Thailand Overwhelmed By Influx Of Foreign Tourists

[peterbkk9]

"Huge influx of foreign tourists."

Thailand has been working hard for that. Obviously they must be doing something right, things dont happen by accident.

Probably contributing to this is the general trend that Thai people care more about their environment.

You hardly see any garbage on the beaches anymore. The air, the rivers are noticeably cleaner (have you visited klong saen saeb in Bangkok recently?)

Not to mention the government's recent measures: total ban on ivory trade, ban on asbestos and strict regulation and enforcement on the use of pesticides, the replanting of thousands of acres of forest and so on...)

and the dismantling last week by the police forces of the phuket taxi mafia, the airport taxi scams and the pattaya jet ski scam (among others).

May be i am cynical, but i am writing what comes to my mind at this minute

Edited April 11, 2013 by peterbkk9

[Misterwhisper]

If the tourism industry is short on workforce, individual businesses suffering shortages simply should hire more employees instead of whining to the government. Isn't that how business works?

But if they did hire more staff, they would probably start moaning about increased overhead and reduced net profit.

Whichever way the ball falls, it's never right.

[zaZa9]

LIke most of us on here, I am dependent on "hunches". I come to Chiang Mai every winter for six months, staying in the Nimmanheimin/Canal Road/Huay Kaew areas.

In the five years I have been doing this, I have seen numerous restaurants in the area close down or have fewer and fewer customers.

If you walk on Nimman itself, you will see millions of coffee shops, some of them well occupied, but with the usual problem for the owners (I would have thought) that many of the clientele are local "cheap-charlie" young Thais making one coffee last five hours while they stare woodenly at their tablets.

So, from this purely amateurish "feel" for what is going on in CM, my guess would be that there are fewer and fewer European tourists, and yes, as the figures suggest, more and more Asian tourists, seeking to spend the absolute minimum, and always going around in groups.

But there are not fewer European tourists, definitely not 'fewer and fewer' as in Chicken Little . . . have a look at the stats posted earlier, they are quite self-evident.

Ok, if you classify Russians as Europeans then their numbers have swelled from app 1 to 1.3 million in 2011/12

Australians 829k to 930k

Brits 844k to 870k

Americans 681k to 767

Germans 619k to 681

and on it goes . . .

There are actually 'more and more' . . . and heaps 'more and more' Asian tourists

I also observe the anecdotal evidence he saw in Chiang Mai , but this time in Phuket.

The statistics show it CANT be happening , but your eyes tell you it is.

I think the lack of regulation for development may have something to do with it.

There are maybe 8 new restaurants spoiling the views on the lovely Patong -Kamala road since I arrived here 5 years ago.

At any given time , each will have 3 or 4 customers in them.

It seems its a matter of dilution , or oversupply to me...

[FarangTalk]

I am going on to year three

Familiarity breeds contempt.

[Guest]

I am going on to year three

Familiarity breeds contempt.

Against my better judgment I am going to ask what this means. If by that you mean, I am familiar with the Farang - Kenok and have contempt for them, then you are spot on.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

He is concerned about insufficient facilities and personnel including coaches and tour guides to service foreign tourists.

Well, if they didn't keep regularly crashing the various tour and transit buses here, they might have enough to serve all the Chinese and Russian tourists....

I know I'm personally feeling very OVERWHELMED!

[Stjohnm]

So much for the dire predictions by the experts on TV as to how the strong Baht would result in no tourists. 29 Baht to the USD, and record setting tourism!

Next TV theory? "Rugby fans stop drinking beer due to tiny little price increase."

If you read the article you'd have noticed that the majority of the Tourists are from countries with strong currencies, a factor which goes some way to nullifying the effects of an appreciating Baht.

[Guest]

So much for the dire predictions by the experts on TV as to how the strong Baht would result in no tourists. 29 Baht to the USD, and record setting tourism!

Next TV theory? "Rugby fans stop drinking beer due to tiny little price increase."

If you read the article you'd have noticed that the majority of the Tourists are from countries with strong currencies, a factor which goes some way to nullifying the effects of an appreciating Baht.

Clearly we agree, and you have missed the point / joke entirely.

[Thai at Heart]

Alongside finding tour guides, I wonder if anyone has given any thought to increasing the waste disposal and water treatment capabilities of the resorts?

I mean what good is a tourguide, if you are swimming with a lot of dodgy bacteria and waste, and the landfill is overflowing?

[justathought]

Lots of Asian tourists. Good sign for Thailand and Asia as a whole

Not if you have a pizza restaurant, or plan to sell pie and chips. Many bars and restaurants need to rejig their entire target audience.

C'est la vie. Signs of the changing times. My factory used to produce for Europe/USA. This year we have so many orders from China, I cannot find the time to say sorry to my old customers because I cannot make their orders.

Edited April 11, 2013 by justathought

[moe666]

So much for the dire predictions by the experts on TV as to how the strong Baht would result in no tourists. 29 Baht to the USD, and record setting tourism!

Next TV theory? "Rugby fans stop drinking beer due to tiny little price increase."

I agree with and share your sarcasm, but truth is--relatively speaking--there are very few USA tourists at 29 per dollar; it's just too far and too expensive. There are lots more Europeans, Scandinavians, Australians, Russians, Chinese, Japanese, etc. As prices are very high in much of Europe, Thailand is still a good deal. But that is not as true for the U.S. Every market is different.

That said, I too await the next TV theory...

I use the USD as a benchmark, as does the rest of the world, to measure relative strength. This was not about US tourists. Please replace that with "A really strong Baht, one of the world's top performing currencies, and seen at present as a safe haven for investment and return..relative to all world currencies"

I would not call it a safe haven but a very fast in and out for 3percent on the short term bonds. With the japanese pumping money into there economy well it has to go somewhere and Thailand is ok for the old in and out

[Stefanix]

Mr Thongyoo said the Thai travel industry is short of the necessary

labour force and agencies concerned should speed up producing human

resources in this field.

To "produce" human resources is a nice wording! Certainly a fun activity. But it takes time until they will be ready to work!

Volunteers needed? Please no responsibilities beyond production!

[axact]

Lots of Asian tourists. Good sign for Thailand and Asia as a whole

Not if you have a pizza restaurant, or plan to sell pie and chips. Many bars and restaurants need to rejig their entire target audience.

If a business cannot adapt to changing demographics then it deserves to fail, they are there to service a need if they cannot do that them no one else to blame but themselves. Maybe they should change into 7-11's or Chinese restaurants ? Those who adapt will survive.

Only a fool would open a pie and chips restaurant or plan to change their menu to such in Thailand at present, falling numbers from the West should be an obvious reason not to.

[moe666]

LIke most of us on here, I am dependent on "hunches". I come to Chiang Mai every winter for six months, staying in the Nimmanheimin/Canal Road/Huay Kaew areas.

In the five years I have been doing this, I have seen numerous restaurants in the area close down or have fewer and fewer customers.

If you walk on Nimman itself, you will see millions of coffee shops, some of them well occupied, but with the usual problem for the owners (I would have thought) that many of the clientele are local "cheap-charlie" young Thais making one coffee last five hours while they stare woodenly at their tablets.

So, from this purely amateurish "feel" for what is going on in CM, my guess would be that there are fewer and fewer European tourists, and yes, as the figures suggest, more and more Asian tourists, seeking to spend the absolute minimum, and always going around in groups.

You stay in the wrong area to make an estimate of tourist coming to Chiang Mai. I live on the southside of the moat and we hve been overwhealmed by the tourist, lots of chinese, europeans and americans. We had about a 2 week period when the numbers actually went down but with songram around the cornor stupidy has returned to our streets. Nimanam is over priced for most of the chinese tourist we have in our neighborhood as a lot eat in the local market or make themselves unwelcome at our local restrurants by being rude among other things. Hopefully after songram we will have neighborhood back.

[Tatsujin]

As always, it's not the "numbers" that count, it's where they go, what they do when they get here, and at the end of the day, how much they spend. As it seems that a "large" proportion of those travellers are on package tours, I would think the benefit to the Thai economy is not as great as it used to be.

[Suradit69]

Everything is a drama in Thailand..

Too may tourists, not enough tourists, etc etc

Its just a case of everybody else is fault, not Thailand. Responsibility for ones actions is just not part of the program here, its demonstrated by nearly everyone and everything here. Just this morning there's an article siting the "bus driving too slow" as the cause of an accident, the fact she was undertaking it seemed irrelevant. Busses fault.

"Responsibility for ones actions is just not part of the program here ..."

Odd. When some foreign oil rig worker was arrested for drunk driving, there was an outcry on TV to give him a break and to not "add salt to his wounds" although he never expressed any contrition.

I guess Thais must always be held accountable, but some break needs to be given when it comes to farangs ... in Thailand or Cyprus or Greece or Spain or Portugal or UK or ... they should all get a bail-out of one sort or another and their locals who have taken up residence in Thailand should be given a break when it comes to minimum finances for extensions-of-stay because heaven help us if a farang or his former utopia-of-origin was actually held accountable or made to suffer the consequences of their greedy behavior.

A lot of people get their knickers in a knot about dual prices in Thailand, but when it comes to taking responsibility for one's actions, once again it's dual attribution: Thai-bad-Farang-exempt.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Suradit69

[richard10365]

What???? White people don't make up the largest proportion of tourist? I thought that....I mean uh...ummm....geee wizzzz!

[Windy]

the fact she was undertaking it seemed irrelevant. .

Since when was undertaking illegal here ?

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Let the free market deal with it. If there are poor facilities ,the tourists will reduce in number. If they keep increasing anyway its because they can tolerate the poor facilities but value the other things that Thailand has to offer.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Rajab Al Zarahni

[mok199]

my complaint is due to the area i live in,i am at ''ground zero'',the ''front line'' soi1 and beach rd.,so i am so affected by the tourists,as soon as i walk out my door.mabey is me but they seem so rude and arrogant...i have a fav place for coffee in the moring inside central market mall and 3 days in a row now i have asked chinese tourists to take their feet of the tables,and not just one person was the entire group...when we came here as indviduals we leaned about the culture and in many cases read about it beofre we came our first time,the tour group is ignorant of any customs,tradtions and as in the feet one table cases,just comon sense...they walk in packs,they shop in packs and in some cases they .....barfine in packs..and you know who i am tlaking about...again is my personal rant as i live in the middle of it......i didnt move to thainland to be in mumbai,or moskow....

[lemonjelly]

More unlicenced/unqualified tour/minibus drivers in the pipeline ?

[fredob43]

Don't panic all my friend's some 20+ have got the answer. They have been coming to Thailand every year for the last 8 year's, last year they said if the BT go's any lower this year it would be a no no.

Well it's happened are they still coming well no they have all booked up to go to Mexico.

-20 big spending Brit's panic over in one foul swoop.

Edited April 11, 2013 by fredob43

[Guest]

my complaint is due to the area i live in,i am at ''ground zero'',the ''front line'' soi1 and beach rd.,so i am so affected by the tourists,as soon as i walk out my door.mabey is me but they seem so rude and arrogant...i have a fav place for coffee in the moring inside central market mall and 3 days in a row now i have asked chinese tourists to take their feet of the tables,and not just one person was the entire group...when we came here as indviduals we leaned about the culture and in many cases read about it beofre we came our first time,the tour group is ignorant of any customs,tradtions and as in the feet one table cases,just comon sense...they walk in packs,they shop in packs and in some cases they .....barfine in packs..and you know who i am tlaking about...again is my personal rant as i live in the middle of it......i didnt move to thainland to be in mumbai,or moskow....

I could not agree more...rude beyond belief. Sadly, talking to them about it reminds me of the saying "It is like singing to a pig, you waste your time, and annoy an animal with mud to roll in.' They are pigs. Period. They only hope is thicker skin, or a suitcase packed and ready to move to a better and more sane location.

[Guest]

Don't panic all my friend's some 20+ have got the answer. They have been coming to Thailand every year for the last 8 year's, last year they said if the BT go's any lower this year it would be a no no.

Well it's happened are they still coming well no they have all booked up to go to Mexico.

-20 big spending Brit's panic over in one foul swoop.

Honestly, if a 3% change in value makes one flee to Mexico, i would hardly class them as "big spenders." More like "Cheap Charlies." Really? That changes their travel plans? LOL... Enjoy Mexico my friends...and remember to bring a gun to a gun fight, not a smile and a cold beer.

[Guest]

Everything is a drama in Thailand..

Too may tourists, not enough tourists, etc etc

Its just a case of everybody else is fault, not Thailand. Responsibility for ones actions is just not part of the program here, its demonstrated by nearly everyone and everything here. Just this morning there's an article siting the "bus driving too slow" as the cause of an accident, the fact she was undertaking it seemed irrelevant. Busses fault.

"Responsibility for ones actions is just not part of the program here ..."

Odd. When some foreign oil rig worker was arrested for drunk driving, there was an outcry on TV to give him a break and to not "add salt to his wounds" although he never expressed any contrition.

I guess Thais must always be held accountable, but some break needs to be given when it comes to farangs ... in Thailand or Cyprus or Greece or Spain or Portugal or UK or ... they should all get a bail-out of one sort or another and their locals who have taken up residence in Thailand should be given a break when it comes to minimum finances for extensions-of-stay because heaven help us if a farang or his former utopia-of-origin was actually held accountable or made to suffer the consequences of their greedy behavior.

A lot of people get their knickers in a knot about dual prices in Thailand, but when it comes to taking responsibility for one's actions, once again it's dual attribution: Thai-bad-Farang-exempt.

BINGO! You got that right.

[sputjam]

What happened to Malaysians and Singaporeans who treats hat yai like their local playground.

[Guest]

What happened to Malaysians and Singaporeans who treats hat yai like their local playground.

They are offered a UK Passport???

[fredob43]

Don't panic all my friend's some 20+ have got the answer. They have been coming to Thailand every year for the last 8 year's, last year they said if the BT go's any lower this year it would be a no no.

Well it's happened are they still coming well no they have all booked up to go to Mexico.

-20 big spending Brit's panic over in one foul swoop.

Honestly, if a 3% change in value makes one flee to Mexico, i would hardly class them as "big spenders." More like "Cheap Charlies." Really? That changes their travel plans? LOL... Enjoy Mexico my friends...and remember to bring a gun to a gun fight, not a smile and a cold beer.

Maybe you should get your calculator out some 8 year's ago there was 70+ bt to the £ now 43 so that's 3% is it. N/B since Christmas there has been a rise of the Bt by 15% alone. Cheap charlies they stay in 5* hotel's and spend big time well did. Now Thailand is left with the package tourist's that dont spend 1 sue.

Edited April 11, 2013 by fredob43

[Guest]

Don't panic all my friend's some 20+ have got the answer. They have been coming to Thailand every year for the last 8 year's, last year they said if the BT go's any lower this year it would be a no no.

Well it's happened are they still coming well no they have all booked up to go to Mexico.

-20 big spending Brit's panic over in one foul swoop.

Honestly, if a 3% change in value makes one flee to Mexico, i would hardly class them as "big spenders." More like "Cheap Charlies." Really? That changes their travel plans? LOL... Enjoy Mexico my friends...and remember to bring a gun to a gun fight, not a smile and a cold beer.

Maybe you should get your calculator out some 8 year's ago there was 70+ bt to the £ now 43 so that's 3% is it. Cheap charlies they stay in 5* hotel's and spend big time well did. Now Thailand is left with the package tourist's that dont spend 1 sue.

Yes, of course, it is perfectly logical to presume that you are talking about the exchange rate 8 years ago. Why would I presume they live in the present, and base their calculations on current conditions. Perhaps you should all just jump in your time machine, go back 8 years, and buy some Baht? in other words, you are kidding with this inane comparison. ? And yes, i stick to it, if they had plans to come to Thailand as much as 90 days ago, and this change in rates has made it a "no no" ...they can not afford it. Period.

[Aussiescott]

Everything is a drama in Thailand..

Too may tourists, not enough tourists, etc etc

LMAO....couldn't agree more.. haha