The number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand over the first eight months of this year went down 14.1 per cent from the same period last year to only 8.9 million, deputy spokesman of the Democrat Party, Atthawit Suwanphakdee, said on Saturday.

Mr Athhawat attributed the declining to impacts of the Songkran riots by the anti-government red-shirts in April and the pandemic of the A (H1N1) flu virus.

However, he was confident that the situation of the tourism sector will improve in the fourth quarter of the year as the number of foreign arrivals is increasing.

-- Bangkok Post 26/09/09

All things considered, i dont think 14.1% drop was all that bad.

All things considered, i dont think 14.1% drop was all that bad.

I'd have to agree with you there.

together with the economic meltdown kicking in after last year's figures ... Duh

The number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand over the first eight months of this year went down 14.1 per cent from the same period last year to only 8.9 million, deputy spokesman of the Democrat Party, Atthawit Suwanphakdee, said on Saturday.

Mr Athhawat attributed the declining to impacts of the Songkran riots by the anti-government red-shirts in April and the pandemic of the A (H1N1) flu virus.

However, he was confident that the situation of the tourism sector will improve in the fourth quarter of the year as the number of foreign arrivals is increasing.

-- Bangkok Post 26/09/09

Hmmm...so, foreign tourists decided NOT to go to Thailand due to those 2 reasons?

The vast majority of tourists from western countries didn't even have a clue about Songkran riots in April, let alone that a single tourist didn't go to Thailand because of the A(H1N1) flu.

No mentioning of the worldwide crisis ?

Hmmmm...

And, the 14,1 % decline; who told the esteemed spokesman of the Democratic Party...an early Santa Claus ? Why isn't there any news about that number and only him knows about it ?

LaoPo

Edited September 26, 200916 yr by LaoPo

All things considered, i dont think 14.1% drop was all that bad.

You have to remember that these numbers include multiple arrivals by people that are not really "tourists" per se. Without seeing the breakdown, it is hard to tell how bad arrivals are really down with tourists that are utilizing the traditional tourism services. For instance, there is a big difference between a Malaysian guy popping across the border every month for a night of fun (12 arrivals) and a Brit that comes once a year for a couple of weeks at the beach (1 arrival). That one Brit arrival is worth more in tourism dollars than the 12 Malaysian arrivals.

Everyone i speak to in buisness says its a disaster ,hardly any spending tourists, two friends who have good bars ,now just hanging on.

14.1 yes and the rest.