Thai protests scare away almost 2 million tourists

[cup-O-coffee]

This tourism thing is beginning to sound a lot like Pachinko.

A pachinko machine resembles a vertical pinball machine, but has no flippers and uses a large number of small balls. The player fires balls into the machine, which then cascade down through a dense forest of pins. If the balls go into certain locations, they may be captured and sequences of events may be triggered that result in more balls being released. The object of the game is to capture as many balls as possible. These balls can then be exchanged for prizes.

[ozyjon]

So that's 2 million tourist plus 1, me waiting to go there and i'm getting the shits because my travel might coincide with Songkran and i don't want to be there for that, been there that's enough, i don't need 7 days of buckets of water being thrown over me damaging my equipment. Get on with it had enough.

[bigbamboo]

I Like the way the TAT do the math, it's just so Thai, always makes me smile!

They must have had the same teacher as Kittikat.

[Keesters]

Whatever the losses you can bet the TAT will be sticking its hand out for more funding to revive the industry.

[gordon from yasothon]

I think seen a tourist the other day....

[Scamper]

The emergency decree has hurt the tourism industry more than the protests have. There can be little doubt, notwithstanding, that they have exacerbated it. The only effect the emergency decree has had is to clamp down on the media and deport foreigners. Nothing on the ground has changed. But like anything else that the Yingluck administration thinks is a great idea, we're stuck with it for time immemorial. After all, just yesterday Yingluck affirmed that the rice scheme is just grand as it is. It's like the movie Groundhog Day. Forget the lessons of yesterday. They didn't happen, because here they are again.

[expat888]

well maybe the hotels in Bangkok , specially those on the river could lower their prices to attract more tourists ... but when you call them to inquiry about prices they replied " high season" ... so maybe they should stop to talk about hypothetical high season and offer great deals ...

I checked the Thai Economics and Businessman's Handbook and it says when you are losing money raise or even double prices to create demand to make up for losses.

[expat888]

Its not scaring away the Russians. The airport was packed with them the other night. Nobody else, just Russians.

It was like that the last time I was in Pattaya.

[mikemac]

Someone is talking bs, I flew out of Swampy last night and have never seen so many people in that airport. Or are they going to tell me they were all leaving ?

[silent]

" voiced concern that the protests have caused the country to lose 1.8 million tourists in the first quarter of the year"

Well we are only into 5 weeks into the year, not a Quarter is it?

Maybe someday in the next millennium or so, somebody can make a reasonably intelligent objective statement that can get past the apparent brilliant subjectivity of the mass opposites that inhabit this country. Me thinks NFWAY, (but I could be wrong and there is no F in way).

Edited February 7, 2014 by silent

[iTravelNow]

Shooting your own foot

Be Smart - You Made Your Point!

As we know, many anti-government occupying intersections in Bangkok are also (SM)Entrepreneurs themselves. I am not going to argue on the published numbers, but it is a fact, that Tourism is shed away and is affecting income of TAT (Government), Hotels (SME) and all sorts of other business (SME) that in one way of the other depends on Tourism. I am wondering if those sitting on the street are realizing their action. A few days ago I had a discussion on a different topic with a Thai friend who I consider has a good view on some of the issues in this country. I was asking if Thais are overreacting due to poorly or uncontrollable emotions. His reply was; No, but Thais tend to overestimate themselves and underestimate consequences of their actions. It would be interesting to hear the voices of those demonstrators and SME owners what they have to say.

However you feel of the Government, Demonstrators have made their point and should pack up and go home. On the other side I agree that they passed since a few weeks the point of no return. Even so, I think they still could stop others may argue "only by losing face", I believe they have set a thinking process in motion that should not and can't be ignored. I like to compare it with a marketing strategy: "if you notice you are on the wrong path, change it. Only the stubborn will stay on that path despite you can see the down spiral."

The question that ultimately comes to my mind is this. "what is for you of higher value? [a] to lose a bit of face (and still having made your point) or shooting yourself in your knee and being crippled for the remaining time of your life?" Make your choice.

P.S. Just as a side note to those holding on the Demonstrations to inflict the maximum damage to the country. I am "pretending" (Yes, pretending) that the Government will stay. I say this out of a half a century of experience. Reason? 99% of Demonstration I have witnessed that turned violent, the Government remained in place and the Demonstrators lost it. You may call current situation here unique for Thailand or even worldwide - but you can't undo 50+ years of experiences.

My tip: don't overestimate yourself and don't underestimate the consequences you are inflicting to this country. How ever it is ending, you are going to stay here and have to live with it. So, be smart - you made your point!

Edited February 7, 2014 by iTravelNow

[ginjag]

Someone is talking bs, I flew out of Swampy last night and have never seen so many people in that airport. Or are they going to tell me they were all leaving ?

Immigration at Nong Khai said due to the Chinese new year more than norm are at border points, and airports. He said more quiet next week when they all leave.

[Phuketboy]

We are still seeing tourists in Phuket, however most of these are Chinese and Russian and the problem is they don't like spending money. Russians will spend as little as possible and mostly at Russian businesses, therefore they don't really help.

[captspectre]

Luckily 10 billion braved it and spent Chinese New Year here according to the other TAT report.

ten billion what? explain that!

[AloisAmrein]

Just came back from a 3-month holiday. Originally I wanted to spend 60 days in Thailand, I changed my plans. Went instead to Nepal, Lake Toba in Sumatra, Penang/Malaysia, then 10 days in Thailand, then to Laos, back to Thailand for 6 days, then to Laos again, then just transfer from Ubon to DMG and straight to Swampi airport. And prices everywhere cheaper then in Thailand.

[elzach]

Just came back from a 3-month holiday. Originally I wanted to spend 60 days in Thailand, I changed my plans. Went instead to Nepal, Lake Toba in Sumatra, Penang/Malaysia, then 10 days in Thailand, then to Laos, back to Thailand for 6 days, then to Laos again, then just transfer from Ubon to DMG and straight to Swampi airport. And prices everywhere cheaper then in Thailand.

I just came back from KL today (I assume Penang would be comparable)...no way Malaysia was cheaper than Thailand. The other countries you mentioned, agreed.

[wvavin]

Chiang Mai seems to be full of tourists, probably benefitting from the ongoing Bangkok protests...

Chiangmai is another country managed by the red shirts. Therefore, not affected.

[ableguy]

I Like the way the TAT do the math, it's just so Thai, always makes me smile!

they have to earn a living , come on.

[IsaanUSA]

I don't think the average tourist comes for 10 days. To average 10 days you have to have lot of people staying a lot longer than that to offset those that come for only a short time. Many come on package tours, combined with other countries, and those trips are a lot less than 10 days.

I think we are both just making up numbers, but 10 days sounds like a reasonable guess to me. I have been to Thailand many times. Sometimes for just a few hours, and sometimes for many weeks. It all averages out. There are visitors to Thailand that stay 30 days at a time (visa runners).

[Choonpon]

The business owners and those whose livelihood are affected should hold Suthep and the protesters responsible.

[IsaanUSA]

The business owners and those whose livelihood are affected should hold Suthep and the protesters responsible.

Instead of blaming somebody for their problems, they should actually do something to help their situation. Promotions, packages, innovative ideas to help drive revenue.

[Choonpon]

Agree, with new promo and ideas businesses can probably sustain. But if continuing decreased tourists, it will be difficult though. No human traffic.

[JulesMad]

I wish to have TAT for my accountant! I am sure my balance would go up and up and up