Thailand again signals move away from mass-market foreign tourism with falling numbers

[Moonfire]

Easy for the people who are not impacted by lots of tourist to make up some BS like this. Guessing they are hedging their job performance: If a lot of tourist come, they say look what we did. If only a few come, it is because we are aiming for the higher quality tourist. Either way they are lost and confused as always!!!!  

[crazykopite]

26 minutes ago, fredscats said:

No better place for the "frail older guys", no ambition of visit to go go bars tho,  weather for one is the winner  

 

Seen the prices for Thai massages in western world?,prices for high end saunas? 60 quid for 2 hours  Neighbours may complain  music is too loud tho,deaf aid missing?. 1 to 2 hour massage every day,happy endings,gardeners,cleaners,big house,dirt cheap

 

Thailand more than definate had its day,fewer crowds,but user friendly, makes my day

  Spain would be my ultimate destination,not UK its a dump,but Spain has a definate winter,but that coastline and the Med  beats all

I suppose I’m an old timer I will be 71 in 2 months , live on my own in a villa that is to big for me but I employ a cleaning lady and gardeners to take care of the jobs that take up a lot of my energy . I have the same masseur once per week who does a home visit I don’t smoke or do drugs and am an occasional drinker . I support the local Thai businesses as much as I can I only go to the big stores    when I can’t get it elsewhere . I’m financially sound with no debts I would of thought that I’m the type of Foreigner that would be made welcome in the country but since moving here 16 years ago as each year goes by I get the feeling that is no longer the case . At least those who come and do chores for me appreciate my generosity!

[thailand49]

I wouldn't worry too much!  These guys are just blowing smoke the reason the air is always bad in Bangkok. They can't even get vaccines how will they get high quality tourist. ????

[vandeventer]

3 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Guys if you had a business that was a ROARING success for the last 50 years solid......What would you want to change about your business?

 

My guess is about 99.9% of you would want to change absolutely nothing...

 

So why this fanatical focus on changing tourism?

 

Really why? 

 

It seems since 2014 the goal has been to kill success stories,where ever they are found in Thailand...

 

 

 

Stupid is as stupid does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tldGgGFe194

 

[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

a new advertising campaign this week using  is to be launched at the world’s top tourism trade fair

social media influencers ... Sure ... That is what is needed now . Together with the crystal ball from the TAT .

 

3 hours ago, redwood1 said:

So why this fanatical focus on changing tourism?

 

Really why? 

Because they realized that tourists won't come in numbers same before anymore .

Now , they say ' we did not want them anyway , we only want quality tourists now ' !

It is a bit like a shop owner who does not sell good and consequently rises the prices to the double amount ... desperate measures and

childish behavior ...

 

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

If the Government has a bit of brains

If they had some good brains , they would not try to kill all the fun that Thailand once was ...

With one shot , they shot themselves in the foot and killed the ' golden goose ' as well ... Bravo , but that was to be expected by a military government who wants a clean image for Thailand .

But Thailand is no ' clean ' country . If they want to be like the Cote d'Azur , They should try to look alike and behave themselves ...

Thailand could be fun again ... allow casinos , prostitution , legalize cannabis , just be open minded ... but no , they want to play the stupid game of being an important , serious , mighty , wealthy , "powerful ' country in the Asean , a leader ...

People come here for a holiday , they want to have fun .

Realize that and open up ...

 

 

[Paul Henry]

All about keeping face.! cannot accept being wrong!

[Destiny1990]

So we no-longer will see these Chinese group tourists fighting over some shrimps at the buffet restaurants?

[Pravda]

This country is toast. The problem is they built the infrastructure to support 50 million tourists. Say half of them are backpackers then even them like the western comforts and will at least visit air-conditioning malls and eat at food courts.... occasionally buying cheap trinkets to bring back home.

 

How long can groups like Central, the mall keep them open with non existent Thai customers? The majority of these malls are surviving on leases that they established with many shops. Most shops are closing.

 

Condos are another story.

[drenddy]

Fine with me, but Thailand is not a ''highclass'' tourist destination, like Hawai, The Maldives or Bora Bora.

It is an afordable destination for people with middle incomes.

 

First, they need to talk proper english, people in the industry.

Clear Bangkok of all rats.

Establish hawker centers, like in Singapore.

[charmonman]

Crypto currencies and metaverse durian plantations? Have they legalized LSD?

[morrobay]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

When you get a group of overly self entitled goons, who know nothing about anything, running the country, the only reasonable outcome is failure, sabotage and destruction. 

And don't overlook the street level environment here. The dogs, reckless lowlife local males on motorbikes, the never ending sidewalks construction mess. Take a look at Pattaya klang sidewalk photos ,the most ridiculous thing I've seen around here. Even if the government changes for the better , this street level sh*tshow will go on forever. When the higher end visitors walk out of their  4 -5 star hotels there is no relaxing walking along a water front for shopping and restaurants. Instead they have to put up with the above . If the local governments could correct/clean up this sorry street level mess and counting - the tourists numbers would take care of themselves. Not going to happen.

 

[rct99q]

11 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I suppose I’m an old timer I will be 71 in 2 months , live on my own in a villa that is to big for me but I employ a cleaning lady and gardeners to take care of the jobs that take up a lot of my energy . I have the same masseur once per week who does a home visit I don’t smoke or do drugs and am an occasional drinker . I support the local Thai businesses as much as I can I only go to the big stores    when I can’t get it elsewhere . I’m financially sound with no debts I would of thought that I’m the type of Foreigner that would be made welcome in the country but since moving here 16 years ago as each year goes by I get the feeling that is no longer the case . At least those who come and do chores for me appreciate my generosity!

Maybe I am missing something? Reading your post I think the exact opposite. In the grand scheme of things you contribute very little to the economy.

Tourists spend money in bars, restaurants, soapy massages, tourist attractions, bar girls, golf courses, getting medical procedures done, car rentals, hotels, jet skis, festivals, and more.

 

How much do you pay these people? 300 baht a day perhaps? 5 or 6 people? Two or three days a week?

A 20 year old university student on a two week break probably spends the same, if not more, in a day than you do in a week. 

 

That's what Thailand needs.

A family of four on three week holiday hitting up Bangkok, Koh  Chang (beach spot), and Chiang mai will spend a small fortune. 

 

They are who Thailand needs.

 

The married father of three children, who comes to Thailand on  a buddies week long golfing  holiday. Spends money on golf, bar  girls, more bar girls, some more bar girls, a quick visit to the local medical clinic, drinks,  food, hotel, car rental. Will also spend a small fortune.

 

This is what Thailand wants.

 

Your contribution,  which I am sure is appreciated, is not what Thailand really wants to focus on.

 

I have lived here, off and on, for the past 15 years. I always fail to understand why people say they feel unwelcome. Try and get a tourist visa for your Thai wife to go on a holiday with their spouse and  child (Canadian & Thai citizen) and you may not complain about feeling unwelcome as much.

I personally have only ever had one bad experience with immigration in 15 years. Which was in part my own fault.

 

Now with the new 90 day reporting website thingy making it a breeze to do that, things  are getting easier.

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Guys if you had a business that was a ROARING success for the last 50 years solid......What would you want to change about your business?

 

My guess is about 99.9% of you would want to change absolutely nothing...

 

So why this fanatical focus on changing tourism?

 

Really why? 

 

It seems since 2014 the goal has been to kill success stories,where ever they are found in Thailand...

Why ask Why?

There is a saying about eggs and baskets and hopefully Thailand has learned a lesson.

Of course self interest will always be the focus for  many.

[Dialemco]

Thailand was losing tourists to Vietnam and Cambodia before the pandemic mainly because it had become too expensive so they may already have their wish and must accept the gravy train is finished.  No doubt Chinese tourist will return at some time but they mainly come in groups following the flag not helping most of the unregistered Thai's who are now unemployed.

[sandyf]

7 minutes ago, rct99q said:

That's what Thailand needs.

Your thinking is flawed. What any country really needs is a robust GDP and tourism is not a robust industry, as many countries around the globe have come to realise.

Thailand and other countries that have a certain dependence on tourism need to look to other sources of revenue to support the GDP.

[mtls2005]

Given that a quarter of the pre-COVID tourists came from China, and that figure was both increasing in total and percentage, and that that market is essentially still frozen, what options do they have but to try and land some whales?

 

Half expecting the Tourism hack to start off the next press conference with: “Call me Ishmael”. Hopefully most TAT officials fare better than Ahab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dinsdale]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Problem with aiming for high class tourists and the dismantling of the sex industry is that that is probably 6-8 million jobs out the window and no new industry to employ them on the horizon.

 

The aim for high class tourists and no more sex industry is a fine aim, but they should not even attempt anything like that until tourism is back to 32-40 million a year and they have something in place to support their goals and start the transferring the sex industry workers and soon to be 'poor' tourism support workers to better jobs 

I believe it's (or was) the second highest export eaner after rice for Issan.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

It is clear that the government is aiming to take advantage of the pandemic disaster to end Thailand’s reputation as a sex tourist haven, an ambition stated clearly by the country’s first female Minister of Tourism and Sports in 2014 after the military coup that year installed a junta government.

Really, Bangla road seems to be doing fine?

Or is that far enough away from BKK they can turn another blind eye.

[Hummin]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Problem with aiming for high class tourists and the dismantling of the sex industry is that that is probably 6-8 million jobs out the window and no new industry to employ them on the horizon.

 

The aim for high class tourists and no more sex industry is a fine aim, but they should not even attempt anything like that until tourism is back to 32-40 million a year and they have something in place to support their goals and start the transferring the sex industry workers and soon to be 'poor' tourism support workers to better jobs 

Or you look at it the other way. The low class tourism feeding the need for cheaper labour and immigrants coming to work in thailand. With higher class tourists, better pay and you will have thai workers doing to job, even it seems like a fiction, since we all know how difficult it is to find skilled thai workers who doesnt run away after their training. 

 

We will see in the future,

 

if you are asian, you have to prove income to get a tourist visa in most western countries.  

[bradiston]

Oh yeah, in a country where you can't buy land. Are you kidding?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Problem with aiming for high class tourists and the dismantling of the sex industry is that that is probably 6-8 million jobs out the window and no new industry to employ them on the horizon.

 

The aim for high class tourists and no more sex industry is a fine aim, but they should not even attempt anything like that until tourism is back to 32-40 million a year and they have something in place to support their goals and start the transferring the sex industry workers and soon to be 'poor' tourism support workers to better jobs 

Prayuts worry is that if the sex industry gets up and going again there will be no turning it around.

This is his opportunity to quell the likes of Pattaya etc.

Phuket, Samui, Krabi, Koh Tao are far enough away and isolated so they can be the haunts of the sex travelers and workers.

However mainland resorts are in for a change.

What would you rather have, Walking street of old or a rejuvenated Pattaya with bistros, cafes, restaurants, normal bars, where there will be plenty of employment, without the scantily clad girls and sex services shoved in your face.

[nobodysfriend]

25 minutes ago, rct99q said:

The married father of three children, who comes to Thailand on  a buddies week long golfing  holiday. Spends money on golf, bar  girls, more bar girls, some more bar girls,

Don't tell his wife ...

[morrobay]

6 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

I believe it's (or was) the second highest export eaner after rice.

And if not for all the foreigners setting up manufacturing for exports shop here , that would be about it here, girls and rice.

[IAMHERE]

4 hours ago, redwood1 said:

So why this fanatical focus on changing tourism?

 

Really why? 

I'm saying it is because people with power are tired of having Thailand's reputation as a playland for sexpats being thrown in their faces at cocktail time while visiting in the west.

[DUNROAMIN]

3 hours ago, Gold Star said:

TAT is like a headless chicken, flailing around and bleeding to death in different directions:

 

- Let's get rid of the Chinese (Zero dollar tours)

- Let's bring in Pokemon Go' to save us

- Let's bring back the Chinese

- Let's make visas unnecessarily difficult

- Let's bring in the Indians to save us

- Let's close our Island parks

- Let's bring in high dollar tourists

- Let's charge tourists 10x more in parks

- Let's shut down Pattaya and make it all a family resort

- Let's have New Years entertainment

- Let's shut down any entertainment

- Let's make it nearly impossible to buy alcohol

- Let's create a tough list of restrictions and conditions for entry, insurance, and testing, make people pay for it all in advance, then change it every week

 

Enough!  Just quit squirming around with all the useless hype, remove the hurdles, and truly open the country.

 

Tourists will come, but it has to be easy. 

As long as Thais run the TAT your list will only grow longer. They never learn.

[JesseHumphry]

Oh trust me, we know. Anyone who has seen the new PayPal Thailand rules regarding personal accounts will understand you don't want foreigners here. 

[Andycoops]

We've heard the same story for years and as usual here, the status quo prevails and it's not just about tourism.

You don't replace millions of jobs and 20% of GDP overnight so the reality will be somewhat different to their expectations.

[Negita43]

Has anyone calculated how many x how much "high end tourists" need to spend to replace the revenue lost by the change?

[equalizer1970]

Ironically. Although they do not know it, all the solutions to what they are trying to achieve are all the policies they are outlawing. Moving forward they could allow the whole sex industry to go online and out of sight. By allowing Adult content interactions between the user and her or his client, they take the trade off the streets. A lot of girls in Pattaya since covid have been forced on-line and it is like riding a bike ''pardon the pun'' once you get competent at it , it becomes easy. These girls are making good money and dont have to work in a bar for 12 hours a day, or stand on a corner for hours on end.  Instead the authorities raid them, prosecute them and put them on TV as an example. 

[rct99q]

Like many countries around th world, Thailand, and others,  are feeling nervous. With ever changing rules, anti-vaxers, confrontations on airplanes, etc, they are just unsure what the future will be like.

 

However my prediction will be places like Thailand, Mexico, Jamaica, sun destinations  that rely on that lower/middle class tourist on their two week holidays will roar back late next year.

 

I look at advertising , and brochures, from tour operators, airlines etc, to see what is happening. Most of these companies have to plan trips 6 to 12 months in advance. Seeing plenty of promotions for the 18-30 yr old travel group. Admittedly these are just ones out of Canada, but places like Southeast  Asia are prominently advertised.

 

Also the new rail link from southern China to Vientiane could prove to be a huge boost to this region's tourism sector. Projections are that there could be up to three passenger trains and one, possibly two cargo  trains, per day. A recent  news article  showed there  Will be upwards of a million Chinese visitors using the rail service (up to the Laos border) for the Chinese new year in February. 

 

Just shows...........

 

People are people and they want to travel. They are begging governments to open up. How? 

 

Get people vaccinated. Follow some simple hygiene related rules. Simple. 

 

Nobody. Absolutely nobody, has the right to Travel! One can not demand  to be let on an airplane, train etc.

 

Thailand, and others, have  an obligation,  Like it or not, to protect  its citizens to the best of its ability. We may not all agree on how, but nobody should think governments are wanting their citizens  to get  sick, and or, possibly die.