At least 4 million foreign tourists have entered Thailand so far this year

[webfact]

All photos courtesy of Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports

 

by Namo Vananupong
    
BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand’s tourism scene is continually being reinvigorated, with the tally of foreign arrivals having now exceeded 4 million for the year. Relevant agencies are now considering tourism promotion measures that would attract travelers to the Kingdom for the rest of the year.

 

The current target is to realize 10 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2022.

 

Prime Minister’s Office Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said more than 4 million foreign tourists have entered Thailand this year. This figure is expected to rise to 4.5 million within this month.

 

The top 5 origin countries of tourists entering Thailand are, in respective order, Malaysia, India, Laos, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

 

Mr. Anucha said the government has been employing various measures in keeping with global developments as well as the domestic situation.

 

These efforts are aimed at stimulating and reviving the tourism industry and related industries. At the same time, public health measures have been carefully implemented.

 

The spokesman said relevant agencies are rapidly considering tourism promotion measures for the rest of the year.

 

This is so Thailand would be able to attract 10 million tourists for the whole of 2022, in accordance with the current target.

 

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG220827020851696

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-08-27

 

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[stoner]

so 4 million in 8 moths and then another 6 million in 4 months. 

 

ya ok TAT.

 

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

These efforts are aimed at stimulating and reviving the tourism industry and related industries. At the same time, public health measures have been carefully implemented.

you mean the mask wearing that basically the rest of the world has dropped ? 

[blazes]

I  read frequent references to the Visa Exempt process being raised to 45 days from 30. And many seem to assume that it is already in place.

 

Has this in fact been declared officially?

[sqwakvfr]

Out of the 4 million about 3.5 million are the backpacker/stay at a hostel crowd.  Not exactly the “big spender” types.  At least this is what I see in CNX.  Plenty of rooms available in many of the middle and high level hotels.  

[ikke1959]

2 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Out of the 4 million about 3.5 million are the backpacker/stay at a hostel crowd.  Not exactly the “big spender” types.  At least this is what I see in CNX.  Plenty of rooms available in many of the middle and high level hotels.  

Hotelprices are very high or expensive with an expensive THB even higher than in Paris. And than the double pricing is approved which will costs tourists too.. So yes backpackers are not the tourists they want, but on the other hand they come and spend money. That is a start. But if Thailand only wants the rich they will miss the boat.....

[baansgr]

570,000 Malayan market/border hopers at Sadao, 300,000 laotions plus Khmer workers doesn't leave may tourists.

[mikebell]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Malaysia, India, Laos, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

I'm in the last lot; do I count as a tourist having lived here permanently for 18 years and just managed my FIRST 90 Day report online?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, mikebell said:

I'm in the last lot; do I count as a tourist having lived here permanently for 18 years and just managed my FIRST 90 Day report online?

No, of course not. But I daren't tell you what you do count as.... what on earth is the problem you have with 90 day reporting, which I have used for years and years. 

[crazykopite]

4 million arrivals yet they fail to mention how many departures I have a feeling it’s more than 4 million 

[bangon04]

3 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Out of the 4 million about 3.5 million are the backpacker/stay at a hostel crowd.  Not exactly the “big spender” types.  At least this is what I see in CNX.  Plenty of rooms available in many of the middle and high level hotels.  

I entered Thailand 6 times this year. I am not a tourist. 

[Gknrd]

Anyone thinking Thailand is going to go back to 2019 days are nuts.  They will have it better than most of the countries around here but the world is a mess and we ain't seen nothing yet.  Wait another year or two and lets see.

[shackleton]

Surprised to see the United Kingdom on the list of  most tourist

Arrivals as mentioned a lot will be expats  who already  live in

Thailand ???????? ????

I was under  the impression  times were hard in the UK flights expensive cost of living  up and so on  ????

[lujanit]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

with the tally of foreign arrivals having now exceeded 4 million for the year

Arrivals not tourists!

[newnative]

     Per the article:

The spokesman said relevant agencies are rapidly considering tourism promotion measures for the rest of the year.

This is so Thailand would be able to attract 10 million tourists for the whole of 2022, in accordance with the current target.

 

      No matter how 'rapidly' they consider 'promotion measures', no way they'll hit their 'current target' of 10 million.  Expect the 'current target' to change to a lower figure soon.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s tourism scene is continually being reinvigorated, with the tally of foreign arrivals having now exceeded 4 million for the year.

That includes everyone entering the kingdom, residents and workers?

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, shackleton said:

Surprised to see the United Kingdom on the list of  most tourist

Arrivals as mentioned a lot will be expats  who already  live in

Thailand ????????????

I was under  the impression  times were hard in the UK flights expensive cost of living  up and so on  ????

It is going to be cheaper to live in Thailand for a while, especially over winter.

[bert bloggs]

Living here just outside Pattaya all i see are hordes of Indian men , not exactly big spenders, very rude,just walk out into the road arms up,for you to stop,never see them in a bar or restaurant ,still they add to the no of tourists,even the mayor here said,more tourists here but spending down.

[DrPhibes]

ya, just watched some recent 4k videos of walking street at night for Pattaya and Phuket and still looks dead to me.

[aussiexpat]

Have tried to get a flight to Thailand, can't find anything under $2000 from Brisbane. 

 

This is low season where I've been paying $800 for a flight in August for years. Easy to see why tourists aren't coming

[lujanit]

4 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

Have tried to get a flight to Thailand, can't find anything under $2000 from Brisbane. 

 

This is low season where I've been paying $800 for a flight in August for years. Easy to see why tourists aren't coming

Singapore Airlines are quoting AUD1303 for a mid September flight.

[Peterw42]

4 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

Have tried to get a flight to Thailand, can't find anything under $2000 from Brisbane. 

 

This is low season where I've been paying $800 for a flight in August for years. Easy to see why tourists aren't coming

I agree, have been looking into flights for a trip back home to Australia. either non existent, really expensive, or via somewhere for a 6 hour stopover.

[Neeranam]

Well done Thailand! 

 

The bashers are out in force today. 

[Neeranam]

5 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

Have tried to get a flight to Thailand, can't find anything under $2000 from Brisbane. 

 

This is low season where I've been paying $800 for a flight in August for years. Easy to see why tourists aren't coming

I went to Brisbane in August and it was 7C at night, horrible. Too cold to surf, surfer's paradise, my bottom ???? 

[spidermike007]

What does this mean, actually? How many were returning expats? Does it include Burmese, Cambodian and Malaysian tourists and workers? Does it include business travel? How many affluent travelers and how many young backpackers? 

 

Such an extreme lack of information within these numbers the desperate TAT and administration trots out. No improvements or sacrifices were made. Nothing appears to have been learned. 

 

They are starting another program to pay for half of restaurant and shopping bills for Thais the end of this month. That is an indication of how thoroughly decimated the economy is here. I call it the Prayuth Decimation. The sabotage of the tourism industry was extreme and reckless. Who knows how many years it will take to bring it back, and if it will ever fully recover. I think Thailand has been forgotten and left behind. 

[spidermike007]

On 8/27/2022 at 11:38 AM, bert bloggs said:

Living here just outside Pattaya all i see are hordes of Indian men , not exactly big spenders, very rude,just walk out into the road arms up,for you to stop,never see them in a bar or restaurant ,still they add to the no of tourists,even the mayor here said,more tourists here but spending down.

And that was happening long before Covid. 86% of arrivals were Malaysian, Indian and Chinese. Likely low to middle income earners not spending alot. I heard that from countless people in the industry. Few rich people find Thailand appeals to them, for a dozen valid reasons. Listed them before. 

[starky]

On 8/27/2022 at 10:35 AM, bangon04 said:

I entered Thailand 6 times this year. I am not a tourist. 

Same here. And every offshore worker in the country is the same and I know plenty.

[Andrew Dwyer]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I went to Brisbane in August and it was 7C at night, horrible. Too cold to surf, surfer's paradise, my bottom ???? 

Southern Hemisphere, what did you expect ?

[proton]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Well done Thailand! 

 

The bashers are out in force today. 

Skepticism of people who make numbers up, distort them, hide the details, or just lie is not bashing but being realistic. 

[Gknrd]

On 8/27/2022 at 10:06 AM, shackleton said:

Surprised to see the United Kingdom on the list of  most tourist

Arrivals as mentioned a lot will be expats  who already  live in

Thailand ????????????

I was under  the impression  times were hard in the UK flights expensive cost of living  up and so on  ????

I own a home in the US and utilities are insane. Some paying 400-600 / month for electricity. I came here to escape those prices. I can rent.a nice serviced place here or live in hotels for what my utilities cost in the US.  Just got my electric bill in the US and paid it. It was 100 dollars and everything cut off except the basics.

[zzaa09]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

What does this mean, actually? How many were returning expats? Does it include Burmese, Cambodian and Malaysian tourists and workers? Does it include business travel? How many affluent travelers and how many young backpackers? 

 

Such an extreme lack of information within these numbers the desperate TAT and administration trots out. No improvements or sacrifices were made. Nothing appears to have been learned. 

 

They are starting another program to pay for half of restaurant and shopping bills for Thais the end of this month. That is an indication of how thoroughly decimated the economy is here. I call it the Prayuth Decimation. The sabotage of the tourism industry was extreme and reckless. Who knows how many years it will take to bring it back, and if it will ever fully recover. I think Thailand has been forgotten and left behind. 

To be sure, it's gonna be quite until we return to the strong pre-COVID numbers - if we ever do return to those levels again. It surely would've been a benefit all around if the authorities had seen it befitting to instill measures to encourage this much ballyhooed sector.......including subsidies, tax credits and assorted stipends that would of assured that it all rolls back in due course. Dreamy and suspect numbers promoted continuously does little to maintain any reality that might be in our midst. 

 

I might add also Mike, that Lung Tu didn't have a singular part in the decimation of the once vibrant industry - he had lots of assistance from those usual circles that were looking after their own interests first. The Ammat and elite troughs have priority.