More than five million foreign tourists arrived in Thailand within nine months, former government spokesperson reveals

[webfact]

PHOTO: Prachachat

 

By Nop Meechukhun

Thailand has welcomed more than five million foreign tourists during the past nine months after the full country reopening, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana revealed on Wednesday, September 14th.

The former government spokesperson told the Associated Press that from January 1st – September 8th, a total of 5,018,172 foreigners had traveled to the Kingdom. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) also estimated that the number would reach 10 million, according to the advanced flights and hotel bookings for the next three months.

 

According to the TAT, the top five arrivals were from Malaysia with 751,397 travelers, followed by India (480,825 people), Lao PDR (310,464 people), and Cambodia (249,084 people). A record of 2,772,883 foreigners had entered the country through Suvarnabhumi International Airport while 749,567 foreigners had through Phuket International Airport.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/09/14/more-than-five-million-foreign-tourists-arrived-in-thailand-within-nine-months-former-government-spokesperson-reveals/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-09-15

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

[ourmanflint]

if only 5 million in past 9 months, not a chance Thai Airways dream of 10 million tourists this year will come anywhere near true. People everywhere are skint, and not many will be taking expensive winter holidays, though if you factor in central heating savings at home, maybe it will be worth it

[BonMot]

The country is flooded with WATER...one or two months left of it and worst to come.

 

Only to return to their homes obscenely expensive to heat over winter

 

Genius tourists

Edited September 14, 2022 by BonMot

[zzaa09]

Who is actually tabulating these random numbers that they throw around occasionally....? 

It's been a very angst and weary subject matter among particular circles for some time now.

Let it go.

There are far more valuable items in life to concern ourselves with.

[RichardColeman]

Maybe its just me but Thailand seems to have been stuck between 4 and 5 million for the last 4 months. And I really do not think that the high season will be  success - there's just too much trouble out there  with covid lockdown rollover, recessions and inflation 

[radiochaser]

2 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

if only 5 million in past 9 months, not a chance Thai Airways dream of 10 million tourists this year will come anywhere near true. People everywhere are skint, and not many will be taking expensive winter holidays, though if you factor in central heating savings at home, maybe it will be worth it

On the subject of central heating.   That isnt happening where I live in Pennsylvania, U.S.A.   My monthly budget (every month for 12 months) that I am charged by the fuel oil provider increased from $105.00 a month to $305.00 a month!!!

At least if I were at my relatives condo in Bangkok, I would not have to pay for heating and the cost of AC cooling is much lower there than my heating will be here! 

 

 

[crazykopite]

I would imagine at least 50% Malays are overnight sex tourists who then go back home to there wives

[ozz1]

But tat said there will be a squillion million tourists when are they coming?  maybe later in the year

[2baht]

11 minutes ago, ozz1 said:

But tat said there will be a squillion million tourists when are they coming? 

As long as they spend a brazillion baht, it does'nt really matter.

[Eleftheros]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

Who is actually tabulating these random numbers that they throw around occasionally....?

The Ministry of Tourism & Sports keeps the most comprehensive figures. According to them, for the 9 months ended 31 July, 3.5 million foreign tourists entered Thailand. The current number is running at about 1 million per month (they haven't released August numbers yet).

 

Almost half of those July visitors were from ASEAN neighbour countries; to put it in perspective, more visitors came from Malaysia alone than from the whole of Europe combined.

 

If the entry figures carry on, the total for 2022 could be around 8-9 million, about 20-25% of pre-pandemic levels, with a huge hole where European and American visitors used to be.

[kinyara]

3 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

if only 5 million in past 9 months, not a chance Thai Airways dream of 10 million tourists this year will come anywhere near true. People everywhere are skint, and not many will be taking expensive winter holidays, though if you factor in central heating savings at home, maybe it will be worth it

It wasn't 9 months it was to September 8th, full month is likely to take it to near 6 million. With over 1 million a month now coming around 10 million is realistic.

[Gknrd]

41 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I would imagine at least 50% Malays are overnight sex tourists who then go back home to there wives

Number one answer here...

[kinyara]

20 minutes ago, Eleftheros said:

The Ministry of Tourism & Sports keeps the most comprehensive figures. According to them, for the 9 months ended 31 July, 3.5 million foreign tourists entered Thailand. The current number is running at about 1 million per month (they haven't released August numbers yet).

 

Almost half of those July visitors were from ASEAN neighbour countries; to put it in perspective, more visitors came from Malaysia alone than from the whole of Europe combined.

 

If the entry figures carry on, the total for 2022 could be around 8-9 million, about 20-25% of pre-pandemic levels, with a huge hole where European and American visitors used to be.

If the figure quoted in the article is correct that means 1.8 million have visited from August 1st to September 8th which is significant increase from the July figure of 1.1 million. They are managing to add 300k a month so this makes 10 million realistic.

[kinyara]

49 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I would imagine at least 50% Malays are overnight sex tourists who then go back home to there wives

I would imagine at least 50% of Brits are 3 week sex tourists who then go back home to their lives.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has welcomed more than five million foreign tourists during the past nine months after the full country reopening, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana revealed on Wednesday, September 14th.

So the predictions didn't materialise?

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Maybe its just me but Thailand seems to have been stuck between 4 and 5 million for the last 4 months. And I really do not think that the high season will be  success - there's just too much trouble out there  with covid lockdown rollover, recessions and inflation 

How many of the millions are actually migrant workers who have entered the country to take the jobs Thai's will not do.

[SmartyMarty]

All high value tourists I see. Not.

[vivananahuahin]

Are they passengers coming through Bangkok airports or others airports or real tourists spendind $$ in Thailand, more transparency and honesty are neccesary.

[bert bloggs]

2 hours ago, kinyara said:

I would imagine at least 50% of Brits are 3 week sex tourists who then go back home to their lives.

Well they are not here in Pattaya  hardly any tourists

[Cake Monster]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has welcomed more than five million foreign tourists during the past nine months after the full country reopening, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana revealed on Wednesday, September 14th.

I personally would be more interested in the number that actually stayed and booked Hotel Nights.

This is just more nonsense rhetoric trying to big up the Tourist Sector, that is still very clearly on its A@@e

 

[Olav Seglem]

"Tourists" from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia  ?????? ????

 

[Selatan]

7 hours ago, vivananahuahin said:

Are they passengers coming through Bangkok airports or others airports or real tourists spendind $$ in Thailand, more transparency and honesty are neccesary.

There are 15 daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok alone, not counting Phuket and other Thai destinations. From my observation, most of the passengers are Chinese Malaysians and very few non-Malaysians.

[Waterboy]

The tourist e visa is a hassle. Why upload your banking information to who knows where to prove you have $6000. The price of a 1st class tix is over $10,000. 

[SiamAndy]

No way they reach 10 million by the end of the year. Natural Gas prices will rise as Winter approaches and Gasoline prices will resume the march upwards. Utility bills, high grocery costs, and high airfares will keep the masses away from TL the rest of this year.

[kinyara]

23 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

How many of the millions are actually migrant workers who have entered the country to take the jobs Thai's will not do.

You're the guy who predicted a couple of months ago Thailand would only get 6 million tourists this year, now you're really clutching at straws to deny the recovery of the tourist industry here. Zero credibility.

[kinyara]

3 hours ago, SiamAndy said:

No way they reach 10 million by the end of the year. Natural Gas prices will rise as Winter approaches and Gasoline prices will resume the march upwards. Utility bills, high grocery costs, and high airfares will keep the masses away from TL the rest of this year.

Why ? The numbers they have been getting these last 2 months clearly indicate 10 million is realistic. They can make a qualified forecast based on airline traffic and current levels. I suspect those travelling long haul for Nov/Dec have already booked their flights.

[SiamAndy]

8 minutes ago, kinyara said:

Why ? The numbers they have been getting these last 2 months clearly indicate 10 million is realistic. They can make a qualified forecast based on airline traffic and current levels. I suspect those travelling long haul for Nov/Dec have already booked their flights.

5,018,172 in the first 8 months +. To get  roughly another 4,982,000 in less than 4 months while the world economy worsens day by day is highly, highly optimistic.

[kinyara]

24 minutes ago, SiamAndy said:

5,018,172 in the first 8 months +. To get  roughly another 4,982,000 in less than 4 months while the world economy worsens day by day is highly, highly optimistic.

July was 1.1 million, August 1st to September 8th was 1.8 million based on the figure quoted, ( seems high to me and will likely drop in final analysis when they strip out non tourist visa arrivals ),  and we're technically in low season. I would expect the majority of those arriving long haul from Europe Nov/Dec have already booked, so along with the recovery level of 250k + each month, flight numbers, forward bookings etc they have reasonable oversight on their forecasts. 

 

2023 is where things become harder to predict to me for the reason you highlight, I think this high season might be a bit of a one off for the European market who have been away for the last 3 years before they batten down the hatches financially.

[mickj88]

In last 8 months I personally know 32 people (including me and Wifey) have been to thailand. Of these people 6 were tourists the rest were Thais and or husbands / kids returning to visit families not seen for 2 to 3 years due to covid. So less than 23% genuine tourists . I imagine that this is accross the board - certainly where ferang are concerned. So you can say that maybe 1.2 million are genuine tourists but the rest just families returning - yes they are tourists but not genuine spending tourism tourists.

 Personally I think it will be sometime before the geunine spending tourists return in the pre pandemic numbers, even then the numbers were massively Chinese who were not spending as all was pre paid in China. TOT are looking to gain a wealthier tourist but then Thailand legalize canabis- wealthy tourists are not stoners , for me this sends put the wrong message , Backpackers and younger tourists like a "toot" and they are not wealthy, Thailand need to make its mind up who its target audiance is.

[lujanit]

On 9/15/2022 at 2:07 AM, webfact said:

Thailand has welcomed more than five million foreign tourists during the past nine months after the full country reopening, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana revealed on Wednesday, September 14th.

The former government spokesperson told the Associated Press that from January 1st – September 8th, a total of 5,018,172 foreigners had traveled to the Kingdom. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) also estimated that the number would reach 10 million, according to the advanced flights and hotel bookings for the next three months.

The first paragraph says 5 million tourists.  The second paragraph says 5 million foreigners.  So which is it?  Sorry rhetorical question.  Everyone except TAT knows the answer.