Thailand’s tourism authority plans strategy revamp to boost visitor spending

[outsider]

Every time I see/read TAT, I see in my mind a circus with not very good clowns.

[peter zwart]

Perhaps more was spent per person. These are officially registered figures. However, when we add the money from all scams and frauds, the amount per person may be higher.

[koele2]

They want tourists spending more per day because that means they are spending on higher end stuff.  The stuff them and their cronies own and run.  When tourists spend less per day, that means more going to regular working Thais with no connections.  Can’t have the less wealthy Thais making more  money than them and their buddies.

[GypsyT]

This pizz me off; War criminals, Russians, get 90 days walk-in entry.

"The tourist visa exemption validity period for Russian nationals has been extended to 90 days, up from 30 days."

 

We, US folk, get only 30 days.

Look who are supporting Thailand's economy;

"The country's main trading partners are Japan, the United States, China, Singapore, and Malaysia."

 

[Stargeezr]

The deep thinkers trying to get more tourist money. Always dreaming.

  World economy is hurting, only the rich can afford the more expenses,

the rest have to save longer to afford a trip abroad. Even the new math cannot change

 economic facts.

[newnative]

9 hours ago, Fancyzancy said:

Reduce the 90 day O visa from $200. USD to $99.00. 

 

Or, why not make all the visas free.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, GypsyT said:

This pizz me off; War criminals, Russians, get 90 days walk-in entry.

"The tourist visa exemption validity period for Russian nationals has been extended to 90 days, up from 30 days."

 

That's because they behave like little kiddies at a candy store, except they reach for the most visible money rather than lollies... Hordes of Chinese, and they favour them. Russian tourists, who, for whatever reason, have money to throw around, and they give them longer visa exemptions. Indian tourists walking around with gold necklaces on the beach, and they get all excited. - If Hamas, Islamic State, Al-Shabaab, or Al-Qaeda came here, throwing around money, they would roll out the red carpet for them...

Edited December 14, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[still kicking]

5 hours ago, Sweet Swede said:

It is incredible that they don't understand why tourist spend less. Higher travel expenses and for most tourists less spending money because of higher cost of living in their home countries. That will not change because  they have a limit for their expenses. People spend a lot more when they can afford it. Wake up to the reality we live in. They should be happy that people still have the money to travel to Thailand. I booked a trip to Sweden next year in May and it was close to double price I paid last time.. If you spend a lot of time on the travel  it was slightly cheaper, but not significantly like before. It seems like TAT believe that all tourists have fat wallet. Dream on.

I just spend 6900 baht per day plus 16000 baht for airfare and I didn't have to pay for accommodation since I still have my place over there. How much do I have to spend?

[ThailandRyan]

11 hours ago, Fancyzancy said:

Reduce the 90 day O visa from $200. USD to $99.00. 

 

Why not just allow a free 90 day entry on arrival for tourists

[PingRoundTheWorld]

10 hours ago, Gknrd said:

90 days or suck it. Not interested in an outdated 30 day stay. 

You want my money it is 90 days or nothing, so nothing.

Yeah, it's quite a wonder how they want tourists to stay longer, yet they do everything they can to make sure visas are short. Simply changing from 30 day to 90 day visa waivers will by itself encourage longer stays, and if they allow 90 day extensions on top of that they'll get plenty more European winter crowd (they already get some, but the visa hassle is for sure keeping some away).

[Thingamabob]

Focus on Western tourists. They spend more per head than Indian and Chinese tourists. The TAT has lost it's way on this issue.

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, GypsyT said:

When at Jomtien Immi lady said (after I complained current stupid system):

"Changes regarding TM30 reporting are coming by new government. Starting Jan 7, 2024.",

She also mentioned "no need for visa runs in 2024" but didn't say more (maybe she meant only me, like "going to be deported")

 

TM30 news may be they finally start to follow existing rules. Or?

 

Hopefully something intelligent happens. I'm not holding my breath...

 

Yeah, recent chatting to a Visa agent and I was told changes in the air for early next year. I gave a wry smile as in the past, 'changes' rarely meant it got easier. The idea of getting an 'Elite' went through my head this year!

[AhFarangJa]

22 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Refund the 220 baht ATM surcharge and let them spend that!

Yes, and increase the withdrawal limit each time, I believe it is still stuck at 20K Baht. maximum.

[AhFarangJa]

A friend from the village has just returned to the U.K. for work, and he told me that when he flew in he was told they were going to implement the tourist arrival tax for the hospital insurance. He apparently was told it was to be 300 Baht, paid in cash on arrival, starting January. Maybe this is false information, but if not it does not send a good message out.

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

It is very simple to boost Tourism.

Offer value for money, Clean and pleasant attractions, with clean working toilets. Do away with all the polluting food stalls offering bad food. DO AWAY WITH All scams, AND make the OFFICIALS AND Tourist workers polite.

SIMPLE Really but not seems Thainess and attitude and tourism generally do not work, but re-educating the entire Tourism industry is hard work, not made better by flunkies offering new ways when the old ways mentioned above always work.

[Ben Zioner]

22 hours ago, mikebell said:

Make retiring to Thailand easier for expats and they will increase visits from friends and family.  Give them fresh air; reduce the suffering of feral dog packs; sack predatory cops.

.. predatory Revenue Department...

 

Anyhow, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia will get my money from now on.

Edited December 15, 2023 by Ben Zioner

[jacko45k]

42 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

Yes, and increase the withdrawal limit each time, I believe it is still stuck at 20K Baht. maximum.

I get 25k regularly and believe I could get more. 

[AhFarangJa]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I get 25k regularly and believe I could get more. 

I have not used my English Visa card for years, that is why I was not sure, but the last time I did, despite having a 5,000 pound a day limit the ATM would only let me take 20K Baht. I am sure I remember correctly that when they brought in the 200 plus Baht charge they limited the amount, that way they gained more. However, not unlike any bank anywhere in the World, all rip off merchants..!!

[GypsyT]

During Covid we got 45 days. It was working so well Vietnam adopted it and is still in use. It brings many new tourists to Vietnam who stay longer and spend more.

 

Why was Thailand stupid to go back to 30 days?

 

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

.. predatory Revenue Department...

 

Anyhow, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia will get my money from now on.

Agreed.  I'm looking at Laos to receive my 800K.

[mel2surf]

I'm over here in Vn watching Thai news daily, hoping the dummies offer 45 day or 90 day exempts soon, so I can retire to Jomtien on my meager social security.

If they don't pull heads out of anus' soon I'll stay in lovely Vung Tau ;-)

(I really miss Jomtien though)

[PingRoundTheWorld]

12 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Yes, and increase the withdrawal limit each time, I believe it is still stuck at 20K Baht. maximum.

Depends on the bank. Some limit to 20k, Bangkok Bank ATMs 25k, Krungsri ATMs 30k. Probably some more with higher limits but I'm sure you can find one of those two anywhere.

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

I have not used my English Visa card for years, that is why I was not sure, but the last time I did, despite having a 5,000 pound a day limit the ATM would only let me take 20K Baht. I am sure I remember correctly that when they brought in the 200 plus Baht charge they limited the amount, that way they gained more. However, not unlike any bank anywhere in the World, all rip off merchants..!!

I use mine once a month for the 25,000.... there's a quick access button for that amount. I seem to recall that 25,000 plus the 220 took me close to my card limit (or the ATM limit) many years ago and I have just stuck with it. It's silly really, I send money via Wise at a much better rate too! It's my tiny state pension and perhaps I feel they will stop giving it to me, if I stop pulling it out quickly!

[Mike Lister]

19 hours ago, mikebell said:

Agreed.  I'm looking at Laos to receive my 800K.

Be extremely careful of the durrency aspect, the Kip is very unstable, it's almost worthless and is not freely convertible.

[Mike Lister]

On 12/15/2023 at 3:32 AM, Thingamabob said:

Focus on Western tourists. They spend more per head than Indian and Chinese tourists. The TAT has lost it's way on this issue.

Thailand is and always has been a destination for Asians, western tourists are very much in the minority. Why concentrate of trying to attract westerners when airfares are high and western economies are in the doldrums.

[AhFarangJa]

11 hours ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

Depends on the bank. Some limit to 20k, Bangkok Bank ATMs 25k, Krungsri ATMs 30k. Probably some more with higher limits but I'm sure you can find one of those two anywhere.

Thanks Ping, I rarely use my card except in emergency. I transfer using Wise through a friends account. My bank in Jersey once asked me why I kept sending money to this one person, upon which I politely told them to sod off, non of your business.....

[jacko45k]

22 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

Thailand is and always has been a destination for Asians, western tourists are very much in the minority. Why concentrate of trying to attract westerners when airfares are high and western economies are in the doldrums.

Didn't used to be many at all when i was first coming here, a lot of Germans and Brits from work in the Middle East. Very different times.......

[Mike Lister]

11 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Didn't used to be many at all when i was first coming here, a lot of Germans and Brits from work in the Middle East. Very different times.......

I don't believe there was ever a year when more Western tourists visited Thailand than Asian tourists. I was looking for a chart that I posted recently on this but I can't find it yet. It shows the ratio of tourists by continent, all the way back to 1995. The number of European and US tourists has been very flat for decades whilst Asian visitors have increased massively, year of year.

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

I don't believe there was ever a year when more Western tourists visited Thailand than Asian tourists. I was looking for a chart that I posted recently on this but I can't find it yet. It shows the ratio of tourists by continent, all the way back to 1995. The number of European and US tourists has been very flat for decades whilst Asian visitors have increased massively, year of year.

Not in the main areas, Bangkok, Pattaya and even Phuket time past, I am pretty sure the Malaysians made up the numbers anywhere near the border though. 

I go back a bit further. 

[Mike Lister]

Just now, jacko45k said:

Not in the main areas, Bangkok, Pattaya and even Phuket, I am pretty sure the Malaysians made up the numbers anywhere near the border. 

Yes I agree that Malaysians have long been the number one visitors. I also suspect that anecdotal evidence of what one person sees is very unreliable since most people can't always distinguish between nationals from a large range of countries in Asia, Malaysia. Japan, China etc.