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2012 Golden Year of Thai tourism

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Dec 28 – Inbound tourists to Thailand hit a historic record of almost 22 million persons this year, generating at least Bt900 billion (US$30 billion), a prominent Thai tourism industry leader said today.

Piyamarn Techapaibul, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), described 2012 as the 'golden year' for Thailand’s tourism industry as circulating revenue from local tourists has also increased to Bt500 billion (US$17 billion).

She said that political stability and the increasing popularity of tourist attractions in Thailand have contributed to the tourism boom, while the ongoing Sino-Japanese conflict has diverted travellers from both countries to Thailand.

Number one ranked in numbers of visitors to Thailand this year is from China with 2.5 million travellers. Russia placed second with one million visitors, while India, South Korea and Japan each produced almost one million people from each country.

She said the Tourism and Sports Ministry will be asked to plan a strategy to wider tourist attractions from the traditional locations in the North and beach resorts on the Andaman Coast to other potential areas such as provinces along the Gulf of Thailand.

Ms Piyamarn said the TCT has also targeted extending foreign tourists’ average five-day stay in Thailand to six days and increasing their daily spending of Bt3,000 (US$100) per person to Bt5,000 (US$170).

According to the plan--expected in the next three years--room rates in Thailand, currently the cheapest in Asia, must be adjusted while locally made merchandise should be redesigned to attract Asian tourists.

She urged the government to the lower import tax on luxury goods to make Thailand more competitive with destinations such as Hong Kong and Singapore. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-12-28

[MaxLee]

Has anybody heard about the term LIAR LIAR PAID UNDER THE TABLE

[sjjmmi]

Has anybody heard about the term LIAR LIAR PAID UNDER THE TABLE

[lemoncake]

Man, this is getting beyond joke.

2 weeks ago- 24 million

few days ago 22.8 million

today almost 22million

Do the "usual suspects" still want to argue that the stats are correct? and if you do, please state which one is correct? the 24 or 22.8 or 22?

Its been the worst year for sure for the past 3.

[rfukata]

"plan--expected in the next three years--room rates in Thailand, currently the cheapest in Asia, must be adjusted."

yes, the hotel room rates are lower now compared to other Asian cities but raising the rates may prove detrimental as overall Thai standards

needs to conform with the changes and tourist may compare values of each Asian countries pricing. Also, is Ms. Piyamarn going to adjust

rates on local travelers as well or keep a double tier system?

[bigbamboo]

Not sure how the incumbent administration pressing for the possible execution of the Leader of the Opposition shows political stability but this was the year of miracles in Thailand after all.

Edited December 28, 2012 by bigbamboo

[lemoncake]

According to the plan--expected in the next three years--room rates in Thailand, currently the cheapest in Asia, must be adjusted while locally made merchandise should be redesigned to attract Asian tourists.

Perhaps she has never been to Cambodia where you can get rooms for $8

Also she may not be aware that people come to Thailand because its cheap, if the prices would be the same as the rest of the world, people would be going other destinations where at least there is some protection for the tourists and some standards are enforced.

[thomash]

This should be called propaganda not news!

[philw]

Chiangmai is packed out and looks like 100% hotel occupancy.

[jbrain]

Chiangmai is packed out and looks like 100% hotel occupancy.

Nice to know. Since there are 12 months/365 days in a year and we are now at the high of the high season, could also report if the same occupation existed approx 2 weeks ago and if you think will be the same 1 week from now.

[DrFloyd]

Blah,Blah.Blah

[bigbamboo]

Chiangmai is packed out and looks like 100% hotel occupancy.

That's true...... and the majority of the visitors are from Bangkok.

[lizardtongue]

Fact is that the Thai 'high season' is only a few months long after that the tourist industry is more or less just ticking over, I cant see where those figures come from?

[Soi Sauce]

government lies,

government agencies print it.

I will solve the traffic problem in 6 monrhs

When are we gonna start realising that these people are our employees?

Our taxes pay their wages. so why do we listen to this stuff and not tell them we are their bosses?,

I got stopped by police in white gloves, which we bought, coz an employee of mine wanted a motorcade?

Edited December 28, 2012 by Soi Sauce

[DocN]

Ooooooooh shut up already!

How many more of these articles do we need to read?

Even IF the numbers and statements were correct and even IF no one would identify this as pure propaganda: how many articles like this did we have in the last 2 weeks?

One every day?

[draftvader]

Chiangmai is packed out and looks like 100% hotel occupancy.

That's true...... and the majority of the visitors are from Bangkok.

Everybody at my kid's school, that wasn't traveling internationally, was spending Christmas in Chiang Mai or Hua Hin. Whatever the deal it is still good news for those cities, I'm sure they don't care where the B comes from!

[MaxLee]

government lies,

government agencies print it.

I will solve the traffic problem in 6 monrhs

When are we gonna start realising that these people are our employees?

Our taxes pay their wages. so why do we listen to this stuff and not tell them we are their bosses?,

I got stopped by police in white gloves, which we bought, coz an employee of mine wanted a motorcade?

Government pays the news agencies under the table, and probably threatened them behind loses doors with a gun at their heads to write something that saves Thailand's face for the high season…

[lemoncake]

Ooooooooh shut up already!

How many more of these articles do we need to read?

Even IF the numbers and statements were correct and even IF no one would identify this as pure propaganda: how many articles like this did we have in the last 2 weeks?

One every day?

Even if they need to run it daily, at least stick to the same figures. I can understand margin error"s of 1-3% certainly not a million people errors

[moe666]

Lets see Chinese number 1 in arrivals arrive on package spend very little money locally, India number 2 they share 1 coke with 4 or 5 guys.

[clockman]

As Dylan said, I can see throgh you like i can see through the water that runs down my drain!

[Naam]

most interesting comments and nearly all belonging to the category "Thailand's economy is going down the drain, the Baht will fall vs <insert currency of your choice> and we will again be living happily ever after".

[kutjebu]

Chiangmai is packed out and looks like 100% hotel occupancy.

Same for Huahin and Cha-am.

[kutjebu]

most interesting comments and nearly all belonging to the category "Thailand's economy is going down the drain, the Baht will fall vs <insert currency of your choice> and we will again be living happily ever after".

Keep dreaming

[upena]

This is the UNWTO definition of tourism that Thailand uses - "Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes."

How many visa runners are counted again and again, how many day laborers, how many in-transit, how many businessmen....

[spidermike007]

Koh Samui is dreadfully slow now. Worst "peak season" in perhaps the last 10 years. But, it has alot to do with the late rainy season, and the ridiculous 100 hour power outage, than anything else. Samui may suffer for a long time, from the lack of governmental support, and the poor infrastructure there. It is a shame, but may be good for tourists, and ex-pats in the long run, as the local desire to make Samui a high end destination may be postponed for some time.

[spidermike007]

government lies,

government agencies print it.

I will solve the traffic problem in 6 monrhs

When are we gonna start realising that these people are our employees?

Our taxes pay their wages. so why do we listen to this stuff and not tell them we are their bosses?,

I got stopped by police in white gloves, which we bought, coz an employee of mine wanted a motorcade?

Government pays the news agencies under the table, and probably threatened them behind loses doors with a gun at their heads to write something that saves Thailand's face for the high season…

No, they simply operate with their normal high degree of censorship, in this "near democracy". Press without borders recently rated Thailand in the 80's, and the next country after Thailand was Kasakhstan. So you figure it out. Believe the numbers coming from any government agency at your own peril. The posts about thailand declining if the prices rise too high are accurate. People come here because it is a good deal. Take that away, and not sure people will tolerate the scams, and terribly ineffective government agencies, and lack of consumer safeguards, and tourist protection policies.

[alant]

Chiangmai is packed out and looks like 100% hotel occupancy.

Busy but not overseas visitors is how it looks to me, there are a lot of Bangkok numberplates around

[TheGhostWithin]

Chinese worldwide travel, arrive and are picked up like sheep for the most part by their tour guides (a Chinese national typically). They are transported to a Chinese owned hotel, and go to eat at Chinese restaurants hidden in with all the Sino Thais in Yaowarat - one of the most expensive places to dine in a restaurant in Bangkok.

The next day, they take a tour bus owned by a chinese company, and. Egin their tour of Thailand, stopping in at pre-determined Chinese owned businesses.

The chinese come to Thailand, but they never SEE Thailand. I feel sad for them being screwed by their own countrymen in the name of racism and greed.

[ozziebloke]

How did all these TV posters become experts in every facit of Thailand ? From the Chinese tourist market to all the corruption in politics, All the scams that happen in all the tourist spots. The BIB, you name it! If you need an expert who knows just get onto TV

[MaxLee]

How did all these TV posters become experts in every facit of Thailand ? From the Chinese tourist market to all the corruption in politics, All the scams that happen in all the tourist spots. The BIB, you name it! If you need an expert who knows just get onto TV

The ethnic Chinese who immigrated Thailand along with their wealth from long long ago, made that network of corruption and feudalistic family nepotism start, I'm so ashamed of my ethnic origins…