It will be interesting to see how the world cup will effect Thailand tourism, The world cup this time will be the biggest ever with over 48 countries taking part, spread over America, Mexico and Canada, 

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

It will be interesting to see how the world cup will effect Thailand tourism, The world cup this time will be the biggest ever with over 48 countries taking part, spread over America, Mexico and Canada, 

 

Malaysia, China, Russia and India haven't qualified.

Cheap trash tourists. Thailand needs to stop looking at 'total number of vistors' and cater to how much they oversall spend is. 

 

Stop visa free. 

 

Stop allowing long term stays so easily, and especially without criminal record checks. 

5 hours ago, kinyara said:

 

Malaysia, China, Russia and India haven't qualified.

 

Furthermore no one lets in Indians in visa free other than Thailand. They're coming. Low spenders. 

Welcome to Amazing Thailand were the Baht has shown Amazing strength into high season and the SEA Games.

 

When Trade is down sharply in a couple of months and tax revenue has fallen I'm sure there will be another scheme to attempt to fix the problem 

On 12/10/2025 at 3:18 AM, Georgealbert said:

However, despite the high volume, total arrivals remain 7.19% lower than during the same period in 2024.

Somehow I think they might even struggle to reach that number next year... many tourists seem to be going elsewhere which offer more attractions and easier immigration requirements, plus Thailand isn't as cheap as it once was.

On 12/10/2025 at 11:22 AM, grain said:

Bangkok taxi driver who drove us from BKK to Korat last week told us this is the quietest high season he's seen in recent years, he said very few foreign tourists. I presume he means since the post-pandemic bounce-back. And he mentioned Vietnam a few times, so it seems the average Thai is fully aware that Vietnam is replacing Thailand for many tourists and holiday makers.

Wow. An airport taxi driver saying this is the quietest tourist season for years.

Take photograph. Call the Guiness Book of Records.

 

By my reckoning, that is exactly 624 million Thai taxi drivers that have said exactly the same thing since Portugese explorer Duate Fernadez first heard the words on his visit to Ayatthaya in 1511.

 

1 million a year - singing in chorus - for 624 years.

Wow.

Who would have thought that Thai taxi drivers could ever be so reliable  - about anything?

It's swings and roundabouts with how many tourists are coming to Thailand 

Figures Change  daily 

One minute they are claiming less and next more 

Who do you believe or does it really matter to the person in the street 🤔 

On 12/10/2025 at 3:18 AM, Georgealbert said:

However, despite the high volume, total arrivals remain 7.19% lower than during the same period in 2024.

 

Quite a significant drop that is kind of hard to gloss over when you consider that arrivals in Vietnam are up 20.9% this year!

Just saw this in my Google News feed... 

 

"Thailand’s tourism crisis deepens as arrivals plunge 9.8% amid crime shocks, flooding, border clashes and a surging baht. Confidence is collapsing, Vietnam is racing ahead, and officials admit there is no hope of recovery with just days left in the year (...)"

 

 

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2025/12/10/thailands-foreign-tourism-sector-in-crisis-as-visitor-decline-accelerates-9-8-fewer-arrivals-than-2025

11 hours ago, shackleton said:

It's swings and roundabouts with how many tourists are coming to Thailand 

Figures Change  daily 

One minute they are claiming less and next more 

Who do you believe or does it really matter to the person in the street 🤔 

 

That's just not true. The Tourist Authority of Thailand have consistently said since June that full year numbers would be around 33 million down from a target of 35 million. This is solely due to the shortfall in the Chinese market .

 

I really don't understand why posters such as yourself who presumably follow the same news as me are incapable of grasping the reality of what TAT consistently report.

On 12/10/2025 at 12:43 PM, Ralf001 said:

is Makro typically a tourist destination in Phuket?

Lots of tourists buy food at Makro Rawai.  One of the reasons I don’t like to go there. Too pushy and not polite.  

On 12/10/2025 at 9:51 AM, Celsius said:

 

Because I don't want my wife's permanent residency to go to waste. It was quite a feat to apply for it during covid. Actually she prefers Thailand too, but I think it's always good to have "one more option".

 

If you're in Vancouver keep her away from the East Van temple and other Thai women in general. They really encourage other women to cheat. I was out for lunch with a nurse who showed me a fb group of ten of her friends, all of whom were cheating on their farang husbands. Oh, and my nurse friend paid for our lunch with her older bf's money.  When her PR came through she had me 'land' her and dumped the bf who sponsored her.  I'm not saying that you're in this situation, just advising you to be aware of what is going on in that community. 

On 12/13/2025 at 2:46 AM, LivingNThailand said:

Lots of tourists buy food at Makro Rawai.  One of the reasons I don’t like to go there. Too pushy and not polite.  

I was in there the other morning early and couple of Russian families must have just arrived and by the looks of their trollies staying for a few weeks, 

On 12/11/2025 at 8:28 PM, StayinThailand2much said:

Just saw this in my Google News feed... 

 

"Thailand’s tourism crisis deepens as arrivals plunge 9.8% amid crime shocks, flooding, border clashes and a surging baht. Confidence is collapsing, Vietnam is racing ahead, and officials admit there is no hope of recovery with just days left in the year (...)"

 

 

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2025/12/10/thailands-foreign-tourism-sector-in-crisis-as-visitor-decline-accelerates-9-8-fewer-arrivals-than-2025

Wonder what would happen if Trump decides to raise Thailand to a Level 3