a month - month after month (all of it) for years until death. A tourist spends one monthly check in a week, one time, and goes home, and if he was not treated properly will never become an expat, and most likely will never come back at all. All because he had a tiny little argument with a cab driver trying to rip him off by not turning on the meter, or the beach was closed for sewage, or a pack of dogs chased him down the street. It's the little things.

[bkkcanuck8]

6 minutes ago, MikeRing said:

The CAD is so low and the Baht is too high. I wouldn't expect them to come for much longer. Texas, Mexico etc are only 4-5 hours away, $500 flight and getting cheaper than Thailand.

The Canadian Peso is not doing very well these days, so yes it will have an affect on tourism to here... it is also not doing well against the US dollar.  Canadians visiting Thailand are small in number by comparison -- as it is quite a distance for a short break.  My sisters have and continue to visit here regularly, but that is more that they are posted to hardship posts (relatively close by in comparison) and get as part of it packages as part of hardship postings -- to take holidays... and Thailand tends to be one of their favourites.  For those living in Canada, it is much rarer to see them visit here...  Farang tourists are more likely to be Australia/NZ and Europe -- as it is a reasonable distance.  

 

The greatest impact on tourism is financial in nature -- though to be quite honest the government should be more focused on transitioning the economy further from relying to heavily on tourism...  The volume of tourists is too high for a country like Thailand and high numbers like that do more damage to the environment here.   Tourism should focus more on transitioning to a sustainable (and higher value) model. 

[worgeordie]

The strength of the THB must have quite a bit to do with it,

plus getting a online visa,my 85 years old cousin,comes every

year for 3 months, this year,getting the visa ,not just sending

off 1 form,passport and money, it had to be done online,so she

got a neighbour to do it for her,he works in IT, and said he's never

seen such a bad website,I had to send her letter inviting her to come,

she had to provide bank statements,she's had already booked the flight,

but the carry on trying to get the visa ,photos too light too dark,it made

her ill with worry,so she decided she was not coming, they do shoot themselves

in the foot.

regards Worgeordie

[Jessi]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

At the end of the meeting it was decided to have another meeting. 

 

That will be on the 14th of January in Krabi. 

 

Then everyone smiled and had their picture taken. 

 

And went back home to wonder where all the tourists had gone. 

Same as always, lets just have another meeting. Thailand "The HUB of another meeting"

[sammieuk1]

I've managed to put 3 people I know off of coming here this year one of them on wine price alone the other two are vapors ????  

[sirocco]

POST 3

similar at Manu 1st, after the Wednesday meetings, (it was a rehearsal ????) re-meeting on the same theme, today, Thursday.
Considering the hilarious mouths of the representatives of the serfs, it is not water that there is in the big goblets, but schnapps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ujayujay]

I have been living in hua for 4 years and my wife has a hairdressing salon here since 20 years.  Compared to 3 years ago it has more than 50% fewer western tourists.  I also wonder: where are the indian tourists!?

[Isaan sailor]

I guess TAT must know where the American tourists are—to better valued destinations.

[legend49]

A nice summary of a non event:

 

Then everyone smiled and had their picture taken. 

 

And went back home to wonder where all the tourists had gone. 

 

Spoke with Thai neighbor today, he is the engineering manager of a large company that is across many SE Asian countries. He told me Thai baht too high so they will close the factories in Thailand and relocate to Cambodia ( 60% cheaper in operations costs). Their Chinese factories are also relocating to Cambodia and Vietnam over the dumb sanction war by a man child on China..

[saengd]

3 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

That is a pittance as the retirees are not that much importance for the tourist industry in Hua Hin.  Unless a retiree is visiting Hua Hin from another location in Thailand they are not going to pump much into the economy.  Retirees are not even considered prime demo in their home countries as they tend to spend less.  A tourist (especially first time) is going to come into town, spend money on hotels (likely mid to higher end), go out and spend money on lunch and dinner at restaurants (not likely the cheaper end as they tend to go to what other tourists have indicated as good - and that tends to be higher prices)...   Retirees tend to over estimate their importance to the overall economy.  Retirees might provide a steady stream of income over a year to a local economy, but after setting up residence that amount tends to decrease... and that is more of into a local economy rather than 'tourist economy'. Retirees tend to overvalue their contribution... 

Try this:

 

Average tourist spends 6, 250 baht per day for an average eleven days per year.

 

Average retiree expat spends 1,500 baht per day for 365 days per year.

 

Tell us again that retiree spending is a pittance!

[Thaidream]

7 minutes ago, saengd said:

ry this:

 

Average tourist spends 6, 250 baht per day for an average eleven days per year.

 

Average retiree expat spends 1,500 baht per day for 365 days per year.

 

Tell us again that retiree spending is a pittance!

Point well made and not only are retired not coming but tourists just will not put up with Thailand any longer.

 

Thailand's problems center on these issues

 

-Over priced Baht

=Immigration issues- surly Immigration officers; a lack of sense in isuing Visas and extensions; poor image due to social media reports showing denied entry

-dirty beaches and water

-over priced hotels and restaurants

-Constant police harrassment

-A lack of anything exotic- crackdowns on street food and the entertainment industry

-scams and corruption

-Taxi's refusing to use meter or simply overcharging

 

 

Thailand refuses to see the truth- and do anything about why tourists and retired don't come anymore. 

 

The TAT might want to visit Vietnam; Camboia; Bali;  Japan; Taiwan and Korea whre they will find droves of foreign tourists.

[DaRoadrunner]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Better to look elsewhere for a competent administration who can kick out the army. They are tearing the nation asunder and completely decimating tourism.

 

Any other ideas will result in little progress. Get rid of the racist army. They are moving the nation backwards at an alarming pace. Nothing useful is getting done. The list of areas which are being ignored is too long to list.  

Don't hold your breath waiting. Lets have another meeting to decide to have another meeting. Then we will set up a committee so that any decisions made cannot be blamed on any one of us.

[RichardColeman]

25 minutes ago, saengd said:

Average retiree expat spends 1,500 baht per day for 365 days per year.

Not including rent, I'd say you are at least 750 baht over

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

At the end of the meeting it was decided to have another meeting

 

[Traubert]

6 hours ago, sfokevin said:

Someone at this meeting should have stood up and told the TAT cronies that f$#@ing with the retirement visa rules caused the loss of farrang community and this is just the beginning of the exudus... 

It was a tourist authority meeting.

 

Nothing to do with the old grannies.

[DaRoadrunner]

39 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Thailand's problems center on these issues

 

-Over priced Baht

=Immigration issues- surly Immigration officers; a lack of sense in isuing Visas and extensions; poor image due to social media reports showing denied entry

-dirty beaches and water

-over priced hotels and restaurants

-Constant police harrassment

-A lack of anything exotic- crackdowns on street food and the entertainment industry

-scams and corruption

-Taxi's refusing to use meter or simply overcharging

To which we can add violence and lack of safety. Thailand listed as 3rd most dangerous place to visit in the world. (South Africa with its murders was 1st).

 

Being ripped off for medical care that is often inept.

 

Lets add that Thailand is a 3rd world country, yet they are charging 1st world prices.

 

The Thais just cannot see that they have shot themselves in their own foot. Worse still, there is no one else to blame! I know, we will have another meeting! Genius!

[Traubert]

2 hours ago, WalkingOrders said:

Regarding Expats vs Tourists and spending. I am not sure if this group is counting long term expat retirees as tourists or not, but I look at the spending of each like this: An expat retiree - either has a lump somewhere or gets a Gov check every month. He never runs out of money, or he leaves.  He spends his monthly check in a month - month after month (all of it) for years until death. A tourist spends one monthly check in a week, one time, and goes home, and if he was not treated properly will never become an expat, and most likely will never come back at all. All because he had a tiny little argument with a cab driver trying to rip him off by not turning on the meter, or the beach was closed for sewage, or a pack of dogs chased him down the street. It's the little things.

Yes but 39m tourists (halve it if you don't believe the numbers) x one monthly cheque against 250k x 12 x monthly cheque only produces one winner.

 

You see?

[saengd]

28 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Not including rent, I'd say you are at least 750 baht over

You mean 1,500 too high? I doubt that!

 

I took 1,500 because it's just above the married persons monthly spend figure from government which is 40k per month. As a Western expat living here for many many years I'm hard pressed to imagine an average spend of less than 45k per month.

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, saengd said:

Try this:

 

Average tourist spends 6, 250 baht per day for an average eleven days per year.

 

Average retiree expat spends 1,500 baht per day for 365 days per year.

 

Tell us again that retiree spending is a pittance!

Sigh.....

 

How many tourists v how many retirees?

 

Retiree spending is a pittance, ok?

[Destiny1990]

1 hour ago, saengd said:

Try this:

 

Average tourist spends 6, 250 baht per day for an average eleven days per year.

 

Average retiree expat spends 1,500 baht per day for 365 days per year.

 

Tell us again that retiree spending is a pittance!

Most retiree spend monthly a lot more i think and besides that each happy retiree used to bring in a steady stream of big spending overseas friends and relatives dropping by  “tourists “ every year.

With unhappy retirees moving out this made their well off visitors stop coming as well !

 

[saengd]

6 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Sigh.....

 

How many tourists v how many retirees?

 

Retiree spending is a pittance, ok?

"A study carried out by the Institute for Population and Social Research at Mahidol University using data from 2010, suggested that there were approximately 440,000 expats living in Thailand, which included 141,000 Chinese, 85,000 Brits, 80,000 Japanese, 46,000 Indians, 40,000 Americans, 24,000 Germans and 23,000 French"

https://news.thaivisa.com/article/38177/the-mystery-of-exactly-how-many-expats-live-in-thailand

 

Multiply by average 60,000 Baht per month (midpoint between 40k and 80k Immi. visa requirement)

 

440,000 x 60,000 baht x 12 months =  THB 316.8 bill. or USD 10.6 bill. almost 3% of GDP!

 

Some pittance!

 

 

 

...Jul 28, 2019

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

getting a online visa

This is a big problem right now.

[Destiny1990]

10 minutes ago, saengd said:

"A study carried out by the Institute for Population and Social Research at Mahidol University using data from 2010, suggested that there were approximately 440,000 expats living in Thailand, which included 141,000 Chinese, 85,000 Brits, 80,000 Japanese, 46,000 Indians, 40,000 Americans, 24,000 Germans and 23,000 French"

https://news.thaivisa.com/article/38177/the-mystery-of-exactly-how-many-expats-live-in-thailand

 

Multiply by average 60,000 Baht per month (midpoint between 40k and 80k Immi. visa requirement)

 

440,000 x 60,000 baht x 12 months =  THB 316.8 bill. or USD 10.6 bill. almost 3% of GDP!

 

Some pittance!

 

 

 

...Jul 28, 2019

Than include in your calculations for each retiree 3-4 of their overseas visitors who on average would stay 2 months? on a 75000 bht a month basis..Anyway what’s the economical advantage for this country of having less foreigner retirees ?