Thailand’s Tourism Council reports ZERO bookings following coronavirus outbreak

[garzhe]

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

yeah, try not to kill them.

And maybe telling Immigration

[DrTuner]

16 minutes ago, Traubert said:

I remember some IO getting sniffy about people extracting the urine and living here on tourist visas and education visas without going to any lessons. I remember some IO getting fired up about people not leaving when their visa was up and not doing anything about it. I remember some RTP getting annoyed at western drug runners and people traffickers. Some other RTP working with Interpol and outing wanted westerners. Routine stuff like that.

Good thing they don't mind the Chinese running illegal hotels. Makes them feel much more welcome.

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, Dannybigboy said:

 And the Corona Virus is the final Nail in the coffin for Thai Tourism. Sad to say.  

Golden goose - check

 

Coffin - check

 

Eggs - check

 

TM30 - check

 

We're doing really well on this one. We just need brown envelopes and watches and Canasta!

 

 

[Melbun]

6 hours ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

This is pretty bad, even for hotels and holiday rental operators who don't cater exclusively to China.  For just about everyone in Chiang Mai for example, Chinese are about one third of everything.

 

Plus, other people from other Asian countries are also canceling, from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, etc. 

 

So now you're down to about 50% .. and everyone is competing for that 50%, driving prices way down, so you end up with revenue that's perhaps 25% of normal.  

Can we expect statements from the girls now such as " I love you long time for 500 baht" hmmmmm - if so might be worth going and taking the risk eh guys ??

[bkkcanuck8]

6 hours ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

This is pretty bad, even for hotels and holiday rental operators who don't cater exclusively to China.  For just about everyone in Chiang Mai for example, Chinese are about one third of everything.

 

Plus, other people from other Asian countries are also canceling, from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, etc. 

 

So now you're down to about 50% .. and everyone is competing for that 50%, driving prices way down, so you end up with revenue that's perhaps 25% of normal.  

I would not recommend anyone fly if they don't have to in the middle of a pandemic... and expect air travel (which brings most tourists) to absolutely crater worldwide.  Even with it's relatively low official mortality rates - it is not something to be trifled with.  This will last for longer than just the first quarter, I would not expect the situation to break until the middle of the summer at the earliest (more likely later in the year)... so there will be little if any good news on tourism for the rest of the year.

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, BobbyL said:

As I posted in a similar thread a day or so ago - 

 

Thailand was a haven for western tourists in the 90s and early 00s. Every Tom, Dick and Harry wanted to come here for something different - backpackers, couples, sex pests, retirees, beach goers, adventure seekers etc. Nowadays, relying on one or two (e.g - Chinese) tourist markets was never ever going to end well. 

 

What the TAT and the boys in charge failed to realise was to keep this tourist momentum up you need to improve, be innovative and develop the industry so it continues to grow. What I believe Thailand did in their partly ingrained arrogance, is basically nothing. They believed their own hype and thought we will always be able to attract tourists no matter what. 

 

The Chinese are all in Vietnam aren't they? That's been the mantra on here for the last six months. Even when they're here they don't spend money, I've been reading. So there's not going to be much impact is there if all you experts are correct, and they money they did spend went to Chinese businesses.

 

So the Thailand Tourist Industry remains unharmed, yes?

[P100]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I disagree. Problems have been mounting for some time, with many staying away from Thailand for a number of reasons, mostly of a home grown nature. Strength of the Baht, greed, fraud, danger etc. And as most of the eggs had been put into one basket, the super storm for tourism has now arrived.

Entirely agree. The coronavirus was just a last blow. It started a couple of years ago with western tourist staying away due to unhappy experiences in this country. Instead of caring for reasons and fixing them, working on severe hospitality issues showing appreciation for those who were treated like dogs, Thais preferred to not change a thing but turn insred to "Chainess" and Indians. 

And then, when Corona appeared, it was clear to every intelligent person what damage it will cause to Thai economy.

 

There was a window of time when Thai officials could take aggressive proactive measures to keep the virus out and build a safe heaven for tourists who would be scared to travel elsewhere.

 

They again chose to do not a thing, just increase prices and deny problems.

 

AND FINALLY THAIS GOT WHAT THEY DESERVED.

 

To be honest, I am pleased to see tourism vanishing in a country where everybody took it for granted and dared to mistreat the very tourists they need to run their economy.

 

Thais will learn to value and appreciate those who they were looking down upon for many years when their pockets were full.

 

The message however did still not arrive in full. Just look how they make life difficult for long stayers...

I don't actually want them to stop creating new obstacles. That is not enough any more. Start simplifying the life of foreigners in Thailand or you end up losing even the "permanent residents" wo actually are milked longs stay tourists on ridiculous 1year visas and re-entry permits.

 

Sad, that incredible amount of incompetence in the Thai military government.

Edited February 6, 2020 by P100

[Thingamabob]

Thailand has become far to dependent on China in so many ways. Huge mistake, in spite of all the warnings.

[yogi100]

20 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Ah, the scowls and frowns.....yeah...why can't they put a coat hanger in their mouths and those questions! 'Why have you been here eight months out of the last nine on a tourist visa?' How dare they!!

Seems quite common when anybody on here is talking about the Thais.......

"Why have you been here eight months out of the last nine on a tourist visa?"

 

You have never been asked that question at the airport, neither have I nor has anyone else reading this topic so why imply that anyone has?

 

Neither do you know anyone who's spent eight months out of the last nine in the LOS on a tourist visa. It would not be permitted so let's keep things real shall we. Adding nonsensical posts to a topic serves no purpose at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by yogi100

[bkkcanuck8]

Just now, P100 said:

And then when Corona appeared, it was clear to every intelligent person what damage it will cause to Thai economy. There was a window of time when Thai officials could take aggressive proactive measures to keep the virus out and build a safe heaven for tourists who would be scared to travel elsewhere. They again chose to do not a thing, just deny problems.

There is no way to prevent the spread of the virus to Thailand only delay it for a matter of weeks or maybe a month.  Where you have tourists, you have people flying there in big petri dishes in the sky - the only way to delay longer is to absolutely close the border (which only closes the official path in) which would not only kill tourism (which would happen in any case) but also all trade... and would be even more damaging to the economy than the tourism hit.  There will be no safe haven for tourists...

[ukrules]

59 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Lot of schadenfreude in the comments. If you feel this way, why are you still here?

I want to watch the demise

[SupermarineS6B]

Quick, get the farangs back.........We're sorry !  Ooooh, get some.......

[bkkcanuck8]

6 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I want to watch the demise

A new marketing theme -- epicaricacy tourism... up close and personal.

Edited February 6, 2020 by bkkcanuck8

[BRUFC]

9 minutes ago, SteveK said:

No no no. Because of the concept of "saving face" which seems to control almost everything in Thailand, they won't make an about turn on previous decisions because they will lose face or be made to look stupid. Hence they won't welcome back the farangs, they will find another excuse, another thing to pin their hopes on, anything but admit that they were wrong. Even if that means damaging the country's economy further. Then they'll pat themselves on the back and say what a good job they did handling this crisis.

 

Saving face is holding the country back and has a lot to answer for. If they immediately scrapped TM30, 90-day reporting, and allowed as many tourist visits as you want per year, then that would have a quick impact and be a good first step to recovering from this crisis. Will that happen? Not in a million years. Thai logic is incomprehensible.

 

Admitting when you were wrong isn't just the decent thing to do, it allows you to make changes and progress and improve the country. But they's rather cut off their nose to spite their face than ever do so.

'Admitting when you were wrong isn't just the decent thing to do, it allows you to make changes and progress and improve the country. But they's rather cut off their nose to spite their face than ever do so.'

A selective paragraph, sorry SteveK. They are not alone in this attitude, sadly. My English ex. was just the same...it only took me 30 years to escape. However, I've found in my short time here to roll with the punches, as it were. I'm in a Central Province so I live with the locals, interact with officialdom only as absolutely necessary, enjoy being the only farang in the village and just make sure my paperwork is spot on for whatever official interaction I need to make. The I.O's are always polite and quick and I can't say a bad word about them...(so far? maybe, 5555).

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, Cake Monster said:

Many Tourists are actually put off from a Holiday Destination when they hear its full of Chinese people.

You got a source for that?

[emptypockets]

6 hours ago, ChipButty said:

As a long term Farang we used to take lots of trips either fly or drive somewhere for a few days spend quiet a bit of money, hotels, gasoline, food and drink over 3 or 4 days but we have stopped not been anywhere for a long time, how many people like me have done the same? 

Not me. I have money.

[maddox41]

And yep the <deleted> has finally  hit the fan... 

Thats what happens when they the Thais   rely and believe in a country that doesn't  really spend as much money as the TAT  say it does??  

And now we Farangs have woken up to the fact we are not really that welcome no more. I still laugh that they all think we are  millionaire's  thou? .. Farangs will move on to greener pastures a new.. 

I baled after 12 yrs in Thailand ???????? enough was enough I will take my retirement salary   to another place and laz my days away on another beach somewhere else in the world. 

RIP Thailand should of looked after the farang in the first place not the tight <deleted> chinese and Indians tourists.  

 

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by maddox41

[gonesouth]

6 hours ago, ChipButty said:

As a long term Farang we used to take lots of trips either fly or drive somewhere for a few days spend quiet a bit of money, hotels, gasoline, food and drink over 3 or 4 days but we have stopped not been anywhere for a long time, how many people like me have done the same? 

i am one... less money now so less spending..after dead 800000 in the bank left me way down..baht to usd so now i am leaving next week after four years.. fell sad because i had always planed to live out my life here but what is the point...farang but a lot of money in this place but we are looked at as nothing now so better find place that i can at least have my money back and welcomed....such is life ... such is life in thailand now..

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

Lot of schadenfreude in the comments. If you feel this way, why are you still here?

Most of them aren't.

[URMySunshine]

What are the odds that if this goes pear-shaped in the near future that the Thai elite sods off to somewhere safe like Germany for instance to sit this out for the duration ?

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

Lot of schadenfreude in the comments. If you feel this way, why are you still here?

Because there's no better freude than schadenfreude. Best served fresh and cold.

[Mark mark]

Just another of the Horrors of Mass Tourism ! ....

 

....  and of becoming just, way, WAY too dependent on it.

[emptypockets]

2 hours ago, yogi100 said:

The scowls and frowns and sometimes the interrogations us falangs receive on arrival at BKK Airport tell us all we need to know.

 

Just like a picture a scowl or a frown and sometimes a gesture can be worth a thousand words.

Never had one, not one, in over 7 years of very regular travel (talking an average of just over monthly in outs) to Thailand. Just a proffessional approach. No talking, no smiling, just getting processed, certainly no scowling.

[Traubert]

36 minutes ago, yogi100 said:

"Why have you been here eight months out of the last nine on a tourist visa?"

 

You have never been asked that question at the airport, neither have I nor has anyone else reading this topic so why imply that anyone has?

 

Neither do you know anyone who's spent eight months out of the last nine in the LOS on a tourist visa. It would not be permitted so let's keep things real shall we. Adding nonsensical posts to a topic serves no purpose at all.

 

No I haven't. I've never been inclined to invite the question. Plenty of evidence in the archives here to back it up though. Check out Fridays and Saturdays. They're favourite.

 

When reality takes her bow and introduces herself on these sacred pages I shall join in with gusto. When nonsensical posts stop appearing on this hallowed turf I shall be enthusiastically cheerleading in my best and most glittery tutu. You're not making a good case for either with 'it would not be permitted...'

 

In the meantime........

[Caldera]

They've simply put too many eggs in one basket, causing them to lose their once famous teflon shield in the process.

 

Sooner or later that strategy was doomed to fail, not as quickly and spectacularly as with this unexpected virus outbreak, but doomed nevertheless.

[emptypockets]

2 hours ago, smudger1951 said:

I would normally be spending the UK winter months in Thailand. But the stricter criteria and internet application process has killed O visa & off farangs in large numbers. Registering your address and movements are a fine laden nightmare. LOS has shot itself in the foot. Any regrets ? ?

I guess it's not all bad then.

[CraigInBangkok]

 

33 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Many Tourists are actually put off from a Holiday Destination when they hear its full of Chinese people.

33 minutes ago, Traubert said:

You got a source for that?

Not a tourist but I can say that is true for my friends and I

 

Edit Cake Monster wrote the top quote

Edited February 6, 2020 by CraigInBangkok

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, moe666 said:

The unfortunate thing about this will be many hard working Thais who are paid 10,000b a month will be out of jobs to support their families. This is really a very bad situation for these people, hope the government will help them out

they only have their government to blame for it, nobody else, just Prayut and his gang

[Whip]

Funny- where I live (Trang city area), the resorts are booming with farangs- no Chinese needed or indeed wanted

[8OA8]

12 minutes ago, CraigInBangkok said:

 

Not a tourist but I can say that is true for my friends and I

 

Edit Cake Monster wrote the top quote

Ditto for myself and my friends