I would think a lot of this would be medical tourism. Just look in any of the major hospitals along Rama IX and even Sukhumvit - there are a lot of MIddle eastern clients now and even the signage is in Arabic and Farsi.

And let's not forget the thousands of Arabs who stay in and around Arab Street in Pattaya for medical treatment so they can be close to...what's the name of that hospital in South Pattaya? You know, close to where all the signs are in Arabic and Farsi...where all the Middle Eastern restaurants are located? So many Arabs that there must be a hospital in there somewhere. Why else why they come to Pattaya?

To be treated for Hepatitis B?

Iranians are not Arabs. Don't forget it. They are a world apart.

This would explain TATs numbers - and this is from last year.

Western nations numbers plummet.

Arab numbers sky rocket.

Arabs now make up 20% of arrivals. Add the Iranians, Indians, Chinese, Balkans and Russians and you have the new face of Thai tourism. I guess you take what you can get no?

The irony is for all these years we have been told how the Backpacker and the old scruffy retiree was the bane of Thai tourism and how Thailand wants (only) "upscale" tourists.

So look what they have now, poor Arabs/Indians on a cheap holiday. Bunch of Iranian kids looking for some ass.

Som nam na

Whoever stated that I have long been prediciting Thailand's demise (but it never comes). It's been in your face for years...

Poor Arabs? The Middle Eastern tourist you see here and tarveling elsewhere around the globe are far from 'poor'.

In Pattaya, I see many frugal Middle Easterners. Go to the area surrounding Sunnee Plaza these days and you will see lots of budget hotels, guesthouses, shisha-poriums, and restaurants catering to Middle Easterners. Yes, often quite young, and often Iranian.

Edited January 14, 201115 yr by Jingthing

If gambling is ever legalised in Thailand we'll be up to our ears in Arabs. One thing is for sure - they'll have to die to get their allotment of virgins 'cos there ain't many in Nana, Cowboy or Pattaya.

On another thread, new TAT numbers put arrivals around 13m. My math off the top of my head was faulty thinking 392,294 was roughly 20+% (of 1.3m). Apologies.

I'm still watching the demise of western tourism though. If you choose to ignore, up to you. I see it in BKK and I see it in the south (although I do not travel in Phuket prov).

It must be really hard for many farangs who tend to think that Thailand only belongs to them when it comes to rest and relaxation. I hope Arab visitors will come to Thailand regularly to replace a large number of disrespectful farang tourists in Thailand. At least, they know how to be have respectfully in a foreign country.

It must be really hard for many farangs who tend to think that Thailand only belongs to them when it comes to rest and relaxation. I hope Arab visitors will come to Thailand regularly to replace a large number of disrespectful farang tourists in Thailand. At least, they know how to be have respectfully in a foreign country.

We discovered on another thread that you have to label comments very clearly:

SATIRE, or SARCASM, as appropriate, or people take them seriously.

In all seriousness,

I think perhaps you meant 'respectably'

I used to often stay in the Grace when I was visiting Thailand, and generally found my Arab neighbours as polite and discreet as you could wish for. But not particualrly interested in culture.

SC

It must be really hard for many farangs who tend to think that Thailand only belongs to them when it comes to rest and relaxation. I hope Arab visitors will come to Thailand regularly to replace a large number of disrespectful farang tourists in Thailand. At least, they know how to be have respectfully in a foreign country.

We discovered on another thread that you have to label comments very clearly:

SATIRE, or SARCASM, as appropriate, or people take them seriously.

In all seriousness,

I think perhaps you meant 'respectably'

I used to often stay in the Grace when I was visiting Thailand, and generally found my Arab neighbours as polite and discreet as you could wish for. But not particualrly interested in culture.

SC

Thank you for pointing out the error in my comment. Yes you are right I wanted to say "respectably". You corrected my mistake in such a respectful way! It is too bad that a lot of your fellow farangs have no clue how to be as tactful as you. Anyway I concur with what you said about the Arabs. Culturally, they might not be as exciting as other societies, but I am sure there are other aspects of their nature that make these people interesting.

30% increase now in 2012. I know because I'm an Arab referral counselor here with some of Bangkok's biggest international hospitals. If you know anyone who needs treatment and would like a counselor to deal with the hospital as a free service, send me a private message or email me at arab[dot]referral (this is a g-mail address).

Katoey's will be busier also ( allegedly )

I bet the Russian mafia is happy, more work for the russian girls they import to Pattaya. We all know that the 'rabs prefer Russian women to thai.

yeah ,tasting some white flesh , helps boost their already inflated ego's,........even if they are paying over the odds ! , and off to McDs for some of the infidels food