Tourist Numbers In March 2015

[Just1Voice]

You gotta remember TAT's way of thinking. If someone is flying from Japan to India, and they have to change planes in BKK, the minute they step inside Swampy, they are a verified TOURIST.

Completely incorrect just1voice..........(what a surprise..... )

Transit passengers don't pass through immigration , & are not counted as tourists in any country.

Have a look at the immigration card next time you visit Thailand, asking for your details --what hotel you are staying at, what country your from, is this your first time in Thailand, are you with a group tour or traveling alone , even what your yearly income is etc...etc.. These cards are not handed to transit passengers.

Hate to burst your bubble, sanuk711, but I am 100% correct. Have a family member who works for TAT. His job? Stand at the arrival gates with "clicker" to count every person entering the airport, whether they go to Immigration or not. His daily totals are then turned over to TAT for their "tourist figures". But nice try

Not convinced, if they want to manipulate figures why bother with such a scheme.

Convinced or not, makes no difference to me. But the guy volunteered this information to me one night at dinner when I asked him what his job was.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Just1Voice

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

You gotta remember TAT's way of thinking. If someone is flying from Japan to India, and they have to change planes in BKK, the minute they step inside Swampy, they are a verified TOURIST.

Completely incorrect just1voice..........(what a surprise..... )

Transit passengers don't pass through immigration , & are not counted as tourists in any country.

Have a look at the immigration card next time you visit Thailand, asking for your details --what hotel you are staying at, what country your from, is this your first time in Thailand, are you with a group tour or traveling alone , even what your yearly income is etc...etc.. These cards are not handed to transit passengers.

Unless they have to change airports - like from Swampy to DM. That is the same reason Malaysia's tourist figures are sky high, as soon as you arrive and change airports for a connecting flight you become a tourist.

[Larsarus]

Pattaya is pretty much in the normal stage....except the Chinese have take over the buffet at the Hilton....booked out every Friday for lunch.....like storm troopers....lol.?

Pattaya is not like it used to be. Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn, president of Trading Ass. in Pattaya, says the Russians accounted for 30% of tourist spending. Now they are down 20 % each month. The rubel has lost 60 % compared to Baht (thanks to Putin) Bye, bye Russians. .

However chineese are comming

[Larsarus]

Pattaya is pretty much in the normal stage....except the Chinese have take over the buffet at the Hilton....booked out every Friday for lunch.....like storm troopers....lol.?

Pattaya is not like it used to be. Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn, president of Trading Ass. in Pattaya, says the Russians accounted for 30% of tourist spending. Now they are down 20 % each month. The rubel has lost 60 % compared to Baht (thanks to Putin) Bye, bye Russians. .

However chineese are comming

[thedude82]

well when you shamelessly fleece first time tourists for every single baht and have these "polite" Thai people attempt to scam you from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart....do you think they would come back?

[RBOP]

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Chiangmai is doing just fine....No tourist are dying from the smoke.. no one really gives a gecko fart.....

about the smoke...most people make their own holiday happiness themselves no matter what

is going on around them..

My wife's Uncle and Aunt just came back from Chaingmai from a meditation retreat. Aunty got a severe case of bronchitis from the smoke.

[cigar7]

Is you info coming from sources as TAT or ATTA ? If not, can you refer the source ?

The source of my info, in the original initial post, are friends who are in business in the specified cities or it comes from friends who have visited the specified city and have talked to business owners of bars, restaurants, and local travel shops that have local tours.

Edited March 21, 2015 by cigar7

[perdido]

If it's the Chinese tourist numbers going down I really don't mind because I cannot stand and get sick to my stomach when the men "clean or clear" out the snot from their throat and spit it out on the pavement ???

...just like Glasgow.

[sanuk711]

Not convinced, if they want to manipulate figures why bother with such a scheme.---Oziex1,

I know oziex1...that's the sort of madness you get from the contributor, first its a family member that is standing counting people with a clicker !!

As if the Airline cannot tell them how many passengers they had on board.....then he gets told over dinner so it must be true---that they have to employ a man with a clicker, so they can post fake numbers..................

[oxo1947]

How many beers had you both had when he divulged this hidden secrete of how they put the numbers up Just1voice.?

Yes it is a bit silly isn't it.-Man with a clicker counting people off the Aircraft.

Edited March 21, 2015 by oxo1947

[Just1Voice]

How many beers had you both had when he divulged this hidden secrete of how they put the numbers up Just1voice.?

Yes it is a bit silly isn't it.-Man with a clicker counting people off the Aircraft.

None, I don't drink, and he was on 1st one. Look, I know it may sound inane to some of you, but if you can't handle the truth, then that's your problem, not mine,.

[poweratradio]

Is you info coming from sources as TAT or ATTA ? If not, can you refer the source ?

Love how posters on this site come off with blatant B.S. regarding so called details, reports. and facts without any support whats so ever. I suspect Cigar7's mom dropped by after a visit to these locales and REPORTED.

[poweratradio]

I guess the OP may be referring to the story yesterday in the Bangkok Post which claimed tourists are now flocking back to Thailand and that tourist arrivals in January increased by 16%, despite the number of Russian visitors declining by 46%.

The story quoted stats from the Department of Transport - http://newdot2.samartmultimedia.com/home/details/11/221/24246 - who claimed that the figures represented "international tourist arrivals".

However, I'd bet that these stats probably only refer to international arrivals - rather than them being actual 'tourists' - which would be quite different. The stats put out by the Department of Tourism could also include business travellers or those transiting through Suvarnabhumi.

You only have to look around the popular tourist spots and read reports in other sections of this forum about just how quiet it is in places like Phuket and Pattaya currently. It's hardly a case of tourists flocking back.

Your stating arrival stats the OP is making reference to reports he got of DEAD tourist zones in country.

[poweratradio]

Is you info coming from sources as TAT or ATTA ? If not, can you refer the source ?

The source of my info, in the original initial post, are friends who are in business in the specified cities or it comes from friends who have visited the specified city and have talked to business owners of bars, restaurants, and local travel shops that have local tours.

Thought as much. Total B.S. opinionated Bull crap stated as fact.

[spidermike007]

For most Chinese, the air quality in the north is probably a lot better than what they get back home. So, probably not much of an issue for them. But, for most other tourists, I would imagine it is quite an issue. I always time my trips up north to avoid this time of year. But, I hate some and smog. Call me weird. Seems busy on Samui. It was the busiest January and February I remember. Many of my friends who own resorts were fully booked.

[windas]

Hua Hin central is not over populated with tourists, going by the beach,Tesco's and the red light area. Seems to be a lack of Chinese knocking about. There maybe more in the resorts outside the city.

Drove to Cha Am on Friday. Firstly, I've never seen so many deck chairs over the whole length of the many kilometers of seafront. Secondly, they were 99% empty.

Seems to be the Chinese that are keeping Pattaya going at the moment.

Met some very nice, educated, chinese in Kho Chang, an exception to the rule I think.

I doesn't matter about the TV banter, we all know that Thailand as a European tourist destination has been declining for years. Unless the exchange rate improves, it will continue.

[donfer]

I will be heading to the Philippines for next trip. Food is not the best but people are very polite unlike Thais and its quite cheap there and the women are gorgeous. Looks like the "Happiness State" can count on losing my 5000 quid this year.

Hello, can you tell me where to go in the Philippines a spot like Pattaya

[neeray]

well when you shamelessly fleece first time tourists for every single baht and have these "polite" Thai people attempt to scam you from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart....do you think they would come back?

Scam, fleece? I spent all of last January in the south of Thailand, multiple locations. But I was treated fair, with respect and never got scammed or fleeced once.

But I guess it helped that my Thai fiancé was with me all the time.

Airports were great, people were great, taxis wonderful, all market vendors fantastic. I'm coming back in May.

[jacko45k]

It is the Pattaya music festival, it would be a strange description to say it is 'low'.

[hawker9000]

You gotta remember TAT's way of thinking. If someone is flying from Japan to India, and they have to change planes in BKK, the minute they step inside Swampy, they are a verified TOURIST.

Completely incorrect just1voice..........(what a surprise..... )

Transit passengers don't pass through immigration , & are not counted as tourists in any country.

Have a look at the immigration card next time you visit Thailand, asking for your details --what hotel you are staying at, what country your from, is this your first time in Thailand, are you with a group tour or traveling alone , even what your yearly income is etc...etc.. These cards are not handed to transit passengers.

What you're saying about the imm. cards and not going through immigration is true but definitely DOESN'T mean they're not being counted in TAT's totals anyway... TAT can in the end present whatever version of the numbers they want, with whatever degree of truthfulness, accuracy, and statistical skewing they want. Who the heck ever audits them not also suffering from the same conflict of interest or incentivized to cooperate? These are people paid, promoted, and otherwise incentivized to promote tourism and persuade the world that Thailand is a premier tourist destination. And delivering bad news surely isn't very "career enhancing"... Also, there's the question of arrivals who aren't "transit passengers" strictly speaking but only stay a day or two waiting for a connection, or are planning onward travel via other means, and so do pass through immigration. It's just plain silly to accept their numbers at face value. The credibility of all the other bureaucratic avenues is regularly & routinely questioned: why would you think TAT is a magic exception?

[HOWARDNARITA]

Pattaya is as low (well almost) as you can go.....................Seems like a lot of people here in Pattaya to me..............

[attento]

European (EU) unemployment levels, especially amongst the young, are high and not decreasing. It is not surprisng that the number of European tourists is declining. The Russians have exchange rate problems. Many Americans traveling to SE Asia prefer the Philippines to Thailand. So, from where are the tourists to come ?

China is the only possible source of any considerable number of tourists. There is a reasonably affluent sector of the population with new-found aspirations for travel.

[slipperylobster]

Chiangmai is doing just fine....No tourist are dying from the smoke.. no one really gives a gecko fart.....

about the smoke...most people make their own holiday happiness themselves no matter what

is going on around them..

I moved here six months ago, and heard about all the smoke problems. We decided to stay, and it is not as bad as I was expecting. I have some allergies, and the pollen during December made it very difficult for me. The worst I have had so far, as far as the smoke, was mildly irritation in my eyes. (Itchy). We proceed as normal.. Nothing changed. Hanging out at the pool and the park, is still ok (early morning). I think we will make it through, without even a shrug.

[slipperylobster]

Indeed, the snowbirds from the frozen wastelands of North America have been arriving often, on schedule, and in formation (such as a gaggle of geese).

My thoughts are that they have immersed themselves in the beauty of Pattaya, and have fallen in love with the ladies there (who are as pure as the driven snow)

[morrobay]

well when you shamelessly fleece first time tourists for every single baht and have these "polite" Thai people attempt to scam you from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart....do you think they would come back?

Thats the situation now: In the past Thailand was getting and could count on an unlimited supply of "first time" tourists who do not return for above reasons +. That supply is now limited and decreasing except for maybe the Chinese.

That is until the Chinese choose Vietnam instead.

Edited March 22, 2015 by morrobay

[Thunderbirds20]

Thailand seems hell bent on changing the demographics of the tourism industry! They are discouraging the 'A list' tourists, (Farang) from Eurpoe, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and seem to be welcoming the worst tourists possible, ..... there is a reason no countries besides Thailand and Turkey allows Russians without a visa! .. but Thailand has thrown their doors wide open to them. This amazes me as they have no respect for, or even like Thai people, customs, culture, food or religion. You never see Russians in North Thailand or Isaan. They only go to the beach resorts and are doing a fine job of making them their own!

Chinese are a joke! They travel in herds, ....gawk at everything but buy nothing. They travel in chinese tour buses .. eat in Chinese owned restaurants and sleep in Chinese hotels, ..... and like the Russians have no respect for Thai people, customs etc.

I have lived in Thailand 10 years and have seen a lot of farang that were living here, pack and leave because of this change. Where I live in Jomtien is more like Russia than Thailand. They say the drop in the Russian currency has curbed the number of Russians coming here, but you would never know it here!

I think the numbers of tourist visits is up, ..but I bet everything I have that the amount of money spent is down!

[gemguy]

Year by year is what is significant...not week by week or month by month.

Correct me if I am wrong but the tourist arrivals have been increasing year by year while the origins of the tourists have been changing.....seemingly regardless of all the bad press Thailand gets world wide....people are still wanting to go to Thailand because they believe Thailand is the most exotic and most adventurous country in Asia...so they can say: Been there, done that

Now there are far more Chinese tourists and the Thais probably feel more comfortable with them because at least they look the same or similar and blend in nicely as compared to large, white skinned, often very hairy, profusely sweating foreigners while Thailand has always had a large Chinese population while many Thais know how to speak Mandarin or Cantonese...and probably more so than Thais that speak English.

When the Chinese economy fails ( and more than likely it will at some time ) then less Chinese tourist will be arriving but by that time Thailand will be so popular with the Chinese the total numbers per year will still be significant.

So velly solly....Thailand not same, same before.......

Cheers

[dragonfly94]

You gotta remember TAT's way of thinking. If someone is flying from Japan to India, and they have to change planes in BKK, the minute they step inside Swampy, they are a verified TOURIST.

Completely incorrect just1voice..........(what a surprise..... )

Transit passengers don't pass through immigration , & are not counted as tourists in any country.

Have a look at the immigration card next time you visit Thailand, asking for your details --what hotel you are staying at, what country your from, is this your first time in Thailand, are you with a group tour or traveling alone , even what your yearly income is etc...etc.. These cards are not handed to transit passengers.

Hate to burst your bubble, sanuk711, but I am 100% correct. Have a family member who works for TAT. His job? Stand at the arrival gates with "clicker" to count every person entering the airport, whether they go to Immigration or not. His daily totals are then turned over to TAT for their "tourist figures". But nice try

stands at the gate with a clicker, is this a joke? it would be about impossible to do it accurately, he would have to be able to tell Thais from non Thais and who was a visitor and who was not. Can't believer TAT are this crap, are they?

[hugh2121]

Just take a look at the airports. One hour queues at immigration or 5 minute queues?

[i claudius]

Year by year is what is significant...not week by week or month by month.

Correct me if I am wrong but the tourist arrivals have been increasing year by year while the origins of the tourists have been changing.....seemingly regardless of all the bad press Thailand gets world wide....people are still wanting to go to Thailand because they believe Thailand is the most exotic and most adventurous country in Asia...so they can say: Been there, done that

Now there are far more Chinese tourists and the Thais probably feel more comfortable with them because at least they look the same or similar and blend in nicely as compared to large, white skinned, often very hairy, profusely sweating foreigners while Thailand has always had a large Chinese population while many Thais know how to speak Mandarin or Cantonese...and probably more so than Thais that speak English.

When the Chinese economy fails ( and more than likely it will at some time ) then less Chinese tourist will be arriving but by that time Thailand will be so popular with the Chinese the total numbers per year will still be significant.

So velly solly....Thailand not same, same before.......

Cheers

Sorry to burst your bubble ,but the Thais cannot stand the Chinese ,my wife has no end of trouble with clients not wanting to rent anywhere near them ,also owners will have nothing to do with them ,even one of the ladies who looked after the toilets at the floating market said they were the rudest ,dirtiest and tightest people she had ever come across ,they even try to sneak into the toilets to avoid paying a couple of baht.