TAT expects tourism industry to grow next year

[BudRight]

Hope and 10 baht gets you fried meat on a stick.

[madmitch]

TAT have to be positive to justify their existence.

They can easily revise their targets at a later date............as they seem to do every year with no questions asked!

[jacko45k]

Here we go again......

Excuses to follow in 11 months followed by.....

TAT expects tourism industry to grow next year!

[brewsterbudgen]

Opening up the immigration floodgates is one way to massively increase the number of visitors.

If all the recent crackdowns are reversed then the numbers will look very good next year when compared to this year.

I occasionally wonder if things like this are planned out far in advance.

Exactly, why make it so hard for people who do nothing but spend money in the Kingdom ? Mucking about with things that are beneficial is idiotic.

You have to read between the lines here.

If it's made harder for people to enter and exit Thailand this year (and it has been) then the numbers will be way down as anyone would expect - this of course will be blamed on the previous administration.

A quick change of the rules early next year will completely turn things around which could make the new administration look very good.

The visa rules have already been relaxed for genuine tourists with 30day extensions now available.

[bangon04]

TAT expects tourism industry to grow next year

yes of course they do......

[lil fluffy clouds]

And I hope it does grow.

For the good of Thailand, for the good of Thai people and the good of foreigners living in this country.

Stop being negative, people, you want as much as I do, this country to prosper.

Tourism doesnt make a country prosper in real currency,

If you think more luxury cars and latest iphones is abundance you need your head examined, seriously.....

[hawker9000]

This year TAT have announced some terrible tourist figures. Given the new junta government and the high profile murders on Koh Tao then I think its inevitable tourist numbers will be up next year.

Oh, I don't know... I think you underestimate their creativity here. They'll think up some more new & even more colorful, newsworthy, and picturesque ways to discourage tourists. Have some faith.

[Suffinator]

[SaintLouisBlues]

How is this "news"? They say the same thing every year.

[Baerboxer]

you want as much as I do, this country to prosper.

Yet you support military coups which stop it from doing so? Bizarre

But Thailand wasn't getting and wouldn't have got rich and prospered under the Shin government.

Now the Shin family wealth grew 450% during the Yingluck administration. How did the wealth of the nation and average Thais do during the same period?

Conferences were cancelled as the Shins had lost control of law and order with nightly attacks on their opponents. The conferences were moved to other ASEAN locations, Those conferences are being moved back to Bangkok for 2015. Just one example.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Baerboxer

[John1thru10]

Opening up the immigration floodgates is one way to massively increase the number of visitors.

If all the recent crackdowns are reversed then the numbers will look very good next year when compared to this year.

I occasionally wonder if things like this are planned out far in advance.

Personally, I think the whole thing has been orchestrated by China, as part of their plan to take over Thailand. China is not a fan of westerners, democracy or free speech, so surprise...either is the general.

Edited December 25, 2014 by John1thru10

[John1thru10]

The anathema to any restricted society as such in the movie Game of Thrones is unrestricted contact with people from outside that society. While there may be language and cultural barriers between citizens and different nationalities, the ideas, behaviors, and culture of foreign tourists will germinate changes within the restrictive society as a natural consequence. That North Korea place such emphasis on cultural and educational isolation to keep its society closed.

Even the rigidly ruled China has now a daily and growing confrontation with ideals of participatory democracy and personal independence. For while it carefully controls foreign visitors into the nation, it cannot insulate its people from exposure to noncommunist ideology when they visit other countries with far greater freedoms such as Japan, Taiwan, Europe, and North America.

So I hope that Thailand tourism explodes next year, not from the Chinese who would be culturally the blind leadly the blind, but from the open and free societies of Western and Oceanic countries. Not for the sake of expanding the Thailand economy but for the sake of expanding the Thai mentality to a more free and vigorous society capable of controlling its own destiny.

And well said. I also believe that a great deal of Thailand's recent adventure into complete lack of free media, oppression and xenophobia has to do with the General's wish to do 'business' with China - ie, has been orchestrated by China. Big surprise, his propaganda describes it as 'loving Thailand', but no military general stages a coup, self elects themselves and declares endless martial law out of 'love and hope'. He is the one who is personally going to prosper the most, inside Thailand, for helping China to pave the way for a complete lack of free will, along with a hatred for the west being established in it's policies.

Edited December 25, 2014 by John1thru10

[ThaiUser]

It never stops to amaze me reading all these comments that know the solutions to the Thai tourism industry and the problems it is encountering.

One commentator, tullynagardy #14, even suggests that tourism has gone down because of the recent military coup. Unfortunately for him there is no evidence that would support his theory.

Fact is that even after the 2006 coup Thai tourism showed an increase in annual figures and during military rule thereafter; the decline started again, when the military handed control back to political parties and politics was enacted on the streets in Bangkok and the pictures of these antics shown to a global community. In that respect both major parties and their supporters can take the blame for it. Tourists want security and a holiday they can enjoy and not being made part of an internal political trouble within the host country.

Maybe by the time power is handed back to the political parties they might realise that confrontation of political differences has to be enacted in parliament via debate and not on the streets of Bangkok.

Here is what the UNWTO (UN department) had to say about tourism in the region. For a full read follow the link.

http://media.unwto.org/press-release/2014-12-18/international-tourism-track-end-2014-record-numbers

International arrivals in Asia and the Pacific increased by 5% (through October), consolidating the region’s growth trend of recent years. The best results came from South Asia (+8%), led by India (+7%), and from North-East Asia (+7%) where major destinations such as Japan and the Republic of Korea registered double-digit growth. Arrivals in Oceania grew by 6% owing mostly to the increase of arrivals in Australia and New Zealand. In South-East Asia (+2%), growth slowed down compared to 2012 and 2013 as a result of the decline in arrivals registered in Thailand.

[kriswillems]

The negative remarks of the farangs you read here are the result of cynicism.

I think most expats living here for a while develop some form of cynicism -

probably because Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move and because of the new-reports that are mostly just delusional.

But that doesn't mean, that we all don't wish the best for Thailand.

Edited December 25, 2014 by kriswillems

[ThaiUser]

The negative remarks of the farangs you read here are the result of cynicism.

I think most expats living here for a while develop some form of cynicism -

probably because Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move and because of the new-reports that are mostly just delusional.

But that doesn't mean, that we all don't wish the best for Thailand.

I know only to well the problems foreigners facing within Thailand when married to a Thai because I am married to one. But cynicism that turns everything into a negative perspective as far as the Thai population is concerned doesn’t help.

Point the finger at what is wrong like property rights, visa problems and other issues that don’t exist in other countries. I have lived and worked in the UK for over 20 years and gained dual nationality, so why foreigners with family in this country should not be entitled to the same status is the question?

Whenever I speak with people here in Thailand, be it politicians or business people I have never avoided the subject and been open about it, stating that I find it wrong how we treat foreigners that have family links in the country and contribute towards our society.

Anyway, I wish you a Merry Christmas (I am Buddhist but got used to the custom during my time in Europe).

[John1thru10]

The negative remarks of the farangs you read here are the result of cynicism.

I think most expats living here for a while develop some form of cynicism -

probably because Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move and because of the new-reports that are mostly just delusional.

But that doesn't mean, that we all don't wish the best for Thailand.

I know only to well the problems foreigners facing within Thailand when married to a Thai because I am married to one. But cynicism that turns everything into a negative perspective as far as the Thai population is concerned doesn’t help.

Point the finger at what is wrong like property rights, visa problems and other issues that don’t exist in other countries. I have lived and worked in the UK for over 20 years and gained dual nationality, so why foreigners with family in this country should not be entitled to the same status is the question?

Whenever I speak with people here in Thailand, be it politicians or business people I have never avoided the subject and been open about it, stating that I find it wrong how we treat foreigners that have family links in the country and contribute towards our society.

Anyway, I wish you a Merry Christmas (I am Buddhist but got used to the custom during my time in Europe).

ThaiUser, first of all, a very happy Christmas and New Year to you.

Personally, I love Thailand very dearly. Not just because it is a beautiful landscape, or because of parties. I love Thailand because over the years some of the closest friends I've ever had, are Thai people. As you know more than I, there is a spirit in most Thai people which is unique in the world, and a culture which is nourishing to the heart. I hope this is always preserved, because I think it is a positive example to the world. Not just words, I really feel this way.

I was never a supporter of the Thaksin governments, myself. It is not really my business, either.

There are some things I feel disturbed by, over the last 6 months. Not for 'political' reasons - I am no activist - but simply because I imagine myself to be in the position of the Thai people who I love. One thing, I feel they should not have had their right to vote taken away from them, as citizens. That doesn't mean I agree with their votes, either. I feel that the human right to have some say in a person's own government, in their own country, is not about whether I approve of them or not. I feel a lot of western posters here say things, which sound almost like they imagine themselves to be 'daddy'. I think of the people I see working hard, and doing their best each day in my little neighborhood, and I want them to have the self respect which comes with feeling like grown, adult people.

To go along with that, the crackdown on free-media, I feel, is a very negative development. Again, it's not because I personally agree with everything people would want to say. But, Thai people deserve a voice that way. It is their country, as much as it is the country of the current leaders. That also doesn't mean I disagree with everything the leaders would say, either. But Thailand needs a free press, because that is the most respectful demonstration that Thai people are valued. I am often amazed here, at how posters pretend those simple rights don't 'really matter' for Thai people. Again, those voices are like 'daddy', who feels superior to Thai people.

Finally, it is a different world now, than 2006. Social media is more advanced now, and people learn of things around the world much faster and more directly. That's not going to change. A dear friend of mine runs the Crisis Group for the UN. And, even though they are not an authority over Thailand, she did mention some months back that they are very concerned about human rights sites having been blocked, foreign journalists being threatened for reporting, and things like that. Put that together with a lot of reports (which are not 'delusional' as the fellow above says) about tourists being randomly stopped, searched, harassed and extorted, in Bangkok. Those reports have gone international, and while it has always happened in Thailand, it does seem to have increased.

Put on top of all that, the term 'martial law' - which is not a positive term in the world's view - and immigration becoming extremely aggressive (angry sounding) and rather xenophobic - many statements calling westerners words like criminal, or using words like that throughout a statement - is very negative in the worlds view.

I sincerely hope that Thailand's leaders see the wisdom in becoming more open, instead of more closed, in the months ahead.

[ThaiUser]

The negative remarks of the farangs you read here are the result of cynicism.

I think most expats living here for a while develop some form of cynicism -

probably because Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move and because of the new-reports that are mostly just delusional.

But that doesn't mean, that we all don't wish the best for Thailand.

I know only to well the problems foreigners facing within Thailand when married to a Thai because I am married to one. But cynicism that turns everything into a negative perspective as far as the Thai population is concerned doesn’t help.

Point the finger at what is wrong like property rights, visa problems and other issues that don’t exist in other countries. I have lived and worked in the UK for over 20 years and gained dual nationality, so why foreigners with family in this country should not be entitled to the same status is the question?

Whenever I speak with people here in Thailand, be it politicians or business people I have never avoided the subject and been open about it, stating that I find it wrong how we treat foreigners that have family links in the country and contribute towards our society.

Anyway, I wish you a Merry Christmas (I am Buddhist but got used to the custom during my time in Europe).

ThaiUser, first of all, a very happy Christmas and New Year to you.

Personally, I love Thailand very dearly. Not just because it is a beautiful landscape, or because of parties. I love Thailand because over the years some of the closest friends I've ever had, are Thai people. As you know more than I, there is a spirit in most Thai people which is unique in the world, and a culture which is nourishing to the heart. I hope this is always preserved, because I think it is a positive example to the world. Not just words, I really feel this way.

I was never a supporter of the Thaksin governments, myself. It is not really my business, either.

There are some things I feel disturbed by, over the last 6 months. Not for 'political' reasons - I am no activist - but simply because I imagine myself to be in the position of the Thai people who I love. One thing, I feel they should not have had their right to vote taken away from them, as citizens. That doesn't mean I agree with their votes, either. I feel that the human right to have some say in a person's own government, in their own country, is not about whether I approve of them or not. I feel a lot of western posters here say things, which sound almost like they imagine themselves to be 'daddy'. I think of the people I see working hard, and doing their best each day in my little neighborhood, and I want them to have the self respect which comes with feeling like grown, adult people.

To go along with that, the crackdown on free-media, I feel, is a very negative development. Again, it's not because I personally agree with everything people would want to say. But, Thai people deserve a voice that way. It is their country, as much as it is the country of the current leaders. That also doesn't mean I disagree with everything the leaders would say, either. But Thailand needs a free press, because that is the most respectful demonstration that Thai people are valued. I am often amazed here, at how posters pretend those simple rights don't 'really matter' for Thai people. Again, those voices are like 'daddy', who feels superior to Thai people.

Finally, it is a different world now, than 2006. Social media is more advanced now, and people learn of things around the world much faster and more directly. That's not going to change. A dear friend of mine runs the Crisis Group for the UN. And, even though they are not an authority over Thailand, she did mention some months back that they are very concerned about human rights sites having been blocked, foreign journalists being threatened for reporting, and things like that. Put that together with a lot of reports (which are not 'delusional' as the fellow above says) about tourists being randomly stopped, searched, harassed and extorted, in Bangkok. Those reports have gone international, and while it has always happened in Thailand, it does seem to have increased.

Put on top of all that, the term 'martial law' - which is not a positive term in the world's view - and immigration becoming extremely aggressive (angry sounding) and rather xenophobic - many statements calling westerners words like criminal, or using words like that throughout a statement - is very negative in the worlds view.

I sincerely hope that Thailand's leaders see the wisdom in becoming more open, instead of more closed, in the months ahead.

John1thru10, thank you for your seasons wishes.

I haven’t voted for Thaksin because I was living in Scotland and could not be bothered to go to my consul or embassy to cast my vote. I didn’t take a lot of interest in Thai politics as I was living Europe.

Not only feel I disturbed by things that have happened over the last 6 month but over the years since I have returned home in 2006 and not only in Thailand believe me. I have not been in support of the coups the military staged during my return to Thailand nor have I supported the unrest and demonstrations caused by red or yellow. None of it did help Thailand and how she is viewed from abroad.

I also believe that free people should have a say in the way they are governed and that voting for or against a government is a fundamental right and not a privilege. That also includes countries with strong links to the US and UK (Middle East) where these rights are not exercised without causing too much concern for the governments of the UK and US.

Social media is a two edged sword even if it is more advanced now as it has been 10 years ago. Often it is used to push one agenda and not too much emphasis is placed on the truth. The blocking of human rights sites is not an invention that has its roots in Thailand but is exercised more or less in many countries around this globe. I also have a friend, a medical doctor that is working for the UN Help the Children Fond and she agrees with me that changes within a system have to come via the education of children, because they will be the next in line to govern a country. Unfortunately education on a global stage has become a secondary issue (not if you listen to politicians but when you look at the resources made available).

The lot of reports about tourists being randomly stopped, searched, harassed and extorted in Bangkok has to be seen in context too (certainly something has to be done about it). Out of over 20.000.000 tourists to Thailand, how many can say they have been randomly stopped or suffered any of the other mentioned injuries? My guess is that it will be far below 1% which doesn’t make it a nation wide problem for tourists.

A few months back I read in the Spiegel (German magazine) and Le Monde (French paper) about tourists from their countries being killed in one case, and being attacked in South America in the other case whilst on holidays (might come to a blow for the ‘daddies’ that feel superior to Thai people that some Thai can read, write and speak foreign languages). It didn’t cause that kind of media outcry as it seems when it comes to Thailand. I put it down to the fact that these countries don’t have a close nit community of expats that via emails or comments influence the free media. I have followed Thai events in the foreign papers and how they are reported. The British media I found is quite open to suggestions from sources out of Thailand that in same cases have been based on fiction but not on facts.

Martial law is never a positive thing and neither are curfews (which are similar to martial law) that have been placed on US communities where rioting and violence has occurred – it is very negative in the worlds view too. But what is the alternative? Lift martial law and curfews and let the people fight it out, or try to get something in place and once it is lifted people can argue it out without resorting to violence?

Edited December 25, 2014 by ThaiUser

[lil fluffy clouds]

Opening up the immigration floodgates is one way to massively increase the number of visitors.

If all the recent crackdowns are reversed then the numbers will look very good next year when compared to this year.

I occasionally wonder if things like this are planned out far in advance.

Personally, I think the whole thing has been orchestrated by China, as part of their plan to take over Thailand. China is not a fan of westerners, democracy or free speech, so surprise...either is the general.

O Edited December 25, 2014 by lil fluffy clouds

[Orac]

I imagine that were TAT able to have a representative present at every crime scene, and said representatives given the authority to pass out brown envelopes, and subsequently all deaths were the result of suicide or accidental slips and natural causes, then yes... it is entirely possible!

Merely a theory. I now remove my tin foil topper and resume normal thinking

You might be fairly close to the truth on that - i hear TAT got hold of the RTP cluedo set and have tampered with it a bit. Apparently the suspect cards have been replaced with a 50/50 mix of either 'Burmese' or " Other Miscellaneous Foreigner" , they have managed to change most of the weapon cards by writing "Suicide" over the top in crayon and the board now has six balconys.

[sambum]

This year TAT have announced some terrible tourist figures. Given the new junta government and the high profile murders on Koh Tao then I think its inevitable tourist numbers will be up next year.

Up?

[sambum]

The negative remarks of the farangs you read here are the result of cynicism.

I think most expats living here for a while develop some form of cynicism -

probably because Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move and because of the new-reports that are mostly just delusional.

But that doesn't mean, that we all don't wish the best for Thailand.

"Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move" Quite true, but maybe the cynical expats would like Thailand to be more accepting of the people who are putting money into their economy, would like tradesmen to turn up when they say they are going to turn up (or telephone if they can't make it), would like shop assistants try to find something instead of just saying "no have", say they don't know where a certain place/shop is instead of just sending you off in the wrong direction altogether rather than "losing face" by admitting that they don't know and ............. etc etc

[Scully]

This year TAT have announced some terrible tourist figures. Given the new junta government and the high profile murders on Koh Tao then I think its inevitable tourist numbers will be up next year.

Up?

I may be wrong but this years tourist figures have been buried with all the other bad news, how often have you heard TAT downgrade its tourist figures?. This year they downgraded their forecast which is unheard of, this year has been shocking for Thailand.

Maybe this article can explain it better than me.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/128429/28-weeks-later-thailand-tourism-down-but-not-out/

[ggt]

Since some estimates have tourism down as much as 40% in 2014...it is a safe bet that it will move back up some from here...thanks TAT for another extraordinary example of non-usable information...

[sambum]

This year TAT have announced some terrible tourist figures. Given the new junta government and the high profile murders on Koh Tao then I think its inevitable tourist numbers will be up next year.

Up?

I may be wrong but this years tourist figures have been buried with all the other bad news, how often have you heard TAT downgrade its tourist figures?. This year they downgraded their forecast which is unheard of, this year has been shocking for Thailand.

Maybe this article can explain it better than me.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/128429/28-weeks-later-thailand-tourism-down-but-not-out/

Thank you. However, another point to remember is that under martial law, some travel insurance companies will not cover you, and I doubt if they would warn you beforehand! I think they would willingly take your premium, and then in the instance of a claim, point to the relevant clause and say "Sorry, you're not covered as the country is under martial law." And that could be a claim for something that could no way have been caused by martial law e.g. spraining your ankle on a Bangkok pavement!

[ableguy]

If TAT was a private company they would have gone belly up years ago, bunch of clowns.

I have twice gone into a TAT office to get tourist information only to find not one person spoke English and these were in large towns.

[spidermike007]

We expect, and therefore it will happen. Most of the restaurant, and hotel owners I have been speaking to, say this is one of the slowest peak seasons in memory. Most hotels are NOT fully occupied this week. Highly unusual for peak season. A combination of the coup, the inability of a lot of foreigners to get travel insurance to come here, the Eurozone crisis, the continued slow economy elsewhere, the ruble devaluation, and the Russian embargo all contribute to this. If you add in the bad press from the Tao murders, the bumbling PR of the army, and a few other factors, you have a slower than normal peak season. ALL of these factors are out of the hands of the TAT, who continue to pretend they are seers, and have a crystal ball which tells them all. If there is one agency you cannot listen to, with any degree of certainly, it is this house of fools.

[Oziex1]

So I reply but why do I bother commenting on TAT's press releases? They do provide a moments amusement, sigh!

[spidermike007]

The negative remarks of the farangs you read here are the result of cynicism.

I think most expats living here for a while develop some form of cynicism -

probably because Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move and because of the new-reports that are mostly just delusional.

But that doesn't mean, that we all don't wish the best for Thailand.

"Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move" Quite true, but maybe the cynical expats would like Thailand to be more accepting of the people who are putting money into their economy, would like tradesmen to turn up when they say they are going to turn up (or telephone if they can't make it), would like shop assistants try to find something instead of just saying "no have", say they don't know where a certain place/shop is instead of just sending you off in the wrong direction altogether rather than "losing face" by admitting that they don't know and ............. etc etc

Your level of misunderstanding is extreme. Most of us wish the best for Thailand. Though we engage in criticism, that is in no way an indication we do not love this land, or its people. There is always room for improvement with any country. We need a place to vent. Some with thinner skin misinterpret this as hate. Not the case at all.

[hawker9000]

This year TAT have announced some terrible tourist figures. Given the new junta government and the high profile murders on Koh Tao then I think its inevitable tourist numbers will be up next year.

Up?

Yeah. Up. You know. "Up", as in, "Up in smoke".

[sambum]

The negative remarks of the farangs you read here are the result of cynicism.

I think most expats living here for a while develop some form of cynicism -

probably because Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move and because of the new-reports that are mostly just delusional.

But that doesn't mean, that we all don't wish the best for Thailand.

"Thailand doesn't move in the direction they would like it to move" Quite true, but maybe the cynical expats would like Thailand to be more accepting of the people who are putting money into their economy, would like tradesmen to turn up when they say they are going to turn up (or telephone if they can't make it), would like shop assistants try to find something instead of just saying "no have", say they don't know where a certain place/shop is instead of just sending you off in the wrong direction altogether rather than "losing face" by admitting that they don't know and ............. etc etc

Your level of misunderstanding is extreme. Most of us wish the best for Thailand. Though we engage in criticism, that is in no way an indication we do not love this land, or its people. There is always room for improvement with any country. We need a place to vent. Some with thinner skin misinterpret this as hate. Not the case at all.

I wouldn't agree with your first sentence at all. I do not misunderstand - I am just trying to put it in perspective. In most European/Western countries I have been to, if someone makes an appointment they stick to it, or contact you beforehand to explain why they can not attend. Not so Thailand - to apologise for not attending is "losing face", and in my experience, the best you will get, when they do eventually turn up (maybe 2 or 3 days later) by means of an explanation is "Sorry, busy".(Even though I have previously asked them to phone if there is any problem or reason they will not be able to attend.) I agree with you when you say that there is always room for improvement in any country, and in my "home" country sometimes "customer service" can go a bit far, especially when shopping/browsing. "Can I help you, sir?" every minute can get a bit annoying, but I'd rather have that than "no have", when I know fine well that the item I am looking for is in that store - somewhere!!! I too love this land,(I would not be here if I didn't, and have been living here for nearly 6 years, so I'm not a newbie!), and that is why I basically agree with the rest of your statement, but until Thailand makes a couple of major changes (Number 1 - cutting down on corruption, Number 2 - realising that apologising is not the same as losing face, and that sticking to your word is a very important part of doing business) I fear that Thailand will always be a 3rd World Country, but, hey, it keeps its prices down!