21 Million Tourists, And Still Counting: Thailand

[chiangmaikelly]

I did my 90 day report yesterday. Normally I just go in and straight up to the window. This year there has been a wait every time. Yesterday I was #40 and #23 was being served when I got there. Airplane arrivals are up from last year. The GDP is up, the Stock Exchange of Thailand is up 36%. Central mall in Pattaya is packed every day I go. The big Japanese restaurant in Rayong has a waiting list every time I go. All the economists are reporting positive about Thailand. The only place one reads anything negative about Thailand is on Thai Visa.

You know, Chiangmaikelly might just be right.

Everything seems to be going so swimmingly just now what with the amazing economic data he refers to that it would be a shame to mess with it. Let's have no more silly coloured shirts, no more politicians who spend more time in court that in parliament and no more Mr T. PM Yingluck is obviously the nation's saviour' and maybe her feng shue initiative has created the Miracle Thailand we were promised after all.

I did not just fall off taro truck big boy.

[pattayadingo]

The amount of Korean and other Asian tourists does seem to have increased from what I have seen. Yet they whiz past in some big coach onto some hotel / resort or other.

In Pattaya along Arunothai we often see Koreans walking along in groups of a bout 10 people. They never seem to stop in any bars but they do purchase food from the street vendors. Their cameras are clicking away, they point and smile and then carry on along the street.

Over here on the dark side about 20 or so Indians were here for a month staying in two houses. They were picked up by mini buses last week and the street now seems empty. Those Indians walked everywhere, or seemed to.

My point being that I see so many empty bars off the main streets in Pattaya - say off beach road - yet I have seen plenty of Asians & Koreans milling about everywhere except in the bars and restaurants.

Look at Big C Xtra on Klang in Pattaya. They have had a Korean clothing display in there on the ground floor for many weeks now. Maybe that is also indicative of a trend - like more Koreans about.

On Beach Road in Pattaya you see plenty of Indians / Pakistanis (or similar) wandering along the path near the beach but also not going near the bars / restaurants.

Possibly the numbers are up for visitors but not for customers to bars and local shops.

[lemoncake]

GDP up 5% this year 7% next. Stock market up 33% this year. Standard and Poors and Moodys positive about Thailand. Unemployment lowest in memory. Auto sales highest in history. Tourists entering country highest in History. Who are the only people who see any gloom and doom in business in Thailand? You and 4 or 5 others posting on Thai Visa? Come on man.

Even if you are having business problems do you think the cure to get more business is to tell people how bad business is?

Posting same rubbish over and over again does not make it a fact no matter how hard you try.

What does auto sales and low unemployment have to do with tourism ?? Please stop your trolling.

This thread is NOT about Thai economy but number of tourists.

[lemoncake]

I did my 90 day report yesterday. Normally I just go in and straight up to the window. This year there has been a wait every time. Yesterday I was #40 and #23 was being served when I got there. Airplane arrivals are up from last year. The GDP is up, the Stock Exchange of Thailand is up 36%. Central mall in Pattaya is packed every day I go. The big Japanese restaurant in Rayong has a waiting list every time I go. All the economists are reporting positive about Thailand. The only place one reads anything negative about Thailand is on Thai Visa.

You know, Chiangmaikelly might just be right.

Everything seems to be going so swimmingly just now what with the amazing economic data he refers to that it would be a shame to mess with it. Let's have no more silly coloured shirts, no more politicians who spend more time in court that in parliament and no more Mr T. PM Yingluck is obviously the nation's saviour' and maybe her feng shue initiative has created the Miracle Thailand we were promised after all.

please do not encourage him, its already hard enough to explain the simplest things to him

[lemoncake]

I did my 90 day report yesterday. Normally I just go in and straight up to the window. This year there has been a wait every time. Yesterday I was #40 and #23 was being served when I got there. Airplane arrivals are up from last year. The GDP is up, the Stock Exchange of Thailand is up 36%. Central mall in Pattaya is packed every day I go. The big Japanese restaurant in Rayong has a waiting list every time I go. All the economists are reporting positive about Thailand. The only place one reads anything negative about Thailand is on Thai Visa.

You know, Chiangmaikelly might just be right.

Everything seems to be going so swimmingly just now what with the amazing economic data he refers to that it would be a shame to mess with it. Let's have no more silly coloured shirts, no more politicians who spend more time in court that in parliament and no more Mr T. PM Yingluck is obviously the nation's saviour' and maybe her feng shue initiative has created the Miracle Thailand we were promised after all.

I did not just fall off taro truck big boy.

Great picture you posted there , are you hoping she will do as good for the country as Obama has done for USA?

[chiangmaikelly]

I did my 90 day report yesterday. Normally I just go in and straight up to the window. This year there has been a wait every time. Yesterday I was #40 and #23 was being served when I got there. Airplane arrivals are up from last year. The GDP is up, the Stock Exchange of Thailand is up 36%. Central mall in Pattaya is packed every day I go. The big Japanese restaurant in Rayong has a waiting list every time I go. All the economists are reporting positive about Thailand. The only place one reads anything negative about Thailand is on Thai Visa.

You know, Chiangmaikelly might just be right.

Everything seems to be going so swimmingly just now what with the amazing economic data he refers to that it would be a shame to mess with it. Let's have no more silly coloured shirts, no more politicians who spend more time in court that in parliament and no more Mr T. PM Yingluck is obviously the nation's saviour' and maybe her feng shue initiative has created the Miracle Thailand we were promised after all.

I did not just fall off taro truck big boy.

Great picture you posted there , are you hoping she will do as good for the country as Obama has done for USA?

She has already done a lot better. Don't you read the news? The US Pres came first and then the Chinese Premier. Did they come to see you too?

[ozziebloke]

GDP up 5% this year 7% next. Stock market up 33% this year. Standard and Poors and Moodys positive about Thailand. Unemployment lowest in memory. Auto sales highest in history. Tourists entering country highest in History. Who are the only people who see any gloom and doom in business in Thailand? You and 4 or 5 others posting on Thai Visa? Come on man.

Even if you are having business problems do you think the cure to get more business is to tell people how bad business is?

Posting same rubbish over and over again does not make it a fact no matter how hard you try.

What does auto sales and low unemployment have to do with tourism ?? Please stop your trolling.

This thread is NOT about Thai economy but number of tourists.

He is just stating facts about the economy. Tourism is a big part of the economy! How is that Trolling ? If you think what he says is BS show how it is !

[chiangmaikelly]

GDP up 5% this year 7% next. Stock market up 33% this year. Standard and Poors and Moodys positive about Thailand. Unemployment lowest in memory. Auto sales highest in history. Tourists entering country highest in History. Who are the only people who see any gloom and doom in business in Thailand? You and 4 or 5 others posting on Thai Visa? Come on man.

Even if you are having business problems do you think the cure to get more business is to tell people how bad business is?

Posting same rubbish over and over again does not make it a fact no matter how hard you try.

What does auto sales and low unemployment have to do with tourism ?? Please stop your trolling.

This thread is NOT about Thai economy but number of tourists.

I post the same facts over and over again. New industry, new investment, more tourist arrivals. All you post is is anecdotal evidence from a few other unsuccessful Thai Visa tourists. Wake up. Thailand is in good shape and getting stronger by the day.

[Scully]

The big problem here is most posters trust their eyes more than they trust TAT.

[lemoncake]

GDP up 5% this year 7% next. Stock market up 33% this year. Standard and Poors and Moodys positive about Thailand. Unemployment lowest in memory. Auto sales highest in history. Tourists entering country highest in History. Who are the only people who see any gloom and doom in business in Thailand? You and 4 or 5 others posting on Thai Visa? Come on man.

Even if you are having business problems do you think the cure to get more business is to tell people how bad business is?

Posting same rubbish over and over again does not make it a fact no matter how hard you try.

What does auto sales and low unemployment have to do with tourism ?? Please stop your trolling.

This thread is NOT about Thai economy but number of tourists.

I post the same facts over and over again. New industry, new investment, more tourist arrivals. All you post is is anecdotal evidence from a few other unsuccessful Thai Visa tourists. Wake up. Thailand is in good shape and getting stronger by the day.

[OzMick]

Well I would hate to put doubt on the tourism statistics, but I believe that I was 5 of those tourists.

[chiangmaikelly]

The big problem here is most posters trust their eyes more than they trust TAT.

How do you figure most posters see 20 million people? Truth is most of the posters belong to a culture where it is considered smart or cute to belittle Thailand, Asia and anyone outside of a few select powers in the West. Post anything positive regardless of the source, Standard and Poors, Moodys, World bank and the the messenger will be called a liar with no attempt to prove otherwise except a few Western depressed individuals.

[lemoncake]

GDP up 5% this year 7% next. Stock market up 33% this year. Standard and Poors and Moodys positive about Thailand. Unemployment lowest in memory. Auto sales highest in history. Tourists entering country highest in History. Who are the only people who see any gloom and doom in business in Thailand? You and 4 or 5 others posting on Thai Visa? Come on man.

Even if you are having business problems do you think the cure to get more business is to tell people how bad business is?

Posting same rubbish over and over again does not make it a fact no matter how hard you try.

What does auto sales and low unemployment have to do with tourism ?? Please stop your trolling.

This thread is NOT about Thai economy but number of tourists.

He is just stating facts about the economy. Tourism is a big part of the economy! How is that Trolling ? If you think what he says is BS show how it is !

and here we go again.

tourism is 6% of the economy.

the 6 % is the amount of money being spent not the amount of people visiting the country

Now, why do not you explain to me what auto sales have to do with tourist numbers?

[chiangmaikelly]

GDP up 5% this year 7% next. Stock market up 33% this year. Standard and Poors and Moodys positive about Thailand. Unemployment lowest in memory. Auto sales highest in history. Tourists entering country highest in History. Who are the only people who see any gloom and doom in business in Thailand? You and 4 or 5 others posting on Thai Visa? Come on man.

Even if you are having business problems do you think the cure to get more business is to tell people how bad business is?

Posting same rubbish over and over again does not make it a fact no matter how hard you try.

What does auto sales and low unemployment have to do with tourism ?? Please stop your trolling.

This thread is NOT about Thai economy but number of tourists.

I post the same facts over and over again. New industry, new investment, more tourist arrivals. All you post is is anecdotal evidence from a few other unsuccessful Thai Visa tourists. Wake up. Thailand is in good shape and getting stronger by the day.

Don't you get tired of flaming? Try posting some relevant data. There are news sources all over the INTERNET. There are 4 stories above that all talk about tourist arrivals in excess of 20 million people. Post one that is less, for example. 20 million is enough to fill up a few hotels I guess. Maybe you can post one about where the 20 million tourists stay besides hotels while visiting Thailand.

[ozziebloke]

GDP up 5% this year 7% next. Stock market up 33% this year. Standard and Poors and Moodys positive about Thailand. Unemployment lowest in memory. Auto sales highest in history. Tourists entering country highest in History. Who are the only people who see any gloom and doom in business in Thailand? You and 4 or 5 others posting on Thai Visa? Come on man.

Even if you are having business problems do you think the cure to get more business is to tell people how bad business is?

Posting same rubbish over and over again does not make it a fact no matter how hard you try.

What does auto sales and low unemployment have to do with tourism ?? Please stop your trolling.

This thread is NOT about Thai economy but number of tourists.

He is just stating facts about the economy. Tourism is a big part of the economy! How is that Trolling ? If you think what he says is BS show how it is !

and here we go again.

tourism is 6% of the economy.

the 6 % is the amount of money being spent not the amount of people visiting the country

Now, why do not you explain to me what auto sales have to do with tourist numbers?

The thing is your trying to downtrod the figures about tourism. Maybe some of the stats maybe out by a 100,000 or so, but I ask you give some actual proof for your comments

[lemoncake]

The thing is your trying to downtrod the figures about tourism. Maybe some of the stats maybe out by a 100,000 or so, but I ask you give some actual proof for your comments

really? why do not you get your butt and read previous posts where you may find the numbers are 1-2 million apart.

i am yet to read your response to relation between auto sales and tourist arrival numbers

[LaoPo]

Reminds me of when the all in one tourist hotels opened up in other parts of the world. Tourists didn't need to leave the confines of the hotel grounds. Great for the hotel, but when the travel presenters talked to the locals, they were less than enthusiastic. The holidaymakers were no longer spending money in the local family run businesses. With the organised tours the Japanese and Chinese go for, the little guys will lose out big time.

Yes, that's true.

The habits of Asian tourists are completely different than the (western) farang tourist but can you blame them for that? The majority doesn't speak any other language than their own (no English) and they feel comfortable and safe in their own group since they wouldn't have a clue where to go on their own.

That the small shops, bars, restaurants suffer because of that has to do with the culture of the Asian tourist; they're also not visiting the bars and gogo places apart from the show theaters in Pattaya and such.

Most of the small businesses came and grew because of the local people AND the western tourism roller coaster.

[Thai at Heart]

The amount of Korean and other Asian tourists does seem to have increased from what I have seen. Yet they whiz past in some big coach onto some hotel / resort or other.

In Pattaya along Arunothai we often see Koreans walking along in groups of a bout 10 people. They never seem to stop in any bars but they do purchase food from the street vendors. Their cameras are clicking away, they point and smile and then carry on along the street.

Over here on the dark side about 20 or so Indians were here for a month staying in two houses. They were picked up by mini buses last week and the street now seems empty. Those Indians walked everywhere, or seemed to.

My point being that I see so many empty bars off the main streets in Pattaya - say off beach road - yet I have seen plenty of Asians & Koreans milling about everywhere except in the bars and restaurants.

Look at Big C Xtra on Klang in Pattaya. They have had a Korean clothing display in there on the ground floor for many weeks now. Maybe that is also indicative of a trend - like more Koreans about.

On Beach Road in Pattaya you see plenty of Indians / Pakistanis (or similar) wandering along the path near the beach but also not going near the bars / restaurants.

Possibly the numbers are up for visitors but not for customers to bars and local shops.

Golf coursed in chiangmai are block booked by Korean agencies until March. Almost impossible to get a tee off.

1000 USD, flight, accomdation and 4 days golf from Seoul at the moment. Where is the money going, coz it isn't going to be here.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[LaoPo]

A few of the restrurant owners I know wonder were these people are, they say not as good as last year. I think too many non spending chinese.

Your restaurant owners will increasingly grow their worries...guaranteed!

The Asian tourist is a totally different tourist rather than the western farang, the restaurants were used to see.

Asian tourists travel in groups and you are mistaken by the non-spending Chinese; they spend more than their western counterpart!

Asian tourists have a day-to-day program, fully booked in booked hotels, buses, restaurants and sightseeings.

They are not the typically beach tourists! Asians do NOT like to stay on the beach during daytime; they dont like to get brown/burned like the western tourist.

And, what's more important: they are here to stay and will be a MAJOR group of inbound tourism, whether one likes it or not.

After all, it's THEIR hemisphere..is it not?

You're correct in what you've written but whether or not the Chinese will be a boom for Thailand depends on how the Thais deal with the way they travel. As you've identified they travel in groups and follow a set itinerary. This may or may not be good for Thailand depending on who get the cash from the Chinese tourists. In the 80s through to the 90s many Japanese tourists traveled to Australia in the same organized way that the Chinese travel now. The benefits of the tourist spending were significantly reduced because the groups of Japanese tourists were directed into shops, restaurants, hotels and tour operations that were own by Japanese companies. Kick back / commissions were paid to the tour leader so local businesses missed out on a significant portion of the tourist boom. I don't know if the same will happen here but it's possible.

Sure, the same happens with the Chinese tourists but it's not up to the Thais how they deal with those tourists, it's the organising company in China. They decide where they go and which shops, hotels and restaurants they go.

That kickbacks are paid is a common thing, all over the world.

It is about the money and turnover in general that stays in Thailand but of course there's a shift from WHERE the money goes; from small time operations, to larger operations, working together with the Chinese touroperators.

Tourism is business and if I were t try and get Asian business, I would open a top quality Chinese restaurant and go and talk to the operators.

Success guaranteed.

Instead, many small time operations choose to sit still and wait for their clients (western clients)....

[chiangmaikelly]

A few of the restrurant owners I know wonder were these people are, they say not as good as last year. I think too many non spending chinese.

Your restaurant owners will increasingly grow their worries...guaranteed!

The Asian tourist is a totally different tourist rather than the western farang, the restaurants were used to see.

Asian tourists travel in groups and you are mistaken by the non-spending Chinese; they spend more than their western counterpart!

Asian tourists have a day-to-day program, fully booked in booked hotels, buses, restaurants and sightseeings.

They are not the typically beach tourists! Asians do NOT like to stay on the beach during daytime; they dont like to get brown/burned like the western tourist.

And, what's more important: they are here to stay and will be a MAJOR group of inbound tourism, whether one likes it or not.

After all, it's THEIR hemisphere..is it not?

You're correct in what you've written but whether or not the Chinese will be a boom for Thailand depends on how the Thais deal with the way they travel. As you've identified they travel in groups and follow a set itinerary. This may or may not be good for Thailand depending on who get the cash from the Chinese tourists. In the 80s through to the 90s many Japanese tourists traveled to Australia in the same organized way that the Chinese travel now. The benefits of the tourist spending were significantly reduced because the groups of Japanese tourists were directed into shops, restaurants, hotels and tour operations that were own by Japanese companies. Kick back / commissions were paid to the tour leader so local businesses missed out on a significant portion of the tourist boom. I don't know if the same will happen here but it's possible.

Sure, the same happens with the Chinese tourists but it's not up to the Thais how they deal with those tourists, it's the organising company in China. They decide where they go and which shops, hotels and restaurants they go.

That kickbacks are paid is a common thing, all over the world.

It is about the money and turnover in general that stays in Thailand but of course there's a shift from WHERE the money goes; from small time operations, to larger operations, working together with the Chinese touroperators.

Tourism is business and if I were t try and get Asian business, I would open a top quality Chinese restaurant and go and talk to the operators.

Success guaranteed.

Instead, many small time operations choose to sit still and wait for their clients (western clients)....

You are of course 100% correct. There is a ton of money coming into Thailand right now. Some are cashing in some are not.

[ozziebloke]

The thing is your trying to downtrod the figures about tourism. Maybe some of the stats maybe out by a 100,000 or so, but I ask you give some actual proof for your comments

really? why do not you get your butt and read previous posts where you may find the numbers are 1-2 million apart.

i am yet to read your response to relation between auto sales and tourist arrival numbers

I have read them and your the one beeting a dead horse! Thailand has a 716 Billion Baht (USD 345.65 Billion)income from Tourism 31% above expectations. Thailand is the 2nd largest economy in SEA now! You picking out a part quote about car sales from a statement does nothing for your argument!

[metisdead]

Off topic inflammatory bickering session has been removed.

[crazygreg44]

I did my 90 day report yesterday. Normally I just go in and straight up to the window. This year there has been a wait every time. Yesterday I was #40 and #23 was being served when I got there. Airplane arrivals are up from last year. The GDP is up, the Stock Exchange of Thailand is up 36%. Central mall in Pattaya is packed every day I go. The big Japanese restaurant in Rayong has a waiting list every time I go. All the economists are reporting positive about Thailand. The only place one reads anything negative about Thailand is on Thai Visa.

Why do you always bring up Thai economy into tourism numbers??? Do you not understand it is not related ???

What does 90 days reporting have to do with tourism?

And finally , are you not aware that 1 year has 12 months and while right now we are at the peak of high season, the other 11 months of the year,the place was almost empty compared to previous years

Tourism is one of the driving forces of the Thai economy. If tourism is up the economy will be up. Tourist dollars have a multiplier effect on the economy. Tourism is very related to the Thai ecomomy.

Many Farang tourists stay more than 90 days. How many single men stay at hotels and eat at restaurants 6 months a year and then go back to Canada and the USA? A lot. And they spend a lot.

I mention the economy because the numbers from international sources can be trusted more than anecdotal evidence from some old whiners writing from cold water flats in the West because they are jealous of people who live in Thailand.

Any responsible person with knowledge of the tourism business in Thailand will attest that this year season or no, is better than last season.

Word to the wise. No one likes to dine at a restaurant with no customers.

you are totally overestimating the impact of tourism to the Thai economy. A quick look to the stats would reveal to you that it makes up something like 5% of the GDP of the nation. Who buys food every day ? Millions of Thais at millions of foodstands compared to droplets of farang in some restaurants. Have you ever been upcountry away from tourist routes and seen what's going on?

[Thai at Heart]

I did my 90 day report yesterday. Normally I just go in and straight up to the window. This year there has been a wait every time. Yesterday I was #40 and #23 was being served when I got there. Airplane arrivals are up from last year. The GDP is up, the Stock Exchange of Thailand is up 36%. Central mall in Pattaya is packed every day I go. The big Japanese restaurant in Rayong has a waiting list every time I go. All the economists are reporting positive about Thailand. The only place one reads anything negative about Thailand is on Thai Visa.

Why do you always bring up Thai economy into tourism numbers??? Do you not understand it is not related ???

What does 90 days reporting have to do with tourism?

And finally , are you not aware that 1 year has 12 months and while right now we are at the peak of high season, the other 11 months of the year,the place was almost empty compared to previous years

Tourism is one of the driving forces of the Thai economy. If tourism is up the economy will be up. Tourist dollars have a multiplier effect on the economy. Tourism is very related to the Thai ecomomy.

Many Farang tourists stay more than 90 days. How many single men stay at hotels and eat at restaurants 6 months a year and then go back to Canada and the USA? A lot. And they spend a lot.

I mention the economy because the numbers from international sources can be trusted more than anecdotal evidence from some old whiners writing from cold water flats in the West because they are jealous of people who live in Thailand.

Any responsible person with knowledge of the tourism business in Thailand will attest that this year season or no, is better than last season.

Word to the wise. No one likes to dine at a restaurant with no customers.

you are totally overestimating the impact of tourism to the Thai economy. A quick look to the stats would reveal to you that it makes up something like 5% of the GDP of the nation. Who buys food every day ? Millions of Thais at millions of foodstands compared to droplets of farang in some restaurants. Have you ever been upcountry away from tourist routes and seen what's going on?

5% officially, probably underestimates it because tourism in Thailand is very heavily a cash business.

No vat is collected at thousands of bars and eateries. At 5% it is still significant and should be taken care of anyway. It feeds millions of low end employees in the resorts and much further afield than that.

[chiangmaikelly]

I did my 90 day report yesterday. Normally I just go in and straight up to the window. This year there has been a wait every time. Yesterday I was #40 and #23 was being served when I got there. Airplane arrivals are up from last year. The GDP is up, the Stock Exchange of Thailand is up 36%. Central mall in Pattaya is packed every day I go. The big Japanese restaurant in Rayong has a waiting list every time I go. All the economists are reporting positive about Thailand. The only place one reads anything negative about Thailand is on Thai Visa.

Why do you always bring up Thai economy into tourism numbers??? Do you not understand it is not related ???

What does 90 days reporting have to do with tourism?

And finally , are you not aware that 1 year has 12 months and while right now we are at the peak of high season, the other 11 months of the year,the place was almost empty compared to previous years

Tourism is one of the driving forces of the Thai economy. If tourism is up the economy will be up. Tourist dollars have a multiplier effect on the economy. Tourism is very related to the Thai ecomomy.

Many Farang tourists stay more than 90 days. How many single men stay at hotels and eat at restaurants 6 months a year and then go back to Canada and the USA? A lot. And they spend a lot.

I mention the economy because the numbers from international sources can be trusted more than anecdotal evidence from some old whiners writing from cold water flats in the West because they are jealous of people who live in Thailand.

Any responsible person with knowledge of the tourism business in Thailand will attest that this year season or no, is better than last season.

Word to the wise. No one likes to dine at a restaurant with no customers.

you are totally overestimating the impact of tourism to the Thai economy. A quick look to the stats would reveal to you that it makes up something like 5% of the GDP of the nation. Who buys food every day ? Millions of Thais at millions of foodstands compared to droplets of farang in some restaurants. Have you ever been upcountry away from tourist routes and seen what's going on?

Tourism not only creates jobs in the tertiary sector, it also encourages growth in the primary and secondary sectors of industry. This is known as the multiplier effect which in its simplest form is how many times money spent by a tourist circulates through a country's economy.

Money spent in a hotel helps to create jobs directly in the hotel, but it also creates jobs indirectly elsewhere in the economy. The hotel, for example, has to buy food from local farmers, who may spend some of this money on fertiliser or clothes. The demand for local products increases as tourists often buy souvenirs, which increases secondary employment.

The multiplier effect continues until the money eventually 'leaks' from the economy through imports - the purchase of goods from other countries. http://geographyfiel...tMultiplier.htm

What is the multiplier for tourism in Thailand? That is the amount one tourist dollar is really worth? 5 to 10 times. You can look it up. The principle is simple. If I work for a Thai bank and spend one dollar how many times has that dollar been around? How many more dollars are generated by a fresh tourist dollar which has never been spent in Thailand.

[Thai at Heart]

It's importance versus the car industry or other large mnc export business, is also significant because the corporate profits generated are largely transfer priced out of the country anyway.

They pay good salaries but don't leave to much in the country in the way of taxable profit, hence the large excise on cars.

[Naam]

The thing is your trying to downtrod the figures about tourism. Maybe some of the stats maybe out by a 100,000 or so, but I ask you give some actual proof for your comments

really? why do not you get your butt and read previous posts where you may find the numbers are 1-2 million apart.

i am yet to read your response to relation between auto sales and tourist arrival numbers

I have read them and your the one beeting a dead horse! Thailand has a 716 Billion Baht (USD 345.65 Billion)income from Tourism 31% above expectations. Thailand is the 2nd largest economy in SEA now! You picking out a part quote about car sales from a statement does nothing for your argument!

Thailand's total GDP in 2011 was $345.65bb. tourism is estimated at 5-6% of GDP, id est (taking the average of 5.5%) tourism share was ~$19 billion.

there's another teenie weenie calculation mistake in your posting. $345.65 billion are equivalent to 10.38 trillion Baht.

[DrFloyd]

Lies,lies and dam_n statistics.

[soi41]

Lies,lies and dam_n statistics.

Member 1 day and already so much insight !

As for the touristnumbers, without going into GDP or other big numbers, I can guarantee you, that Thailand is full at the moment. We are turning away customers every day now, simply because we can't get staff enough, and we are talking staff who easily could make 15.-20000/month for at least the next couple of months. I guess that is a symptom of a country doing very well. I know it is the absolute peak right now and that it only lasts so long, but if those 2 months put food on the table for the rest of the year, who cares??

As for the barstoolstories here about the empty bars in Patts and Phuket, maybe the time is out for the bars with 2 hookers, footy on the telly and a unplayable pooltable? Time for the businessowners here to adjust the the new Asian reallity. We have used social media a lot, directed at Indians and in our case it worked. We hardly ever had any Indians through the door before, but this year they count for 15-20% of our customers. So instead of complaining about bad business, maybe it is time for some adjustment, if you want a share of the "new" money !

[osiboy]

MMMMM.. Ive been here most of the year (In pattaya) and its got to have been the quietest year ive seen. Ive got friends who live in Phuket who also said that its been very quiet.. I think that there maybe more tourists but there staying for a much shorter time..ie 1or 2 weeks.. not so many now staying for 2 or 3 months.. Business in general is poor in Pattaya.. once again are they just dressing it up.. they would'nt do that would they ;-0

i think you've hit the nail on the head here, western tourists are the " long stay" customers and their numbers seem to be about the same, the increase is for 1-2 week keeneow russians and indians plus the organized military style chinese , i dont enjoy thailand so much now and am looking for pastures new, i miss the "good old days " ,........ sadly never to return