Thailand feels the pinch of lower tourism earnings as second ex-minister queries economic data

[kwak250]

21 minutes ago, In the jungle said:

That is a good price.  I would hazard a guess that the price would be a lot higher if you booked now.

Yes I am sure they would be .

[malthebluff]

The magic word FORMER. 

Always have something to say when it's no longer their job

[poskat]

5 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

To your point, it’s curious how the government frets about a high USD, but when the Pound, Euro or any western currency tops out—they don’t have too many concerns.

probably because all the corrupt politicians prefer to stash their ill-gotten gains in USD based places/things

[alex8912]

4 hours ago, Canadian Snowbird said:

Thailand is not going to help recover their tourism industry with their new process and requirements for single and multiple entry tourist visas. The information requirements are confusing and really over the top. All they are doing is creating more work for themselves and more frustration for the visa applicants. I'm about ready to ditch Thailand as my winter destination and go elsewhere. 

The ( what should be) simple e visa for a single entry 60 day tourist visa is the most pathetic visa system I ever went through!  The ( confusing ) things they ask for , and then ask for the same thing again are a joke. One thing is uploading your last 12 months of international travel and it has to be done with ONE pdf!!! Are you kidding me?? Someone should make a U tube vid and show what you need to do to get a Thai visa then maybe show another country like Turkey or many others. THEN after you submit Thailand visa info it could be days or weeks before you get the e visa or find out you have to send more info or maybe even start all over again. Oh yah the visa for Turkey or other countries you often get back within minutes after processing! Who the heck set up the Thailand Tourist visa and METV system?  They should be fired. 

[Joe Farang]

With the World Cup on in Qatar next month I would expect that the flight prices via Qatar and other Middle East countries will be through the roof during that period. Significantly reducing tourist options in getting to Thailand.

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, morrobay said:

Another linked article on this.https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/06/warning-on-foreign-exchange-reserves/

There was also the statement from Prawit back about a Month ago to preserve the Foreign Exchange reserves after there was a huge deficit in one month alone.

I am fairly sure the Foreign Exchange Account carried a balance of over $ 235 Billion back about 5 Years ago, but since the ravages of Covid, and the decimated Tourist Industry, I am wondering how much is in the Account now.

All these noises being made from many different sources sort of makes me believe the Account is now near empty.

[Chongalulu]

5 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

9 hours ago, ukrules said:

Why are BA not flying to Bangkok?

Apparently it's because the route does not raise enough revenue from high fare passengers in business class (not sure they had/have many first class cabins on their planes). After retiring all their 747s during the pandemic, BA are using more of their bigger planes on more profitable routes. Why isn't Bangkok as profitable to BA? Probably due to lack of high paying business travellers doing trade deals here in the Kingdom. Likely, not many "high quality" tourists too to pay for biz class. BA are set to review restarting the route at end of March 2023.

The need for longer term route  planning meant Thailand’s chaotic and ever changing entry rules effectively made it too volatile for BA to commit resources to the route when those could be directed towards more stable options. There was already pre pandemic a move to switch away from Bangkok evidenced by BA using Singapore as the hub for Australia routes which speaks to the arrogance of Thailand regarding making itself attractive to commercial airline operatives. That BA closed the door to reopening for the traditional Thai high season starting about now doesn’t bode well for the chances of them restarting in March (low season) . I don’t think it’ll be considered until at least November 2023. Generals are not good economic forecasters nor understand the principles for attracting  foreign investment . Outside of tourism the structural investment in education and skills have traditionally fallen woefully short and a country that should have been well placed to take advantage of the West’s switch away from China will ,unlike Vietnam,miss out.

[BarraMarra]

3 hours ago, kinyara said:

September's official tourist numbers should be released this week, wouldn't be surprised if it's the first month this year that shows a decline, August barely increased from July. Not surprised some realists in authority are expressing concern given the low base of current numbers.

You won't be surprised like most here Kinyara that the figures from TAT will be manufactured to look good ie the usual spokesman will roll out millions of new arrivals better than we hoped B/S. They will not give the true figures out.

[Golden Triangle]

2 hours ago, brfsa2 said:

I went to Krabi this long weekend and I notice just how much dirty and abandoned the beaches are now. 

There is a clear lack of caring for the beach areas now a days, and everyone I talked to agreed. 

 

While talking to my hotel manager, they told me, the little money left the city is getting from the tiny tourists, all of it goes to the pockets of the governors. nothing is used to improve of clean up the area.

 

The beaches are just so bad now!

too much trash everywhere, even a sofa thrown right into the beach where a few years ago was a white sand beach! 

Almost every single beach in Krabi is like this now.

 

That just looks like normal flotsam & jetsam at the high water mark to me.

[Mickmouse1]

Apart from the ridiculously high fares and poor treatment tourists receive upon Landing,the services provided aren't really attractive but  yes TAT can repair all that by imposing a NEW LEVY OF £1000 per traveller to improve the services ????good idea to boost income. 55

[BarraMarra]

I'm travelLing from london to BKK next month on Thai airways when i booked my flight it cost £730 rtn most airfares now are over a £1,000. I Booked a Hotel with a pool in Patong for 7 nights for £250 without Breakfast i also booked a hotel with a pool in Udon Thani for £250 a Month. My age and Health mean's this will be my last overseas trip. Lets be honest I Love Thailand but it was struggling years before Covid with scams and Tourist numbers declining. They knew but ignored all calls to improve, it was the old " Don't worry the next plane is ready to bring tourists in, and it's full " Well they're not full anymore so their answer is to triple the prices to offshoot the declining numbers. Ignore the European tourists and look to China India and Saudi to lure and save the Tourism Golden Egg now there scraping the barrel yet again looking for a golden goose. It's not Rocket Science to lure tourists back and offer them offers such as reducing prices across the board reducing Domestic flights like opening up all carriers to Samui instead of only allowing Bangkok Airways to land at Samui as they have a monopoly there. Bring Consular officials into brainwave ideas to entice foreign tourists.

[Chongalulu]

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Yes, the golden years are over, at least for the next two or three years (probably longer) but it has nothing to do with visa lengths or general Thai incompetence and corruption. The world economic system is breaking down,, the central banks world wide are out of money and out of ideas while all nations are awash with debt and inflation, it's what happens when you print 7 trillion dollars of QE. Potential tourists have no discretionary spending money to go on holiday, they can't even pay their electricity and gas bills without government (borrowed) money. The pandemic, QE and the Ukraine/Russian war has shown up the vulnerability of FIAT currencies, Governments no longer steer the ship, central banks and the stock markets have all the power ( Liz Truss in the UK) and now they too are coming apart at the seams, scary times! There is no chance for Thailand, or anywhere else, to attract hoards of tourist willing to upload their Dollars, Euros, Rubles or Yuan, the era of funny money is collapsing.

I think you’re overselling the all doom and gloom situation. Yes,there are economic pressures,but we’ve had economic crises before. The tourist industry in the likes of Spain hasn’t died to the extent of Thailand and of course the European winter is traditionally the time for Thailand to make hay . Of course ,in a depressed market one has to work harder and become more creative to entice customers ,but this is where Thailand has let itself down badly with a combination of arrogance,hubris and sheer incompetence coupled with no vision . The wrong people are in charge.

[herfiehandbag]

9 hours ago, ozz1 said:

The  value of the baht really is only against the us dollar  if it was lower against other currencies things might get better as they want more overseas tourists and export more I can't see it getting any better until something happens

As ever, the country is run for the benefit of a very few, at the top of the economic pile.

Most of their wealth is held and invested overseas, in foreign currencies.

 

[BarraMarra]

The Economy was running smoothly Pre Pandemic once the Junta took over the Tourism sector started declining. Warning signs were given all ignored Corruption, Greed, scams assaults on Tourists all went unpunished particularly in Phuket. When a new governor or a new Police general was seen as trying to improve and stamp out the baddies they were quickly moved to other provinces. It wasn't that long ago Chan o Cha pleaded to stop scamming tourists as this is damaging Thailand's Reputation. 

[tomyami]

Thailand is perfect no hordes of tourists long may it last keep doing the same dont change anything or maybe just drop the price of chaing beer 

2 week millionaires is a distant memory

[Exilerunner]

7 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

A place I stay at has tripled its prices since August.

Typical! The rich Thai business owners exploiting the situation. Hotel prices go up and salaries for staff go down. My girlfriend works at the reception. Had 25k in 2019 and is now offered 18k. Messed up ...

[tomyami]

Thailand is perfect no hordes of tourists long may it last keep doing the same dont change anything or maybe just drop the price of chaing beer 

2 week millionaires is a distant memory

[morrobay]

And as If there is not enough already going against this high season. Another Pattaya beach project. These days how can they expect people to book here.

[DUNROAMIN]

7 hours ago, 10baht said:

Have you looked at Japan or china? Not just Thailand.

Cant speak for Japan, however, in China I believe your arrested and thrown into jail, maybe never seen again.

[kevc]

Can't see why it isn't booming I would've thought doubling the already double price of national park entries would've nailed it for them.

[zzaa09]

This made up importance and obsession of everything tourism is quickly becoming weary. 

[Ty Hareways]

8 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

After more than 2 years of no travel, I have more money than ever, but sorry mask lovers, I now decide where to go based on whether face masks are ubiquitous or not. I know they’re not technically required in Thailand outside of health care settings, but with just about all Thais apparently still wearing them, I don’t care to be disrespectful. That means Italy, Croatia, Rio, Hawaii, maybe Tahiti next year, but not Thailand or any other Asian country, and that’s despite the fact that I own a condo in Thailand and have an elite visa.

Masks have been the biggest joke of the whole covid scene, still see the odd empty-headed moron wearing them in Supermarkets over here????????, even when their partner,be it male,female,non-binary????is maskless.

[Ampy]

We want tourists! Looks thru passport, you was here last month, how long you stay this time???? if you come again within the next 12 months we ban you forever!!!

 

 

 

[bkk6060]

Sure seems like some embellish the claims about triple flight (300%) and hotel prices (300%).

In checking flights for the next 2 months from and back to London many flights around $1000 USD.

So, they were $333 before?  Same times LAX to BKK round trip less then $1500 Eva and ANA some others as low as $1000  So, they were $500 or less before?

And, triple hotel prices?  Have not seen any of that.  Maybe triple from the peak of the Pandemic but not 3 times what they were before.  In fact, if one knows how to search for hotels there are lots of great hotels offers out there equal or lower then before.

Maybe some need to evaulate their false claims I assume just because it gives them another reason to hate Thailand so much or they are so poor they just don´t have a few grand available to travel here.

 

[ukrules]

55 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

This made up importance and obsession of everything tourism is quickly becoming weary. 

Well the truth came out during the pandemic, prior to that the industry was belittled as something they didn't need, turns out it's 20% of the GDP if I remember correctly.

 

They need it more than they want to admit.

 

[Nabby]

OK, I'll admit I'm too lazy to check some official site so I want to ask it here: is there no longer a 30-day on arrival visa for US passport holders? I don't live in the States, in Asia, and the airfares I saw were about 35% higher than usual. If I have to upload documents for an e-Visa I will go to Cambodia instead. 

[loveushorttime]

13 hours ago, ukrules said:

A 45 day stamp for a couple of months (nothing but a gimmick) and a rigorous questioning on arrival if you've ever been to Thailand before just isn't going to do the job.

 

They're picking up right where they left off before the pandemic - things were deteriorating rapidly, they had a chance to make changes but by the looks of it they didn't bother.

 

Why are BA not flying to Bangkok?

All their flights seem to be via Qatar if you take a look, something like this doesn't happen without a very good reason.

BA might be in cahoots with Qatar to get people to go to the World Cup.

[soi3eddie]

6 minutes ago, Nabby said:

OK, I'll admit I'm too lazy to check some official site so I want to ask it here: is there no longer a 30-day on arrival visa for US passport holders? I don't live in the States, in Asia, and the airfares I saw were about 35% higher than usual. If I have to upload documents for an e-Visa I will go to Cambodia instead. 

Currently visitors to Thailand with US passports are given 45 days on arrival. No visa needed. 

 

[loveushorttime]

8 minutes ago, Nabby said:

OK, I'll admit I'm too lazy to check some official site so I want to ask it here: is there no longer a 30-day on arrival visa for US passport holders? I don't live in the States, in Asia, and the airfares I saw were about 35% higher than usual. If I have to upload documents for an e-Visa I will go to Cambodia instead. 

At the start of October they changed the free 30 day visa on arrival to 45 days to encourage tourists to stay longer. So far it's in place till early next year.

[billd766]

10 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

Payback time ... and well deserved . 

The sad thing is that most of the people who will suffer are the Thai people who can afford it the least. The rich, the Hi-So's, the politicians. the military and the police won't notice and will care even less.