Battered Tourism Sector Seeks Urgent Government Help

[jumparound]

Ha ha ha loving it what goes around comes around

[craig123]

It doesnt surprise me at all.. The way tourists get constantly ripped off and treat like dogs by the police, taxi drivers and anyone else who can see the chance to make a quick buk!

They must have seen this coming a mile off!! No sympathy

Battered tourism sector seeks urgent government help

BANGKOK: -- Amid a sharp drop in tourist arrivals to Thailand, the country's tourism agencies were alarmed and strongly urging the government to provide urgent measures to rescue the beleaguered industry.

Tosaporn Thepbutr, deputy-chairman of Committee on Tourism and Sports, said the Association of Domestic Travel (ADT), the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA) and Thailand-Japan Tourism Promotion Association on Tuesday submitted a complaint letter to the committee.

They charged that although the government had announced tourism as a national priority, to date no concrete measures have been implemented by concerned-agencies to boost the country's tourism industry. So the premier himself should intervene to resolve the problems.

Thailand's tourist arrivals sharply drop to a critical level, Mr. Tosaporn said, in June alone, the number of tourist arrivals has dropped from 165,000 in the same period of 2008, to 27,000 in 2009 due to the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak, or 33.45 per cent year-on-year.

Mr. Tosaporn said that with the falling number of tourist arrivals from almost every nation, except from Iran and Hong Kong, the earlier estimated arrival levels of 11 million tourists projected by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will be unlikely to achieve the target.

"The causes of the sharp drop in tourist arrivals are attributed to the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in November and December, and recent domestic political turmoil, combined with the current outbreak of the H1N1 flu," Mr. Tosaporn said.

-- TNA 2009-06-17

[LeungKen]

2009-06-17 11:36:02

By my estimation, this thread is traveling at about 60 posts per hour and may even get faster due to it's content.

I wonder if The Nation And the Bangkok Post are watching it ?

[baht&sold]

Airports of Thailand posts -22.21% fall in international passengers for May as political disruption hurts tourism

Source: ©The Moodie Report By Martin Moodie 15/06/09 (Article Link)

THAILAND. Airports of Thailand suffered a -22.21% fall in international passenger numbers in May compared with the same month last year, it announced today.

Airports of Thailand operates six international airports – Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, plus Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Chiang Rai. It handled 2,252,571 international passengers (embarking, disembarking and transit) in May.

The poor May figures are linked to the political instability in the country which has hit tourism hard, plus the global financial crisis and the Influenza A(H1N1). It has been a bad year for travel and tourism in Thailand with year-on-year monthly international traffic falls of -17.97% in January, -21.15% in February, -15.47% in March and -12.91% in April. For the first five months, international traffic was down by -17.93% year-on-year.

Most of the country’s international traffic is through Bangkok (mainly Suvarnabhumi). The capital’s airports posted a -22.02% fall in international passenger traffic in May to 2,117,383.

For the first five months, Bangkok’s airports suffered a -17.81% decline in international passengers.

The Thai government is working hard to stimulate the troubled tourism industry. It has given the Tourism Authority of Thailand THB1.4 billion (US$41 million) to revive tourism in the second half of 2009. Some 40% of the funding will be aimed at the domestic market and the rest at foreign visitors.

[sprq]

How does 165000 to 27000 equate to a 33.45% drop? Even if this statistic was meant to be a drop "OF" 27000, it does not add up. This is wildly wrong or else I an misinterpreting "year on year".......

Anyone?

I think they missed a 1 out, 127,000 + 33%=168,910 nearer the mark.

You're calculating the wrong way round and still you don't get a sensible figure.

The fact is that the Thai reporters write up stories without thinking much about them, particularly where figures are involved. They just copy down what they are told and uncritically put it out, either never seeing discrepancies or afraid to question discrepancies if they do see them.

It all comes out of the education system of wrote learning and copying and the hierarchical face-saving social system where you don't question anyone or anything for fear of retribution. That's the only way I can explain such dumbness as you see here.

[siamjimi]

Thailand's tourist arrivals sharply drop to a critical level, Mr. Tosaporn said, in June alone, the number of tourist arrivals has dropped from 165,000 in the same period of 2008, to 27,000 in 2009 due to the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak, or 33.45 per cent year-on-year.

-- TNA 2009-06-17

So, 165,000 down to 27,000. That's a 138,000 less tourists....that's an 83.6% drop from 2008 to 2009. They got bigger tourism problems than they'll report. They better keep that rice exportation industry a float.

DO YOU THINK THEY WILL RECOGNIZE OUR PLACE HERE

OR WILL THEY CONTINUE TO TREAT US AS ONLY VISITORS

THEY RELY HEAVILY ON A TOURIST INDUSTRY THAT THEY SHUN DAY AFTER DAY

BUT NOW THEY ARE CRYING AND DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO

MAYBE A FEW LESSONS IN LONGEVITY FOR THE TOURISTS AND RESIDENT FARANGS AS WELL

[h90]

The TAT could ask any foreigner in Thailand for constructive ways to increase the number of tourists. This would appear to be the start of a gradual decline in Thailand's popularity as a tourist destination. In this region alone Vietnam, Malaysia, even Indonesia are becoming more and more attractive. Add to that the number of expats leaving Thailand for countries who make them feel welcome and thailand has big problems ahead.

Those responsible don't seem to understand the dynamics of the tourism industry. More detrimental in the long term are the problems in Thailand itself: corruption, scamming, xenophobia, dual pricing, pollution, violent crime, extortion, visa regulations, nightlife, political unrest, personal safety, Thais mai pen rai attitude. The list goes on and all of these have been raised repeatedly in the media for years without any attempt to improve matters by officials supposedly responsible.

It wil be far harder and costlier to lure back tourists than it would have been to keep those coming here happy. Land Of Smiles ? Not for much longer. BTW, has that former TAT governor had her day in court yet ?

I think the last drunk Sexpat in Pattaya has a better understanding about Tourism than any of their specialists.

Ban dual pricing

copy the visa regulations from any other country

make a unit of Farang police who hunts scammer

I think the planning could be done in not more than 2 days.

To fix the worst problems would need not more than 2 month.

[marsteele]

Airports of Thailand posts -22.21% fall in international passengers for May as political disruption hurts tourism

Source: ©The Moodie Report By Martin Moodie 15/06/09 (Article Link)

THAILAND. Airports of Thailand suffered a -22.21% fall in international passenger numbers in May compared with the same month last year, it announced today.

Airports of Thailand operates six international airports – Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, plus Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Chiang Rai. It handled 2,252,571 international passengers (embarking, disembarking and transit) in May.

The poor May figures are linked to the political instability in the country which has hit tourism hard, plus the global financial crisis and the Influenza A(H1N1). It has been a bad year for travel and tourism in Thailand with year-on-year monthly international traffic falls of -17.97% in January, -21.15% in February, -15.47% in March and -12.91% in April. For the first five months, international traffic was down by -17.93% year-on-year.

Most of the country's international traffic is through Bangkok (mainly Suvarnabhumi). The capital's airports posted a -22.02% fall in international passenger traffic in May to 2,117,383.

For the first five months, Bangkok's airports suffered a -17.81% decline in international passengers.

Thai government is working hard to stimulate the troubled tourism industry. It has given the Tourism Authority of Thailand THB1.4 billion (US$41 million) to revive tourism in the second half of 2009. Some 40% of the funding will be aimed at the domestic market and the .

this will be recouped by increasing the prices of visa's and taxes on tourists and then they will ask why hasn't our policies worked we increased prices and taxes and the tourists still don't come. ok we have to increase again and again untill they come to thier senses and start coming again

[StevieH]

I think the last drunk Sexpat in Pattaya has a better understanding about Tourism than any of their specialists.

Ban dual pricing

copy the visa regulations from any other country

make a unit of Farang police who hunts scammer

I think the planning could be done in not more than 2 days.

To fix the worst problems would need not more than 2 month.

again, all of these things are specific to people who live here. they are not the things which are putting off the farang who want a fortnight on the beach.

[samuidave]

A 'state' in a state of absolute and complete denial. Try addressing the rampant and unrepentant racism, the insidious corruption, and the continual legal uncertainty which is buttressed with enforcement on a whim.

Swine flu? A closed airport?? What a complete and utter joke!

those aren't reasons that tourism is down, they're just things that piss you off because you live here.

the closed airport, the riots in bangkok, the ongoing political instability and thailand's inability to market its tourist industry effectively to foreigners, especially at a time of global credit crunch, are.

the world is on its financial arse, people still need holidays. thailand's government should be making it easier and more attractive to come here rather than more difficult, expensive and prohibitive.

You are right.

But pissing expats off certainly isn't going to be helping the best and cheapest form of advertising -- word of mouth.

[tischmibkk]

Swine flu as cause for low tourism numbers....that would mean that nobody in the world is traveling anymore.

I think those tourism associations better send letters to PAD and red shirt (UD...whatever they are called) coz they messed up most parts of it. Besides, the constant scamming and treating foreigners like shit which was mentioned above.

I kinda enjoy seeing Thailand in this situation although I live here. Maybe they gotta get back to rice farming for a decade before they understand that you can't mess around with foreigners and international investors over a period of 3 years when your country is relying on tourism and foreign investment.

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!

[hilly]

Whilst I agree with most of the above reasons I feel it runs deeper than this.

There seems to be no coordination between the various agencies in Thailand who all have their own agenda.

Take the cleaning of the streets to eradicate the flu virus which has been all over the news lately. A total an utter waste of time and money (the virus cant live outside it's host anyway I understand) that brings a nice bit of publicity to the tourists attention. Who thought of this numbskull idea? This was laughed about on a UK TV show a night or so ago I am told.BTW two days ago they cleaned Walking Street in Pattaya for the same reason.

The there is the mini war in the South that most tourists wont understand is not even in a tourist area anyway. Lots more overseas publicity to scare the toursist off. The list of publicity gags that the agencies instigate here is endless.

Until Thailand gets it's various agencies all working for the common good then Thailand is going to continue to take publicity hits that will damage the tourist industry IMHO.

[Metalgear]

Thai people will come to their senses sooner or later, just that having face, ego and vanity is so important to them that it blurs out logic for them. When they have no choice, they will soon figure it out.......its about time they come to realise that under the present circumstances, being extremely nationalistic, radically patriotic and only see things around them within the borders of their country will hinder their progress and make them a poorer nation. Its the poor education and the gap between the rich and poor that fuels the super egoistic society of Thailand today.

[ParadiseLost]

My guess is their numbers are a bit screwed:- the government 'cracked down' on border runs (which were previously included in tourist arrival figures), so obviously they have succeeded in reducing the number of arrivals. Tourist numbers have been overinflated for a long time.

Worldwide tourism is down; the credit crisis has lead to the loss of 'wealth' for the sector most likely to fill the top-dollar resorts and hotels. Backpacker resorts are actually busier here on KPG.

Prices in baht are more expensive as currencies such as USD EUR and AUD have lost value but the Thai prices are still comparable to (or higher than) before. GBP rate is ridiculous now effectively increasing the cost of a holiday by 30-40% in one year. To attract visitors and investment at a bad time surely they should lower the price of baht.

Just to further shoot themselves in the proverbial foot, as soon as business started to taper off resorts try to achieve the same results by increasing charges, or offering less for the same price.

[blackopsnz]

Please people you are all jumping the gun here; government officials are taking our advice very seriously, the Pattaya Police have set up operations to incourage xpats to stay and pass on the good word of how Pattay is the only place to holaday in Thailand.

Please check the link to the article: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Police-Scam-...ay-t273428.html

[oldexp]

My 10p of quick fixes:

60 Day Entry free tourist visa regardless of how you enter the country.

Ability to renew a tourist visa for 30/60 days (for a fee of 2000/4000 baht - the cost of an average visa run) without leaving the country ...

Devaluation of the baht so that the exchange rate against GBP gets back to 65-70 (and similar vs other currencies). This would stimulate tourism and exports.

A positive PR campaign (with TAT using foreign marketing expertise and consultancy) to promote Thailand properly against the ever-increasing global and regional competition. And I don't mean a new national cocktail lol.

Ability for farang to get 30 year lease (renewable by non-revokable law) for 1 rai of land for personal use.

Simplification of the work permit process.

my 2p:

even I agree with most of your statements I cannot agree to the often heard "exchange-rate" thing. That the UK governement messed up the £ is really not Thailands fault. Nor is it Thailands fault that the US and EU did the same.

[mango66]

Airports of Thailand posts -22.21% fall in international passengers for May as political disruption hurts tourism

Source: ©The Moodie Report By Martin Moodie 15/06/09 (Article Link)

THAILAND. Airports of Thailand suffered a -22.21% fall in international passenger numbers in May compared with the same month last year, it announced today.

Airports of Thailand operates six international airports – Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, plus Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Chiang Rai. It handled 2,252,571 international passengers (embarking, disembarking and transit) in May.

The poor May figures are linked to the political instability in the country which has hit tourism hard, plus the global financial crisis and the Influenza A(H1N1). It has been a bad year for travel and tourism in Thailand with year-on-year monthly international traffic falls of -17.97% in January, -21.15% in February, -15.47% in March and -12.91% in April. For the first five months, international traffic was down by -17.93% year-on-year.

Most of the country's international traffic is through Bangkok (mainly Suvarnabhumi). The capital's airports posted a -22.02% fall in international passenger traffic in May to 2,117,383.

For the first five months, Bangkok's airports suffered a -17.81% decline in international passengers.

The Thai government is working hard to stimulate the troubled tourism industry. It has given the Tourism Authority of Thailand THB1.4 billion (US$41 million) to revive tourism in the second half of 2009. Some 40% of the funding will be aimed at the domestic market and the rest at foreign visitors.

And for what really the money will be spend ?

To compensate the loss to friends - of -------- we know !

But nothing real to promote or improve !

Have you seen any improve in Visa regulation past 10 years ?

I like LOS !

But not that whats political going on in this country

corruption and cheating !

What is with this 16 cases aginst Thaksin ?

15s are dropped, for the price that he will be quiet now !

Thats propably te deal done,

valid till next election !

[siamjimi]

Please people you are all jumping the gun here; government officials are taking our advice very seriously, the Pattaya Police have set up operations to incourage xpats to stay and pass on the good word of how Pattay is the only place to holaday in Thailand.

Why is Pattaya the best destination and what does that have to do with overall correction of the plight of Thailand and the relationship to tourism

I actually tell my friends intending to visit Thailand to steer clear of Pattaya - the beach is filthy and the touts are horrendous and the vendors will cuss you

that is not a good place to promote tourism - its a sexual tourists playground and shows all the signs of decay

[asiawatcher]

I don't know how you come up with your conclusions Capealava... I just returned from a visit to Los Angeles where countless friends asked me what was up over there. They stated that based on what they'd seen in the news the last couple of months, they wouldn't want to come here with the threat of insane red mobs roaming the streets, pillaging and burning. A few did they mention the airport closure but when I questioned them further, most said that it seemed a major inconvenience & something to certainly avoid, but hardly a life threatening danger which is what the brainless red shirt morons accomplished. They instilled the fear of coming here based on bodily harm. All of these pea-brain protesters, red and yellow should be prohibited from gathering at all costs. As George Carlin once said, "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups". Nice going all you Hillbillies!

Xenophobic Yellow shirts caused the biggest damage when they shut down Suvarnabhumi. 300,000 travelers stranded- uncountable problems caused to those stranded. Foreign Minister Kasit thought is was 'FUN". They brought it on themselves. Kasit should be dumped to show the real change in Thailand's thinking. Red Shirts did not target tourist specically -Yellow and Kasit did.

Give me a break - Red Shirt, Yellow and Blue - all idiots - all good for the tourism - but let's not forget the Red Shirts placing gas bottles with cans of petrol. Where I come from they would have all got a bullet in the brain - but oh! Not in Thailand. Send the message to the tourists - you can do what you like here and mob rule - let's all come to Thailand - no - I don't think so! - With this weeks beheadings of passive teachers and monks in the South - forget the damned politics of this country - look inside yourselves to restore sanity. Only then will you become the land of smiles - but by now - down to 27,000? You left your run too late...

[Able]

The freinds and family that have cancelled their visits to us this year all seem to come down to the same bottom line:

It's too expensive for us at the moment.

It's as simple as that guys.

[MyphuketLife]

BS, total and utter BS...

Lets see could it have to do with in no order:

• 3 different airport closers
  
• mass protests
  
• closing of asian summit
  
• armored vehicles on the streets
  
• roits
  
• police / army shooting at roiters (even if they were blanks)
  
• imigration hastling and even arresting tourists
  
• police arresting "barmat Mum"
  
• dirty police
  
• taxi scams
  
• tuk tuk scams
  
• dual pricing hotels
  
• dual pricing food
  
• national parks dual pricing
  
• poor exchange rate
  
• never ending visa rules changes
  
• Tourist police that don't help tourists
  
• the maiben ria attitude
  
• poor service standards
  
• polution
  
• bombs in the south
  
• tourist on buses being robbed by the dam_n driver/crew, waiking up on the side of the road, crew missing and all their stuff.
  

The list goes on and on, and SWINE flue would have to rank at the bottom

[fiddlehead]

If the Thai government remains true to form, they'll see this report and simply change the visa upon arrival length to 7 days.

[fred007]

Again, their math does not stack up, nor is there much that can be done at this late stage.

It will simply improve with the passing of time.

BR>Jack

Just want to add it would also help to treat us that have been living here for several years

and been spending Millions of Baht to support their economy not to treat us as second or 3rd

class citizens. My wife and family are lovely but really THE BOYS in BKK suck

I Second that motion here here.

[asiawatcher]

The freinds and family that have cancelled their visits to us this year all seem to come down to the same bottom line:

It's too expensive for us at the moment.

It's as simple as that guys.

Thai way- raise the prices to cover the losses - tourists down by 85% - let's just double the prices to the Farang?

[kaotang]

How abt starting with a change to the visa on arrival to 60 days instead of the ridiculous 15 days?

[tijnebijn]

My guess is their numbers are a bit screwed:- the government 'cracked down' on border runs (which were previously included in tourist arrival figures), so obviously they have succeeded in reducing the number of arrivals. Tourist numbers have been overinflated for a long time.

Worldwide tourism is down; the credit crisis has lead to the loss of 'wealth' for the sector most likely to fill the top-dollar resorts and hotels. Backpacker resorts are actually busier here on KPG.

Prices in baht are more expensive as currencies such as USD EUR and AUD have lost value but the Thai prices are still comparable to (or higher than) before. GBP rate is ridiculous now effectively increasing the cost of a holiday by 30-40% in one year. To attract visitors and investment at a bad time surely they should lower the price of baht.

Just to further shoot themselves in the proverbial foot, as soon as business started to taper off resorts try to achieve the same results by increasing charges, or offering less for the same price.

I agree mostly with this post . One thing though , you can't ask Thailand to lower the baht value ( although it would help a lot ) , because it depends on many other factors influenced by the bank of Thailand , Gouverner Tarisa should be replaced

for a more liberal one .....But what the tourism sector can do is to push and try to influence the powers of immigration ,

because they can't talk the baht down they should take the fees down and get rid of the policies which are in place , to

attract back the tourists and longterm visitors who have lost alot in the value of their home currencies .

I have no doubt that a lot of retirees and former retirees to Thailand would come and stay longterm if the financial requirements were eased , a win win for both parties .

By the way thai immigration and tourism officials do read Thaivisa , but not sure if they will change any of their thinking though ...

[Phuketian]

"Association of Domestic Travel (ADT), the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA) and Thailand-Japan Tourism Promotion Association"

Interesting to note that only one of the agencies quoted has a market that significantly contributes serious cash to the industry. The Chinese come over to visit family and do business and the domestic tourist is frankly poor. Only the Japanese agency has any merit.

Yet again we read however that the tourist board is launching a major push to attract the Chinese market. Whoopee doo, lets target people who have no money! I bet many of the TAT folks who go on these jollies have relatives in China, but I'd never suggest that this is the reason for the almost annual assaults on that market.

The ineffectiveness of the tourism board in Thailand has long exasperated foreign businessmen in Thailand, however when I mooted the idea that several of the bigger companies and hotels in Phuket should get together a budget and market the island for themselves, I got no responses, sad.

What I would like to hear more of in these difficult times is that in fact there has never been a better time to come to Phuket/ Thailand. Air fares from the UK as low 350 quid, hotels beating themselves for your business and seriously competitive drink and food pricing means the place is an absolute steal right now. Can we all start telling our friends please.

[Leeski]

Again, their math does not stack up, nor is there much that can be done at this late stage.

It will simply improve with the passing of time.

BR>Jack

Just want to add it would also help to treat us that have been living here for several years

and been spending Millions of Baht to support their economy not to treat us as second or 3rd

class citizens. My wife and family are lovely but really THE BOYS in BKK suck

SPOT ON! Working and living here 15 years you would think they would give me some right to being above second or 3rd

class citizens. But sadly, that will not happen under the present administration. My faith is now in my descendants, Eurasians kids, four to be precise, who may see the changes and be apart of what we all want. Those expats that truly "love" Thailand. We hear many comments from visitors, so called ex pats, saying they live in Thailand. Some of us who have truly lived in Thailand, will have their day. They certainly cannot sustain this present political xenophobic attitude. The Thai's that consider us as mobile atm's, let's hope they learn from what's happening now, how visitors conceive Thailand. We know it has been passed down from past generations that have seen two foreign wars here taking advantage of the situation. Mother's with abuse issues, being passed down to their daughters. Welcome to a big can of worms. Those same mixed up women, adult bodies, infant mentality, meeting mixed up farang. But change is going to come. Who would of thought that a "Geordie" would be premier and sit on the hot seat. If Thaksin wasn't such a huge topic, on all his business dealings, then Man City may still have a Thai business man still on the board and possibly a "geordie" former Etonian, former premier of Thailand. As a major shareholder of Newcastle United.

But let's look at this current situation they're now "reaping what they sowed"..........I love Thailand. Some of the people in it, I can live without!!!

[BAZZAT]

not to be funny but they must have seen this coming? and i'd imagine that swine 'flu has sod all to do with it.

We have all seen it coming unless people are really dim the main factor is the good ol Baht and its not only tourist its thai workers as well

Edited June 17, 2009 by BAZZAT

[tijnebijn]

How abt starting with a change to the visa on arrival to 60 days instead of the ridiculous 15 days?

They should adopt Malaysia's policies instead .

Two months on land and 3 months by air .......

If they don't like visa runs from people trying to stay longterm using it as a loophole ,

they should try to make longterm visas easier to apply , people under their fifties for example .

Ask whatever they want for financial requirements , so long its fair value , if they do not want crooks ,

ask for a statement they don't have a criminal past if they have , bad luck for those , but the genuine good people

will come and spend in Thailand forever .....