Thai tourist arrivals tumble 71% year-on-year in January-July amid outbreak

[ExpatOilWorker]

34 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

A person working one hour a week for there parent's farm is considered employed so I doubt that non-O Visa returnees are excluded from TAT figures. In fact I have never seen the methodology of the counting of tourist arrivals. Even now they are using a seven month period to avoid stating that arrivals for July are 99% down.

You can safely add another .9 to the drop in the June/July tourist arrivals:

 

With borders still closed is it kind of nonsense talking about tourist arrivals, but the latest numbers are:

 

June 2020: 405

July 2020: 1,112

 

So we nearly need 2,000 months like June/July before the end of the year to reach TAT's goal of 1,500,000 tourist.

 

More interesting is the uptick in Non-() arrivals. All the people sitting in ASQ are starting to show up in the statistics.

April: 38

May: 73

June: 558

July: 2,256

 

The 31 Egyptian soldiers that arrived TWICE, have all been classified as air crew, which prove this, by far largest group of arrivals, is a very risky group as far as containing the virus.

Foreign air crew arrivals:

April: 31,496

May: 35,275

June: 35,309

July: 37,131

 

Overall Thailand have lost 1,154,211 foreigners and gained 265,062 Thais since January 1st this year, reducing the population by 889,149 people.

[alyx]

12 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Only column "I" and "AD" are counted as tourists by TAT.

Using numbers from a relative normal months, January  2020, these two groups represent 89.3% of all foreign arrivals.

Elite holders were less than 0.01%.

Noted with thanks

[black tabby]

6 hours ago, david_dyer said:

Concidering lack of flights and border closures, who are the remaining 30% of tourists.

Do they concider flights transiting swampy as tourists even though they never leave the airport?

 

 

Beginning of the statistic period dates  back to January.

At that time, Thailand still did not implement any entry restrictions, incoming flights ban, or border closure.

Therefore tourists arrivals were as usual.

Even though the Coronavirus pandemic in China was already making headlines worldwide.

Not until fateful March 22; mandatory Coronavirus-free certificate for all Thai-bound flight check-ins came into effect. As well as travel insurance with medical  coverage of $100000- against C/virus illness.

 

So that in this case alone, press release figure seems accurate enough.

Unlike most of Thai govt's earlier statements on border re-opening & estimates of tourism revenue loss figures.

Looks like this is the first time they said something technically correct in the C/virus related inbound tourism issues.

 

Edited August 25, 2020 by black tabby

[Fex Bluse]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Pipat needs to be replaced within the next 24 hours. If the toxic army cared one iota about the Thai people, they would be searching for a competent and creative mind to lead the tourism ministry, rather than this mental midget. 

 

ALL people from ALL nations should be allowed to come, as long as they are willing to subject themselves to quarantine. Period. No other requirements or restrictions. No heinous, punitive, or humiliating requests for permission from the overseas consulates. Who are we? Kids begging for play time? Or tourists willing to spend a bundle to help save Thailand's economy? 

 

This is the time for the arrogant ministers and members of this toxic administration to be humble. Is this possible? Is this not a reality check and a wake up call? Are these guys capable of learning and adapting? 

I agree with you. However, this is a challenge I don't think they can solve through their own effort. 

 

Even with perfect policy, tourists are not likely coming in the short to mid term for all the other reasons mentioned on this and other threads. 

 

What the Thais should probably be doing are things like 

 

1. Planning new industries to move away from such a heavy reliance on unsustainable foreign tourism 

 

2. Training the Thai population for the new industries 

 

3. Taking strategic stock of their tourism industry and doing things like

 

a) simplifying policy 

 

b) improving core infrastructure like the airports and roads and beaches 

 

But, all these things are difficult and Thais don't like difficult things. Difficult things are not 'sanuk'. Not fun. 

 

They will be crawl along as they have been for decades, making negligible progress. That's the national character. 

 

[connda]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai tourist arrivals tumble 71% year-on-year in January-July amid outbreak

Thai tourist arrivals tumble 100% year-on-year in from March 26th through July amid outbreak.

It's a bit like a self-inflicted bullet wound.  The first one to the chest wasn't fatal, but they'll continue to shoot themselves in the feet, possibly until they bleed out, but most likely until they are crippled.

[Kadilo]

4 hours ago, cracker1 said:

Kadilo, you ask "What tourists do they actually think will put up with this?"

The answer is Long stay tourists like me, who have been locked out of Thailand for many months, and who have lived there for many years.

Like I said there will be a few desperate long termers gagging to return but nothing like the numbers they are quoting. 
 

Sit tight, the shackles are loosening. All of this nonsense will be gone by New Year once their financial situation becomes even more profound and you will be able to go where you want without the ridiculous conditions to squeeze some more money out of you imo. 
 

Obviously those that are happy to throw money to stay in Thaicratraz for a few weeks good luck to you. 

[smudger1951]

Sorry, but the gov't killed the golden goose on 23rd March when they locked down and closed the country to the outside world. What sort of statistics do they expect ? Hair-brained schemes to allow people back in should consider they need to allow airlines to start flying again.

[NoComment]

Rich Chinese on the way. They can stay long term, buy up bars and restaurants, enjoy life and look forward to the future.

As for the Thais!!!??

[mike787]

ah yeah of course....dah!

[black tabby]

29 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

You can safely add another .9 to the drop in the June/July tourist arrivals:

 

With borders still closed is it kind of nonsense talking about tourist arrivals, but the latest numbers are:

 

June 2020: 405

July 2020: 1,112

 

So we nearly need 2,000 months like June/July before the end of the year to reach TAT's goal of 1,500,000 tourist.

 

More interesting is the uptick in Non-() arrivals. All the people sitting in ASQ are starting to show up in the statistics.

April: 38

May: 73

June: 558

July: 2,256

 

The 31 Egyptian soldiers that arrived TWICE, have all been classified as air crew, which prove this, by far largest group of arrivals, is a very risky group as far as containing the virus.

Foreign air crew arrivals:

April: 31,496

May: 35,275

June: 35,309

July: 37,131

 

Overall Thailand have lost 1,154,211 foreigners and gained 265,062 Thais since January 1st this year, reducing the population by 889,149 people.

 

With borders still closed is it kind of nonsense talking about tourist arrivals, but the latest numbers are:

 

June 2020: 405

July 2020: 1,112

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Thai govt might have counted  exceptional case entrants(diplomats, foreigners  with special skills & work permits  on approved chartered flights as "tourists".  

Unless it is a complete hoax.

[Raphus]

Somebody has just bought a calculator ????????

[Flying Saucage]

9 hours ago, lkv said:

On a different note, Crete in September has rates starting at USD 25 p/n, and some 4-5 star accomodations in the range of USD 70-100 p/n that look amazing.

 

They want ONE prior covid test done in my home country (here the cost is EUR 60). Plus flight EUR 80-100 return.

 

Tough choice.

And some weeks ago, the Turkish foreign minister flew to Germany, begging the German foreign minister to remove the travel warning for Turkey, to allow German tourists travelling to Turkey. Yes, he was begging for this!

 

Now compare Turkey with Thailand. It's amazing how similar both countries are regarding size, economic development, dependence on foreign investment, political and human rights issues. But regarding opening the borders, they could not be more different.

[black tabby]

39 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

1. Planning new industries to move away from such a heavy reliance on unsustainable foreign tourism 

 

2. Training the Thai population for the new industries 

 

3. Taking strategic stock of their tourism industry and doing things like

 

a) simplifying policy 

 

b) improving core infrastructure like the airports and roads and beaches 

 

But, all these things are difficult and Thais don't like difficult things. Difficult things are not 'sanuk'. Not fun. 

 

They will be crawl along as they have been for decades, making negligible progress. That's the national character. 

 

 

Yes, quite.

If the ruling class of the kingdom could have done all these(your quoted social tasks) by now, Thailand must have been among the 1st world.

Too far too tall order to the lazy greedy  incompetent  modern day aristocrats in the government office.

They have been sitting so comfortably in their permanent  status often inherited for generations.

Being counterproductive is their greatest self-serving capital.

They must be utterly convinced; why we have to change the system that works to maximize our easy lucrative gain?

Edited August 25, 2020 by black tabby

[lensta]

And this is news???  For months all we have been getting is some government official looking for his 15 minutes of fame sprouting off some cr ap about covid or hearing about how the tourist industry is suffering. It was suffering last month, it is suffering this month and it will be suffering for months to come. Thats what happens when you close a countries borders, no international tourists. Not rocket science so give it a rest and report on when there is an improvement in the situation.

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Why would they need a Tourist Minister? 

To contest fake news about tourist numbers. His office is the only official source of statistics. All will be well from next month on as the oriental strewers of cash flood back into the Kingdom (....sounds of a trumpet fanfare.....)

[Aussie Col]

This is just the thin end of the wedge. Things are going to get a lot worse yet for the average Thai

[garyk]

Where are the 30% coming from?

[mickymouse1]

These figures tell me that  Thailand has received over 4m tourists during that period.I am absolutely certain these figures are incorrect if I calculated mine correctly.

[ThailandRyan]

58 minutes ago, garyk said:

Where are the 30% coming from?

They already came, and yes there is a pun in there as well. January, February and a portion of March had tourist arrivals....so thats the only tourists that have arrived this year. Anyone that's arrived since the shut down of flights is not truly a tourist now are they.

[ThailandGuy]

The "anti Farang" attitude (politicians and citizens) does not help either.  "No Farang allowed" in restaurants because they could carry covid-19. Not even the farangs that have been there since the outbreak and are not infected at all are allowed in certain restaurants? How afraid can one be? As if Thai people do not carry or transmit covid-19? Double pricing system should better be abolished.

Starting from october one can get in but only with a minimum of 30 days and the first 14 days one has to go in a quarantine in a hotel. This really does not feal like being welcome in Thailand! I most certainly will not visit Thailand for 30 days if i have to stay in a hotel the first 14 days and can not go anywhere.

I guess they should maybe make changes to the way they look at and treat foreigners.

[eastendanto]

8 hours ago, david_dyer said:

Concidering lack of flights and border closures, who are the remaining 30% of tourists.

Do they concider flights transiting swampy as tourists even though they never leave the airport?

exactly who are these 30%, that are shoring up the tourist economy....... mickey, donald, daisy, goofy, minnie and lots and lots of minions

[sletraveler]

12 hours ago, Kadilo said:

It’s hard to feel any sympathy for their predicament when they continue with their hare-brained schemes convincing themselves that people who don’t want to go to Phuket are going to put up with being quarantined in a hotel for 2 weeks. 
 

Then have to stay another week just to squeeze a bit more out of you before you can move on. Add to that the 2 weeks when they get back, that’s five weeks wasted before you have your holiday. What tourists do they actually think will put up with this?
 

For sure, there will be a few desperate souls who will pay and put up with anything to see their Teerak once again and stay for a few months but 2 million? Even if they do extend it to other areas I can’t see those numbers. 
 

Get real. 

And the lucky souls that get a false positive from the unreliable PCR test.  Oh my a vacation to remember.

 

[Kadilo]

4 minutes ago, sletraveler said:

And the lucky souls that get a false positive from the unreliable PCR test.  Oh my a vacation to remember.

 

I’m sure they will throw a few of them in for good measure. 

[ThailandRyan]

7 minutes ago, sletraveler said:

And the lucky souls that get a false positive from the unreliable PCR test.  Oh my a vacation to remember.

 

Telephone call to the Company you work for after your test is positive here in Thailand.

 

Operator: How can I direct your call?

 

Employee on Vacation: Please connect me to the HR department manager

 

Operator: One moment

 

HR Department Manager: How can I be of service?

 

EOV: I need to ask for more vacation time because I can not return to work, as I have tested positive for Covid in Thailand and have been quarantined for another 14 days before I can come back and return to work.

 

HR DM:  That's just not possible as you have no more vacation allowable for the year, and we can not provide you with a salary advance to cover the extra days your unavailable for work.  Please send a doctors note or return on schedule.

 

EOV: Kind of in a bind and need some assistance

 

HR DM:  I hear the fake lies and stories all the time, return as scheduled or your fired.

 

EOV: Is there any remote work I can do while stuck here

 

HR DM: As the writer from Germany if he needs a hand, Click,

[barney42bb]

Thailand.... You Reap What You Sew.

[Dap]

Anyone know where the 29% are coming from?

[Dialemco]

It is unlikely any significant foreign tourist arrivals for a year or so more. Best use time to refurbish popular tourist areas of the country some of which are decaying fast  I have been coming to Thailand for many years but it has been apparent for last few years that costs have been increasing rapidly and when I have encouraged my friends to visit Thailand they have all said it is far to expensive and have gone to other countries especially Vietnam and reported when they have come back what a fabulous time they have had at a fraction of the cost of Thailand. It is a big mistake to think foreigners are welcome in Thailand they are not just see how difficult it was last year to even get 60 day tourist visa have to provide proof of accomodation reservations, bank accounts for previous 3 months etc and even after satisfying all these requirements when presenting at Immigration on arrival being treated so badly not a smile or welcome in site only demands for all these documents to be produced again and surprise and angry tantrums when you able to do so giving no reasonable reasons why entry should not be granted having your passport stamped and thrown back without a kind work after your finger prints and photo take. So come on best accept the tourist gravy train is finished.

[GinBoy2]

If you think about this from a supply/demand side, I struggle to see the demand rebounding long into 2021.

 

As all those furlough schemes in the West wind down, a lot of furloughed workers are already unemployed, they just don't know it yet.

 

This whole nightmare has devastated hospitality, airlines, car rentals, the list goes on.

 

As companies shutter, what goes through that unemployed restaurant workers mind?

 

'Oooh maybe I should jump through flaming hoops for a vacation in Thailand', or...

 

'How do I pay next months rent/mortgage and buy food?'

 

Try not to confuse the long term 'tourists' who are generally retired and live in Thailand, with the majority of tourists who come for a regular two week vacation 

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

12 hours ago, lkv said:

On a different note, Crete in September has rates starting at USD 25 p/n, and some 4-5 star accomodations in the range of USD 70-100 p/n that look amazing.

 

They want ONE prior covid test done in my home country (here the cost is EUR 60).

so why wont you go back to your country and leave thailand in peace?

i never got it.

some farang complain so much about thailand, yet stay in thailand even in pandemic times.

go, and never come back.

[RickBradford]

2 hours ago, garyk said:

Where are the 30% coming from?

January and February.