Thailand Likely To Lose 400,000-750,000 Foreign Visitors: Flood

[tukkytuktuk]

So mostly Russian and Iranian tourists in Pattaya, eh? Next they'll be getting jobs as English teachers. Whats the world coming to?

[Randee]

Doesn't seem to be affecting Pattaya. I was there recently and the place is packed with Iranian men ,Russian couples and thousands of old single European men sitting at tables looking at Isan girls.

why the disgusted face ?

if you don't like it why do you still go there ?

i spent years and years in the pattaya style and tourist places of Thailand. I'm full and sick of it. I now prefer unspoilt natural and quiet beauty by the beach. There are no tourists where I am now ... bliss. Natural genuine bliss with honesty and no harrassments

a few more mosquitos and intruding insects though ... but I've trained the wall lizards to attack them

where do you find an "unspoilt natural and quiet beach area to live , where there are no bothering tourists. It is certainly an area where i would like to be. I love love the beach but without the jet ski' and rest of the crap...

i've found it and although i would love to share it with you, i don't want to advertise it, else it will become as spoilt as elsewhere ... hope you understand.

apart from the occassional backpacker passing through i'm the only white guy for miles. i've found a bungalow complex off've the main (seriously quiet) road and completely alone from anything. all that lies between my front door and the shoreline is a single track road which a vehicle passes by every 15 minutes but really slowly because they all admire the lovely view - vst expanse of ocean with rocky mountain formations out at sea. i have never found a place so blissfully peaceful - but then again i havent always wanted to.

the bungalows are modern, fully equipped and excellent wifi at 550 a night, i pay 450 on a pay weekly basis. 20% discount!!

only thai over night guests stay here to be by the sea but its so so quiet and peaceful. total escapism, relaxation, beauty, normal peace loving nice locals. so rare are farangs that you have to be used to heads turning to look at you and people staring haha ...

its way down south. if you are interested then private message me and keep it secret please my friend ....

[merlen10002]

TAT pointed out that foreign visitors have either cancelled or delayed their trips to Thailand owing to the enduring image of flooded Don Mueang Airport, the issuance of travel advisory against Thailand by many countries, and rumours of contagious diseases resulting from floods.

Right. The image of Don Mueang flooded is the only reason people are avoiding Thailand. Has nothing to do with the images of flooded Bangkok, Ayutthaya, etc.

Rumors of contagious diseases? Don't think they are rumors.

These people are unreal.

I have not heard of any out breaks of contagious diseases in Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand, maybe it is just wishful thinking on your part, just another Thai phobia person, ????

[Just1Voice]

Thursday night I was driving around Chiang Mai on the bike from around 9:30 to 11:00. I could count the number of western tourists on my hands and not use all my fingers. Mostly saw nothing but Thai going about their business...and business seemed to be slow.

..... and how many bars going out of business?

I don't know about "going out of business", but Chiang Mai Land, which usually has a good crowd with their different karaoke bars looked like a ghost town. Girls all sitting out front doing their nails and talking. Past a few other on the way home, and same thing. No music blaring, all the girls sitting outside to try and attract customers, which were in very short supply.

I've mentioned before, in another forum thread, my wife's cousin is manager of the biggest Thai Umbrella and Parasol company in Chiang Mai. Normally this time of year they are getting at least 1, and sometimes 2, tour buses of a day. They're down to 2, maybe 3 a WEEK now. And even with those, no one is buying anything. Not a good time to be in the tourist industry related business.

[Mosha]

TAT pointed out that foreign visitors have either cancelled or delayed their trips to Thailand owing to the enduring image of flooded Don Mueang Airport, the issuance of travel advisory against Thailand by many countries, and rumours of contagious diseases resulting from floods.

Right. The image of Don Mueang flooded is the only reason people are avoiding Thailand. Has nothing to do with the images of flooded Bangkok, Ayutthaya, etc.

Rumors of contagious diseases? Don't think they are rumors.

These people are unreal.

I have not heard of any out breaks of contagious diseases in Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand, maybe it is just wishful thinking on your part, just another Thai phobia person, ????

Cholera in Ranong

[cboss]

So they will lose tourist. but those that us that are here and like to be tourists are getting no encouragement to stay and spend out Baht. I have heard this week of at least

5 people that have been refused extensions on there Tourists visa at both Laos and Cambodia. So not only are new tourists not coming the ones that are here are being told to go home.

Really they just dont see past the end of the day.

Why are these people applying for extensions to their tourist visas in Laos & Cambodia? Are they applying for new tourist visas, or are there a lot of people who think you need to leave the country to extend them?

you have to go to Laos or Cambodia if your tourist visa expires and you need a new single or double entry visa. you only get one 30 days extension at imagration then its leave the country and apply but these people are getting refused one guy had 2 tourist visas and he got a red stamp saying no more visas.

[tukkytuktuk]

What are the facts for flood related diseases, infections, illnesses. Has the minister of health commentated recently on this topic to reasure people both here and abroad? There has been outbreaks of cholera before and dengue fever has also been a problem before. Stagnent, trash filled, sewage, posionous chemical, polluted water surrounds millions of us. Also if a major airport such as dong muang is shown flooded with water up to the nose cone of a 747 plane on CNN or BBC then of course people will cancel their holidays.

[jamesbrock]

So they will lose tourist. but those that us that are here and like to be tourists are getting no encouragement to stay and spend out Baht. I have heard this week of at least

5 people that have been refused extensions on there Tourists visa at both Laos and Cambodia. So not only are new tourists not coming the ones that are here are being told to go home.

Really they just dont see past the end of the day.

Why are these people applying for extensions to their tourist visas in Laos & Cambodia? Are they applying for new tourist visas, or are there a lot of people who think you need to leave the country to extend them?

you have to go to Laos or Cambodia if your tourist visa expires and you need a new single or double entry visa. you only get one 30 days extension at imagration then its leave the country and apply but these people are getting refused one guy had 2 tourist visas and he got a red stamp saying no more visas.

So you know of 5 people who have been refused additional tourist visas, and not refused extensions... Just trying to clear up what these people were refused.

[silsburyhill]

Nice google ad for the Devils Den on this page.

Classy stuff for a family forum.

What on earth are you on? 'Classy stuff' for this oh so classy 'family' forum'?

Edited November 28, 2011 by silsburyhill

[FOODLOVER]

TAT pointed out that foreign visitors have either cancelled or delayed their trips to Thailand owing to the enduring image of flooded Don Mueang Airport, the issuance of travel advisory against Thailand by many countries, and rumours of contagious diseases resulting from floods.

Right. The image of Don Mueang flooded is the only reason people are avoiding Thailand. Has nothing to do with the images of flooded Bangkok, Ayutthaya, etc.

Rumors of contagious diseases? Don't think they are rumors.

These people are unreal.

I have not heard of any out breaks of contagious diseases in Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand, maybe it is just wishful thinking on your part, just another Thai phobia person, ????

Cholera in Ranong

Really? A confirmed case? Any specifics?

[pisico]

ABSOLUTE FALSEHOOD! To say that Thailand is going to lose 400-700k tourists is a blatant lie. Another on the part of the TAT, and the AOT. They continue to read the daily fax put out by Yingluck, and continue to perpetrate the lies. If Thailand truly gets 1.25 million tourists a year, as they say, and the flooding started in late October, and the peak season is coming next month, how on earth is it possible that Thailand can only lose 400-700k tourists? Who is doing the math? Are they intentionally adding incorrectly, or are they just reading the instructions in the fax? I compute a rock bottom minimum of 2,000,000 tourists lost, and possibly many more. The devastation to the economy is going to be massive. It is only starting to be felt. I have read interview with travel operators, travel agents, and others who reported a cancellation rate of up to 90%. It is nearly impossible to get accurate info overseas. Someone is operating the TAT, and the AOT who has NO IDEA what they are doing, and should not be in that post. It would be relatively easy to engage in a PR campaign, and LET THE WORLD KNOW, what is going on here, and that it is safe and easy to travel here right now. But, are they doing that? Are they getting the word out there? Are they showing ANY DEGREE OF COMPETENCE? No. Yingluck is responsible, but so are all of her underlings.

They do know what they are doing: Propaganda.

Spend millions on marketing campaigns stating half truths (at best) and sucker in tourists that way. That is their MO of many, many years. They have the mind of hawkers in the tourist-trap areas: take them for all you can; anyway, they will never come back to complain!

Do they care about repeat business? They can never look more than 2 months down the road. TAT is full of long time career bureaucrats that cannot think or behave otherwise.

[cboss]

So they will lose tourist. but those that us that are here and like to be tourists are getting no encouragement to stay and spend out Baht. I have heard this week of at least

5 people that have been refused extensions on there Tourists visa at both Laos and Cambodia. So not only are new tourists not coming the ones that are here are being told to go home.

Really they just dont see past the end of the day.

Why are these people applying for extensions to their tourist visas in Laos & Cambodia? Are they applying for new tourist visas, or are there a lot of people who think you need to leave the country to extend them?

you have to go to Laos or Cambodia if your tourist visa expires and you need a new single or double entry visa. you only get one 30 days extension at imagration then its leave the country and apply but these people are getting refused one guy had 2 tourist visas and he got a red stamp saying no more visas.

So you know of 5 people who have been refused additional tourist visas, and not refused extensions... Just trying to clear up what these people were refused.

sorry they were additional tourist visas there original ones had finished and they were applying for new ones. not the standard boarder runs the visit to the thai embassy to get a new visa.

[BinDhumm]

TAT pointed out that foreign visitors have either cancelled or delayed their trips to Thailand owing to the enduring image of flooded Don Mueang Airport, the issuance of travel advisory against Thailand by many countries, and rumours of contagious diseases resulting from floods.

Right. The image of Don Mueang flooded is the only reason people are avoiding Thailand. Has nothing to do with the images of flooded Bangkok, Ayutthaya, etc.

Rumors of contagious diseases? Don't think they are rumors.

These people are unreal.

I have not heard of any out breaks of contagious diseases in Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand, maybe it is just wishful thinking on your part, just another Thai phobia person, ????

Cholera in Ranong

Bulls....! Colera in Ranong? Ranong has no flood problem, nore does it have more than a handful tourists. The mayor is a friend of mine and I called him on this matter at once. He never heard of it. Were is your Information from? Do you mean Rayong?

[Just1Voice]

Basic Facts about TAT and Sports Ministry.

1) If they say tourism is down 10%, you can bet the real figure is more like 20-25%

2) If they say they'll loose 400,000-700,000 thousand, the real figure is more like 2 million.

3) If they say they'll loseB16-19 billion, the real figure is more like 32-38 billion.

4) It's impossible for any government official, especially those in TAT and SM to tell the truth.

5) If there are any outbreaks of contagious diseases, you can bet your last stang they will do anything and everything to cover it up.

6) It's all about "face", not factual truth.

Hey, TIT, so what else would you expect?

[lovetotravel]

I have not heard of any out breaks of contagious diseases in Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand, maybe it is just wishful thinking on your part, just another Thai phobia person, ????

Thailand is my home, has been for some time. No phobia here. As a seasoned traveler, and one who can choose his own destinations, Bangkok would not be on my current top 10 list. Too many other places to go. Maybe not yet, but major problems will probably crop up:

http://www.huffingto..._n_1073523.html

</h1>

<h1 class="title-news entry-title">Thailand Floods 2011: Dirty Water Poses Major Disease Risks

BANGKOK — Samroeng Verravanich wades through the rancid brown water in one of Bangkok's many flooded streets. The garbageman plunges a white-gloved hand into the filth, fishes out a slimy plastic bag and slings it into the red basket he's towing. "If you have cuts, it can create infections between your fingers," Samroeng says of the dirty water, holding out a dripping hand peppered with a red rash. "My hands got infected. It hurts and it spreads too – like a virus."

As Thailand's worst floods in more than half a century continue to creep into Bangkok, mixing with water bubbling up through drains and spilling over canals, many streets have become floating landfills. Plastic bags overflowing with waste and rotten food cling to boats, cars, motorbikes and people as they slowly snake through inundated roadways. Raw sewage and animal carcasses can be seen bobbing in waters ripe for disease.

So I guess this is of no concern?

Skin diseases and fungal infections are the flood's biggest plague so far, with nearly 100,000 cases of athlete's foot reported. Bouts of diarrhea and respiratory infections are also common, especially with many flood victims sheltering in hot, cramped sites that may not have electricity or clean water.

I found this article to be interesting. It's what "could" happen next:

http://www.who.int/h...s/flood_cds/en/

[craigt3365]

Enough with the Pattaya bashing and off topic comments, please. :jap:

[Samuian]

ABSOLUTE FALSEHOOD! To say that Thailand is going to lose 400-700k tourists is a blatant lie. Another on the part of the TAT, and the AOT. They continue to read the daily fax put out by Yingluck, and continue to perpetrate the lies. If Thailand truly gets 1.25 million tourists a year, as they say, and the flooding started in late October, and the peak season is coming next month, how on earth is it possible that Thailand can only lose 400-700k tourists? Who is doing the math? Are they intentionally adding incorrectly, or are they just reading the instructions in the fax? I compute a rock bottom minimum of 2,000,000 tourists lost, and possibly many more. The devastation to the economy is going to be massive. It is only starting to be felt. I have read interview with travel operators, travel agents, and others who reported a cancellation rate of up to 90%. It is nearly impossible to get accurate info overseas. Someone is operating the TAT, and the AOT who has NO IDEA what they are doing, and should not be in that post. It would be relatively easy to engage in a PR campaign, and LET THE WORLD KNOW, what is going on here, and that it is safe and easy to travel here right now. But, are they doing that? Are they getting the word out there? Are they showing ANY DEGREE OF COMPETENCE? No. Yingluck is responsible, but so are all of her underlings.

1.25 million tourists per year? ... I'll assume you meant "per month".

I don't think 90% of tourists will have cancelled their whole trip. There would still be a lot travelling on to Phuket, Chiang Mai, Samui, Pattaya etc. Also, there would be a lot of "tourists" who are living here permanently that are still coming and going. There would probably be a lot of cancellations in Bangkok, particularly business related tourists.

Yeah, there seems to be something wrong with these figures - TiT... it just shows the incredible incompetence of those in "charge", lies, lies, lies as if they make the difference.

[jamesbrock]

sorry they were additional tourist visas there original ones had finished and they were applying for new ones. not the standard boarder runs the visit to the thai embassy to get a new visa.

Suffice it to say, I agree with your point in your original post - one hand doesn't know or care what the other is doing. TAT want more tourists, while individual Immigration officials continue to be completely unreliable, accepting or rejecting applications based in little more than a whim.

[Mosha]

Cholera in Ranong

Really? A confirmed case? Any specifics?

I can't post a link, forum rules as the source isn't allowed. Google Cholera Ranong it's about 4 on the list. Also told by an English speaking friend who is a nurse in Ranong hospital.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Mosha

[Mosha]

Cholera in Ranong

Bulls....! Colera in Ranong? Ranong has no flood problem, nore does it have more than a handful tourists. The mayor is a friend of mine and I called him on this matter at once. He never heard of it. Were is your Information from? Do you mean Rayong?

BS you say, last week I had the shits, I was tested for cholera. The doctor said Ranong has an outbreak. See my previous answer.

[whybother]

I can't post a link, forum rules as the source isn't allowed. Google Cholera Ranong it's about 4 on the list. Also told by an English speaking friend who is a nurse in Ranong hospital.

http://apex.oracle.com/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:674479108843189::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1040,90955

[givenall]

Got to love the photo, used to illustrate this story, which shows tourists checking-in, ie queuing to leave the country.

And didn't the Minister tell everyone, just a short time ago, that the floods had had & would have no effect on tourism ?

You still believe what politician tell you, you must be a mushroom

Edited November 28, 2011 by givenall

[robia6]

In response to the Pattaya bashing:-

It's funny, I don't remember any of the 800,000+ forced evacuees from flooded parts of Bangkok that relocated to Pattaya for the last few weeks/months, moaning about the hospitality and understanding they were kindly shown by the residents here.

Seems Pattaya was good enough then!

Edited November 28, 2011 by robia6

[Atoosa07]

Sex tourist never stop they be coming to Thailand if its a war zone....never mind floods or riots...

Doesn't seem to be affecting Pattaya. I was there recently and the place is packed with Iranian men ,Russian couples and thousands of old single European men sitting at tables looking at Isan girls.

[lovetotravel]

Here's another issue:

[FOODLOVER]

Cholera in Ranong

Really? A confirmed case? Any specifics?

I can't post a link, forum rules as the source isn't allowed. Google Cholera Ranong it's about 4 on the list. Also told by an English speaking friend who is a nurse in Ranong hospital.

Thank you! Hope they handle it better here than in Haiti. 6,600 dead and 500,000 sickened.

[anterian]

You're correct,it IS a nice ad.

Nice google ad for the Devils Den on this page.

Classy stuff for a family forum.

Am I missing out on something by having Google ads blocked?

[whybother]

Am I missing out on something by having Google ads blocked?

Yes. But do you want to read more junk than you are already reading?

[dundee007]

Thursday night I was driving around Chiang Mai on the bike from around 9:30 to 11:00. I could count the number of western tourists on my hands and not use all my fingers. Mostly saw nothing but Thai going about their business...and business seemed to be slow.

you "drove" around your bike thats why you saw less...you should have rode on your bike and could have seen MORE??? just kidding.

[Ricardo]

Doesn't seem to be affecting Pattaya. I was there recently and the place is packed with Iranian men ,Russian couples and thousands of old single European men sitting at tables looking at Isan girls.

You too will one day be old, and still like to look at pretty girls, I suspect ?

Got to love the photo, used to illustrate this story, which shows tourists checking-in, ie queuing to leave the country.

And didn't the Minister tell everyone, just a short time ago, that the floods had had & would have no effect on tourism ?

You still believe what politician tell you, you must be a mushroom

No, I don't believe what the Minister told us, which is why I highlighted the apparent disparity. Lying bar-stewards, to a man (or woman ... in Poster Girl's case).