Trump Tariffs Threaten Samui's Tourist Influx

[Wrwest]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Let's face the reality here, Trump is threatening the well-being of the entire planet, with his ridiculously dumb policies, causing untold amounts of fear and concern, and it's all for nothing. America's never going to become the industrial might that it used to be, Trump and his goons dare busy dreaming about returning manufacturing to America, it's just never going to happen.

 

It's just too expensive to manufacture in America these days and there are a dozen good reasons why those companies left in the first place. Trump is not bringing them back, this is pie in the sky nonsense and with it is coming a tremendous amount of fear and destruction. The man needs to be stopped. He needs to be put on medication.

 

 

What I shake my head at, Mike is ... trump says all these other countries have taken advantage of the USA robbing us of income while by most measures, we are the wealthiest country on the globe. And now ... more ...  "America First" we want even more wealth while cutting off medical aid/food/water from those suffering. We are rightfully becoming a pariah nation even among those who, while recognizing our faults have remained friends.

[JackGats]

That's the trade-off I am living with. The tariffs make me lose a lot of money on my stocks, on the other hand they limit the hordes coming to Thailand because the hordes lose their travel money.

[spidermike007]

Just now, Wrwest said:

What I shake my head at, Mike is ... trump says all these other countries have taken advantage of the USA robbing us of income while by most measures, we are the wealthiest country on the globe. And now ... more ...  "America First" we want even more wealth while cutting off medical aid/food/water from those suffering. We are rightfully becoming a pariah nation even among those who, while recognizing our faults have remained friends.

What he really means when he says these countries are robbing us, is that the US has a deficit with these nations, meaning that these nations are far more competitive and can manufacture things for less than we can in the US.

 

The glory days of industrialization are over in the US, they will never return, and simpleton dinosaurs like Disaster Don just do not get that. 

 

Someone suggested that people could be replaced with robots, but robots are very costly and it takes years to ramp up factories like that. And then of course you have that very minor unemployment issue. 

[norsurin]

The tourism dropping alot now but they want admit it Just talk BS as usual.

Its allways about the billions of baht this and that will bring in to the country.

[Snackbar]

Positive effect on savvy consumers.

 

Predictable negativity from the Villa sheeple 

[Taboo2]

4 hours ago, Ulyssesamui said:

Living in Samui, the White Lotus effect may make some minor changes, but generally (and one should never generalise), Americans are few and far between on this island as tourists. The main body of tourists, IMO, are Europeans, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Singaporeans. The US has the whole Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, and it has destinations nearer than Thailand.

True, to be honest, most of my fellow Americans still think I live in Bangkok, even when I tell them I live in Patts.  We have too many options before even considering Thailand...and with two weeks vacation on average, Thailand is way down on the list.

[Photoguy21]

4 hours ago, Tubulat said:

Indeed, they are already rubbing their hands together from all that extra tax money they can grab from the farang, incidentally without anything in return.

They wont get the tax they think they will as many will just leave the country. What Thailand seems to fail to understand is that bringing currency into the country it will be hard currency not soft currency like the Thai Baht. Hard currency is wanted by all countries. Thailand will suffer I am sure of what they are trying to do.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, Presto said:

The people in SE Asian countries, and China, are far more resilient to economic hardship than Americans. 

When Trump's  idiotic economic policies have fully worked out, the whining from Americans will be deafening.

So far almost 70 countries have asked to come to the negotiating table and talk about trading and tariffs.

So maybe not so idiotic.. 

Bidens policy of allowing USA to be shafted wasn't so great

[Presto]

23 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

So far almost 70 countries have asked to come to the negotiating table and talk about trading and tariffs.

So maybe not so idiotic.. 

Bidens policy of allowing USA to be shafted wasn't so great

Good to see people like you are simply parroting whatever that guy Trump says. Are you American by any chance?

Well, the guy apparently won a golf tournament, while he could have paid respect to the four American servicemen who lost their lives in Lithuania.

But who gives a <deleted>, certainly not Americans.

[Tubulat]

59 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

They wont get the tax they think they will as many will just leave the country. What Thailand seems to fail to understand is that bringing currency into the country it will be hard currency not soft currency like the Thai Baht. Hard currency is wanted by all countries. Thailand will suffer I am sure of what they are trying to do.

Although I am not concerned about tax because I have no foreign income, it is not always possible to leave the country.
For example, if you are in a long-term relationship with someone, although I did warn my partner about this that if it did come to this, I too would leave.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Taboo2 said:

We have too many options before even considering Thailand...and with two weeks vacation on average,

 

That's a feature of employment in the USA.  Very few Americans with a job need a 60 day entry because if the company can spare you for more than 2 weeks, chances are they'll decide they didn't need you anyway. 

 

As much as I love Thailand and would love my friends and family to meet me there, I tell them the R/T is brutal, and jet lag will steal a few days of your holiday so best to stay closer to home.

 

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, Presto said:

Good to see people like you are simply parroting whatever that guy Trump says. Are you American by any chance?

Well, the guy apparently won a golf tournament, while he could have paid respect to the four American servicemen who lost their lives in Lithuania.

But who gives a <deleted>, certainly not Americans.

No I'm not American, and I'm not parroting what he says.

But I do come from a country which stood up to unfair policies and did something about it.

He's standing up to a massive trade deficit, instead of the left who pulled their pants down, bent over and said help yourselves.

[Presto]

17 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

No I'm not American, and I'm not parroting what he says.

But I do come from a country which stood up to unfair policies and did something about it.

He's standing up to a massive trade deficit, instead of the left who pulled their pants down, bent over and said help yourselves.

Do you have any understanding of what a trade deficit means? And if you're going to look it up, instead of simply believing whatever Trump says, please include services. That might help your understanding 

[cdemundo]

7 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

I doubt it. I heard about a plan to charge Americans everywhere in Thailand (Tops, Lotus, BigC, Bars, Restaurants) 50% plus. The money should go for saving the environment and improve safety.

I doubt it with respect to TOPS.

TOPS gives a 5% "expat discount" to Americans.

[kimothai]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Let's face the reality here, Trump is threatening the well-being of the entire planet, with his ridiculously dumb policies, causing untold amounts of fear and concern, and it's all for nothing. America's never going to become the industrial might that it used to be, Trump and his goons dare busy dreaming about returning manufacturing to America, it's just never going to happen.

 

It's just too expensive to manufacture in America these days and there are a dozen good reasons why those companies left in the first place. Trump is not bringing them back, this is pie in the sky nonsense and with it is coming a tremendous amount of fear and destruction. The man needs to be stopped. He needs to be put on medication.

 

 

I totally disagree with your statement.  Most everybody in Washington thinks the tariffs are a good idea whether or not they admit it.  It's been the left (as you are (I assume)) that have been complaining and calling Trump all kinds of names.  BUT WAIT!  The people that wanted tariffs long, long before Trump came on the scene was the Left and none other than Nancy Pelosi (also Chuck Schumer).  It just took 25 plus years for a great President (Trump) to come along that had the balls to do what no other President wanted or could do.  Thank God for POTUS Trump.  See links:

 

 

Scroll to the end where Schumer is mentioned

[MRMOUSE]

8 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

You mean the farangs that have been living here tax free for decades.

Paying zero taxes to the government, yet enjoying the infrastructure and the benefits that the government (and the Thai tax payers) have provided.

And please do not bother to prattle on about VAT - insignificant.

VAT is for things that you want, not what you have had.

Vat is 7% of a big % of each person's budget not to mention alcohol tobacco  taxvfuel  tax etc etc

[newbee2022]

37 minutes ago, cdemundo said:

I doubt it with respect to TOPS.

TOPS gives a 5% "expat discount" to Americans.

Ok, all American hordes now to be seen at Tops. Terrible🤗

[Gknrd]

Joke of the day!  American tourists have been shorting Thailand for years. 24hr's on a plane for a vacation?  So 48hr's in the air for a two week vacation?  Hahaha.

5 hours to pristine beaches in Mexico, South America.   

 

 

[sambum]

"The TAT remains hopeful but cautious,......"

 

TAT are ALWAYS "hopeful", "estimate that", "anticipate", "are looking forward to ...", "are confident that..." Thailand will get xxx million tourists next month etc. etc. etc.

 

Surprised they even acknowledge that tariffs may have some impact.

[spidermike007]

30 minutes ago, kimothai said:

I totally disagree with your statement.  Most everybody in Washington thinks the tariffs are a good idea whether or not they admit it.  It's been the left (as you are (I assume)) that have been complaining and calling Trump all kinds of names.  BUT WAIT!  The people that wanted tariffs long, long before Trump came on the scene was the Left and none other than Nancy Pelosi (also Chuck Schumer).  It just took 25 plus years for a great President (Trump) to come along that had the balls to do what no other President wanted or could do.  Thank God for POTUS Trump.  See links:

 

 

Scroll to the end where Schumer is mentioned

That must be some very good kool-aid. Delusion can be a powerful force. Trump is a master of delusion. 

[Gknrd]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

What he really means when he says these countries are robbing us, is that the US has a deficit with these nations, meaning that these nations are far more competitive and can manufacture things for less than we can in the US.

 

The glory days of industrialization are over in the US, they will never return, and simpleton dinosaurs like Disaster Don just do not get that. 

 

Someone suggested that people could be replaced with robots, but robots are very costly and it takes years to ramp up factories like that. And then of course you have that very minor unemployment issue. 

I think you are dead wrong!  Reshoring to Mexico, South America and the US. 

It will take 10 years, but SE Asia will be cut out of the process. You can gripe all you want, doesn't change things.

In the meantime all the retiree's in Thailand will keep being squeezed.  Buckel up boys.

[Mickboy]

Donald the Elephant and JD Vance

Made America a circus

And off they went on a tariffy-trump

Trump, trump, trump

[JustinT]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So far almost 70 countries have asked to come to the negotiating table and talk about trading and tariffs.

So maybe not so idiotic.. 

The continuously crashing stock market disagrees with your analysis.

[rough diamond]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

TAT are ALWAYS "hopeful", "estimate that", "anticipate", "are looking forward to ...", "are confident that..." Thailand will get xxx million tourists next month etc. etc. etc.

I hear that TAT have sold some of their broken crystal balls to Trump!

[kimothai]

51 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

That must be some very good kool-aid. Delusion can be a powerful force. Trump is a master of delusion. 

So, what are you saying?  The videos are fake/AI?  Or ate you just blinded by your hate of Trump.

[JustinT]

On 4/8/2025 at 9:24 AM, webfact said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is closely watching how these tariffs might dent the spending power of US tourists eager to visit Samui, fuelled by the newfound fame of The White Lotus TV series. This could mean a lost opportunity for Thai tourism operators to cash in on the show's popularity.

It's not going to just be US tourists affected.  The job losses and loss of wealth will be world wide.  Samui needs to prepare for fewer tourists of every nationality.

[sambum]

35 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

I hear that TAT have sold some of their broken crystal balls to Trump!

 

Well if they're not broken already I am sure the "Ball Breaker in Chief" will see to it!

[sambum]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

That must be some very good kool-aid. Delusion can be a powerful force. Trump is a master of delusion. 

 

2 hours ago, kimothai said:

I totally disagree with your statement.  Most everybody in Washington thinks the tariffs are a good idea whether or not they admit it.  It's been the left (as you are (I assume)) that have been complaining and calling Trump all kinds of names.  BUT WAIT!  The people that wanted tariffs long, long before Trump came on the scene was the Left and none other than Nancy Pelosi (also Chuck Schumer).  It just took 25 plus years for a great President (Trump) to come along that had the balls to do what no other President wanted or could do.  Thank God for POTUS Trump.  See links:

 

 

Scroll to the end where Schumer is mentioned

 " Most everybody in Washington thinks the tariffs are a good idea whether or not they admit it."

 

So you personally know "most everybody in Washington" ? If so, you really should choose friends that are prepared to stand by their beliefs!!!

[spidermike007]

Most everybody in Washington and on Wall Street, thinks the tariffs are ridiculous, except for the sycophantic republicans in Congress and the Senate.

 

Trump is now in a death spiral and the recent retaliation of China and their 104% tariffs  on the $143 billion in US exports to China, plus the trillions of dollars in goods made in China by US companies, will simply precipitate his downfall and that of MAGA along with him.

 

Just watch and see, this didn't have to happen but he imposed this upon himself and the world, and he's going to pay a tremendous price for his arrogance, his stupidity, and his astonishing level of ignorance about world trade. Bye, bye Don. 

[cardinalblue]

10 hours ago, impulse said:

 

That's the optimism of Americans now that Bidenomics are in the rear view mirror.

 

The US economy and stock market have been booming the last two years....In the last 4 trading days. the US markets have lost over of $6 trillion dollars...never seen such a % drop since the 1929 depression....The super wealthy will continue to travel....With upper and middle classes IRAs being hit hard, people will travel less especially internationally given the chaos and lack of leadership at the top