Is this the end of Thailand's Tourist Industry?

Robin · July 27, 2022

I am soon to be returning to Thailand with no visa, after letting my Retirement visa expire while in UK, an shocked as to how difficult/ uncertain it is to get a visa to enter Thailand.

When I first came o Thailand in the 1980's, it was a exotic destination with a reputation for being easy going an (relatively ) cheap. Basically, as I remember, anyone who shoed up at Don Muang or a land border was given 28 days entry, possible to extend once. If you wanted o stay longer, you got 1 or 2 entry 60 day at any embassy by filling in a 1 page from and paying £10. No nonsense about insurance, pre-booked accommodation, good behaviour declaration or anything else. This visa could be easily extended when in the country, or by 'visa run' to Laos, Cambodia, or Malaysia. Thousands or even millions of tourists/student/ back packers, came and had a great time, pending money...

At that time, there were not many rivals. Vietnam and Indo-china were hardly open, Indonesia only gave 30 day entry with a visa, and Thailand enjoyed becoming a prime destination.

Many of my friends in UK came to Thailand and enjoyed themselves.

Now, things have changed. Thailand does not want 'ordinary' tourists; only 'high quality tourists' spending $500++ per day, and staying for 14 days.

But in the meantime, Vietnam and Indonesia have opened up and become easier to visit, while Thailand appears to be closing. Thailand appears to think that everyone in the world wants or need o visit Thailand and will do or pay almost anything to do so, which might not be the case.

How many people are going o jump through the hoops set up by the current Junta, when there are plenty of other destinations much easier to get into?

Is there any reason to visit Thailand in preference o other SE Asia destinations?

Will anyone, apart from Thais care?

Does TAT have the ability and acumen to see what is happening and to try o reverse the trend?

Farang two dot zero · July 27, 2022

Fully agree with your analysis this selection by money may be valid for retirees but certainly not for tourists looking for cheap exoticism !

StayinThailand2much · July 27, 2022

That's why they love the Indian and Chinese tourists. As for the latter, they spend only a week or so in Thailand, stay at the hotel, eat at a few Chinese-owned restaurants, walk once up-and-down Walking Street behind the guy with the flag, next day to the 'island', then back to the airport... No need for longer visas.

On the flip-side, if one values customer service and hospitality, there are more and more alternatives, not only in SEA.

Edited July 27, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

Kwasaki · July 27, 2022

Our village at historical park has loads of people coming back, there more and more coming week after week and getting much busier now.

I can see August being busy.

stoner · July 27, 2022

why are you talking about the 1980's like its supposed to help in regards to today and thailand ? hahaha

KIngsofisaan · July 27, 2022

6 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Our village at historical park has loads of people coming back, there more and more coming week after week and getting much busier now.

I can see August being busy.

Busy as opposed to what?

It is back to pre-covid levels?

internationalism · July 27, 2022

it's better then in 80ties.

you got now 30 days (not 28).

no insurance, no hotel booking. Still need vax certificate.

You need exit ticket within 30 days. That always was the case.

There are talks about 45 days visa exempt

Edited July 27, 2022 by internationalism

Kwasaki · July 27, 2022

14 minutes ago, KIngsofisaan said:

Busy as opposed to what?

It is back to pre-covid levels?

Ghost town.

Getting back to pre pandemic I think that will take sometime but who knows.

The Hammer2021 · July 27, 2022

29 minutes ago, KIngsofisaan said:

Busy as opposed to what?

It is back to pre-covid levels?

Nowhere here is back to pre Covid levels thankfully- but wait until the high season November to February. But without the Chinese mass tourism things will always be quieter I guess.

The Hammer2021 · July 27, 2022

I don't really understand what the OP is suggesting. I thought You can still roll up here for a 30 day visa/ no visa for most nationalities. And you can still extend.

Is the OP suggesting this is not possible?

gearbox · July 27, 2022

Not sure what hoops the OP is talking about. Most tourists enter visa exempt only showing their passport, stay 1-3 weeks and go back. Can't be any easier.

ozimoron · July 27, 2022

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Our village at historical park has loads of people coming back, there more and more coming week after week and getting much busier now.

I can see August being busy.

I agree. I'd say Pattaya is close to 80% of businesses reopened. Certainly there aren't as many tourists as before unless you count Indians where there are more than ever before. Chinese tourists aren't rare either. I see more and more farang tourists around Pattaya in the past couple of months and I'd say that 99% of the retirees that normally live in Thailand are back. The bars are busy and Soi Buahkhao is busy, especially on weekends.

Edited July 27, 2022 by ozimoron

The Hammer2021 · July 27, 2022

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

I agree. I'd say Pattaya is close to 80% of businesses reopened. Certainly there aren't as many tourists as before unless you count Indians where there are more than ever before. Chinese tourists aren't rare either. I see more and more farang tourists around Pattaya in the past couple of months and I'd say that 99% of the retirees that normally live in Thailand are back. The bars are busy and Soi Buahkhao is busy, especially on weekends.

Yes ' parts of Pattaya is Buzzin but it's patchy. And of course the Indians count. They eat, drink, travel, stay in hotels and have their own clubs and restaurants- but they don't have our drinking culture or drink where we do.

Edited July 27, 2022 by The Hammer2021

Lorry · July 27, 2022

My experience is the same as OP.

Even 15 years ago, I had to spend just 5 minutes per year with Thai immigration bureaucracy - that was the time needed for the yearly visa, just one page to fill out.

Now I spend about 2 days per month with immigration formalities.

And I will soon have to learn the new online 90days procedure, it took a friend only a couple of weeks, I am really looking forward to it. (I know that people here say it's easy. That just shows how used to bureaucracy they are - he really spent 2 weeks).

And the feeling applying for a new visa or an extension is not nice -

it used to be a mere formality, now the possibility of rejection is very real.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Lorry

MrJ2U · July 27, 2022

3 hours ago, ozimoron said:

I agree. I'd say Pattaya is close to 80% of businesses reopened. Certainly there aren't as many tourists as before unless you count Indians where there are more than ever before. Chinese tourists aren't rare either. I see more and more farang tourists around Pattaya in the past couple of months and I'd say that 99% of the retirees that normally live in Thailand are back. The bars are busy and Soi Buahkhao is busy, especially on weekends.

How is Soi 7 and Soi 8?

During the height of COVID I was amazed at how it had almost completely folded except for a smattering of bars closer to beach road.

I felt like one of those urban explorers with everything closed up and dusty pool tables and overturned barstools.

Such an interesting time exploring Thailand when there virtually no tourists.

OneMoreFarang · July 27, 2022

5 hours ago, Robin said:

Now, things have changed. Thailand does not want 'ordinary' tourists; only 'high quality tourists' spending $500++ per day, and staying for 14 days.

What has changed?

I still see lots of tourist who spend maybe 100 or 200 USD per day.

It's like having a shop and aiming for customers who buy the thing with the highest profit. Yes, you can aim for that, but lots of other customers still come and buy other things. And nobody tells those other customers to go away.

It's still easy for tourists to come to Thailand and enjoy a holiday.

I am not up to date about the regulations but I guess it's more difficult now for people to stay here many months or all the time. I.e. people who retire here need to have 800,000B in the bank. That's 2192B per day or about 60 USD per day. Is that a problem if Thailand wants that people have at least 60 USD per day? I don't think so.

And it's obviously up to Thailand and the Thai people.

Think about all the restrictions which other countries have for foreigners who want to live there all year long. Many countries have much stricter regulations than Thailand. And it's every country's right to have any restrictions they want. There is no such thing as a right for every person to live wherever they want.

The Hammer2021 · July 27, 2022

48 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

How is Soi 7 and Soi 8?

During the height of COVID I was amazed at how it had almost completely folded except for a smattering of bars closer to beach road.

I felt like one of those urban explorers with everything closed up and dusty pool tables and overturned barstools.

Such an interesting time exploring Thailand when there virtually no tourists.

i think soi 8 very slow in coming back and soin7 not much better but the bars are open. However for years i have found soi 7 and 8 to be dull. There is a recent thread started about pattaya recovery since the end of covid restrictions

https://aseannow.com/topic/1266844-how-are-the-bars-restaurants-agogos-massage-shops-gentleman-clubs-and-any-business-doing-during-now-that-covid-restrictions-are-over/page/4/#comment-17506685

pomchop · July 27, 2022

seems to me with new online tourist visa that it is easier now than before when you had to go or deal with a thai embassy or consulate....fill out the form online, provide a bit of info, make sure u are vaxxed, pay the $ and you have a 60 day tourist visa...go to immigration pay 1900 baht and extend for 30 days....90 day stay will cover a LOT of tourists and snowbirds

push to shove leave after 90 days go to vietnam or laos get another 60 day visa and extend that for total of 180 days in thailand....worse case go to nam/laos/cambodia then reenter on 30 day exempt allowed to times per calendar year so do it once in late fall and again after first of next calendar year...

was it easier before? am i missing something?

Mac Mickmanus · July 27, 2022

19 minutes ago, pomchop said:

seems to me with new online tourist visa that it is easier now than before when you had to go or deal with a thai embassy or consulate....fill out the form online, provide a bit of info, make sure u are vaxxed, pay the $ and you have a 60 day tourist visa...go to immigration pay 1900 baht and extend for 30 days....90 day stay will cover a LOT of tourists and snowbirds

push to shove leave after 90 days go to vietnam or laos get another 60 day visa and extend that for total of 180 days in thailand....worse case go to nam/laos/cambodia then reenter on 30 day exempt allowed to times per calendar year so do it once in late fall and again after first of next calendar year...

was it easier before? am i missing something?

Get the photos to the right size so they upload .

Download a photo size changing app , work out how that works , upload a photo , resize the photo , download resized photo and upload it to the application .

Book accommodation online and upload proof of that .

Download and print the application form, sign the form and upload it again .

I gave up and just got visa exempt on arrival

ozimoron · July 27, 2022

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

How is Soi 7 and Soi 8?

During the height of COVID I was amazed at how it had almost completely folded except for a smattering of bars closer to beach road.

I felt like one of those urban explorers with everything closed up and dusty pool tables and overturned barstools.

Such an interesting time exploring Thailand when there virtually no tourists.

They look totally dead except for the beach road end, lucky star, etc all open. The sois themselves don't look like they will ever come back.

pomchop · July 27, 2022

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

How is Soi 7 and Soi 8?

During the height of COVID I was amazed at how it had almost completely folded except for a smattering of bars closer to beach road.

I felt like one of those urban explorers with everything closed up and dusty pool tables and overturned barstools.

Such an interesting time exploring Thailand when there virtually no tourists.

i suspect that eventually nearly ALL the bar beers between beach road and second road will get shoved out, bulldozed to make room for more hotels/condos/shopping centers etc....won't happen over night but much of that land will become too valuable to support anything but highrises...just a matter of time..."good news:" is it will take a while and bars etc will get shoved further away from ocean but will still be around in some form or another.

ExpatOilWorker · July 27, 2022

11 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Our village at historical park has loads of people coming back, there more and more coming week after week and getting much busier now.

I can see August being busy.

33% busy?

Airports of Thailand (AOT) President Nitinai Sirismatthakarn (centre) met with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to discuss the lack of flight connections to Thailand which the airports boss revealed are only operating at 33% of the level seen in 2019.

spidermike007 · July 27, 2022

Does TAT have the ability and acumen to see what is happening and to try o reverse the trend?

Absolutely not. They are unteachable. They do not have a creative bone in their bodies. They have learned nothing from covid. Woe is Thailand with brain dead leadership.