Thailand to miss out on 600k foreign arrivals target for Nov/Dec

[webfact]

Reuters file photo for reference only

 

A day after declaring that the Omicron variant would have no effect on foreign tourist arrivals into Thailand the TAT chief has done an abrupt U-turn.

 

He now says that fears over the new variant WILL have an affect and Thailand will not get the 600,000 arrivals from abroad he was expecting in November and December. 

 

Yutthasak Suphasorn still said that November arrivals were 130,000 and December would be "at least 300,000", as reported by Thai business media.

 

But he was not blaming Thailand for this. 

 

He said that the main market for international travel was Europe - especially the UK, Germany and France - and many countries there were experiencing Covid-19 surges.

 

People were not put off going to Thailand not because of the situation in the kingdom but because of fear of lockdowns in their own countries and not being able to return after their holidays.

 

There was also the emergence of the Omicron variant. Though its precise nature is as yet uncertain it was causing consternation among people and affecting international travel, he noted.

 

Why Omicron and surges in Covid-19 cases in Europe were not affecting Thailand at the weekend but were on Monday was not explained by the media, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

These factors have been known for well over a week but seem to have been missed on the Tourism Authority of Thailand chief, well known for plucking figures from the ether.

 

Still he said that Thailand now had the RT-PCR test back in place that would prove a more effective shield against the virus.

 

He reiterated that Thailand was open and safe. 

 

His comments appeared to have come prior to Thailand announcing an Omicron case from a USA traveller from Spain.

 

Back in pre pandemic days Thailand expected monthly arrivals of 3 million foreign tourists and in 2019 had around 40 million foreign tourists.

 

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[Bkk Brian]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

abrupt U-turn.

^^^Thailand the hub of^^^

[Willy Wombat]

In a normal functioning business or country, Supashorn would already be unemployed 

[Gottfrid]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

A day after declaring that the Omicron variant would have no effect on foreign tourist arrivals into Thailand the TAT chief has done an abrupt U-turn.

Who would have thought that, except everybody?

[JoePai]

And my taxes pay these morons  ????

[Blumpie]

Ha ha ha, they are so inept.  

 

[ThailandRyan]

Ah life inside a bubble.

[fangless]

A headline I never thought I would ever see!

 

Ps;  I never tell lies!!

[Scott]

Oversized emoticon reported and removed.  

 

[kelboy]

Can't believe they aren't coming.....

[FritsSikkink]

Of course nothing to do with the fact that bars and entertainment are closed.

[ezzra]

Make it MORE difficult and cumbersome to come to Thailand and they will come in their millions...

[LivingNThailand]

2 hours ago, Willy Wombat said:

 

In a normal functioning business or country, Supashorn would already be unemployed 

 

Yeah, but he keeps us entertained.  Let’s keep him. 

[fangless]

5 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

he keeps us entertained

He is the only entertainment allowed in most regions!

[redwood1]

The BS tourist number announcement just never stop, day after day after day year after year...........

[Laughing Gravy]

The saddest thing about this is that those responsible will not be held accountable for their continuous blatant lies.

 

When you continually tell the people false hopes and misinformation then headlines like these are just normal. Some people say its Thai bashing. it is not. It is wanting better than the trash they have, who really don't care about the masses and their own little trouts in the trough.

[Misterwhisper]

Every idiot saw it coming that Thailand could NOT possibly reach those lofty arrival numbers -- with or without Omicron.

 

Well, EVERY idiot, except ONE.

[RichardColeman]

Those November figures include an awful amount of returning Thais and expats, even if that is just 50%, that would put genuine tourists at 65,000 ish, To assume with the addition of Omicron, the cancellation of the move to lesser tests and europe and others imposing pre-flight return tests and pcr's on arrival back home, that they are about to increase tourism 5 fold is just plain insane bravodo. I think it has actually got to the point of an inside joke competition of who can get away with the wildest claim

[smedly]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He now says that fears over the new variant WILL have an affect and Thailand will not get the 600,000 arrivals from abroad he was expecting in November and December. 

nothing to do with omicron - they were never coming, 130k in Nov speaks for itself and likely most of those were not tourists, trying to save face only works if people believe 

[TheScience]

Unless returning to a legal family along with O visa - coming to Thailand is a fool's errand.

 

Sit next to someone testing positive although you are negative? ?

 

Do not have holiday, do not pass Go. Go straight to hospital jail (400k insurance will not cover).

 

Some kinda stupid there...

[TheScience]

Lots of sex addicts on the BTS now. Funny, they come all that way and risk much for nothing.

 

Often have a dusky, plump, unattractive Thai woman in tow.

 

All get off at Nana or lower Sukhumvit.

 

Flip flops, beach clothes in a big city. Spot them yards away.

 

GBH

[Daithi85]

2 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Ha ha ha, they are so inept.  

 

Hahaha?? Are u 6 years old? 

[transam]

Folk have got to be daft booking a holiday to a country that doesn't know what it's doing from one minute to the next...????

[ThailandRyan]

8 minutes ago, transam said:

Folk have got to be daft booking a holiday to a country that doesn't know what it's doing from one minute to the next...????

Is Daft a state of mind, or is it insanity that keeps people doing the same thing over and over again expecting things to change?

[86Tiger]

1 hour ago, TheScience said:

Unless returning to a legal family along with O visa - coming to Thailand is a fool's errand.

 

Sit next to someone testing positive although you are negative? ?

 

Do not have holiday, do not pass Go. Go straight to hospital jail (400k insurance will not cover).

 

Some kinda stupid there...

My wife asks "when you come Thailand.

 

I say when Thailand finish crazy.

 

She says "Thailand never finish Ba"

[peter zwart]

I love this guy. Steady as a rock.

[Don Chance]

Hardly any tourists in Banglampu.   Lot of sad faces. Like it is my fault.

Beware of scams too. Lot of people buy  like cheap oranges for 30 baht a kg and then set up and try sell them for 70 baht etc. Avoid small unknown sellers these days.

[GrandPapillon]

maybe some good news from Europe, it seems that cases over in Europe are reaching a plateau and might start decreasing next week ????

 

still too late to go to Thailand ????

 

 

[trainman34014]

And of course; as per usual, none of it is 'Thailands fault', it's all those Dirty Farang countries with Covid upturns.

 

Now watch the December numbers fall flat well below his 'At least 300,000' spouted garbage !

[Gsxrnz]

1 hour ago, TheScience said:

Lots of sex addicts on the BTS now. Funny, they come all that way and risk much for nothing.

 

Often have a dusky, plump, unattractive Thai woman in tow.

 

All get off at Nana or lower Sukhumvit.

 

Flip flops, beach clothes in a big city. Spot them yards away.

 

GBH

Short sighted?