Thai Tourism Minister: Tourist arrivals exceed 2 million now

[webfact]

Tourist arrivals exceed 2 million now



BANGKOK: -- Tourism and Sports Korbkarn Wattanavrangkul says tourist arrivals in the country continue to rise with now over two million tourists have arrived this month, representing a 25.8% increase.

With such increase, she forecasts that in April, which is well known for the Songkran Festival, around 2.4 million tourists will arrive in the month alone.

She said the ministry has planned to propose to the Cabinet during its mobile meeting tomorrow to beef up security measures for tourists and promote how to promote celebration of the water festival in the Thai way.

Moreover, the ministry has coordinated with the Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA) to waive fees for cash withdrawal from ATMs during April 13-19, to help promote domestic tourism and stimulate public spending.

The ministry is expecting over 20 billion baht to be generated during the Songkran Festival, while the waiver would help the people saves about 100 million baht in total, she added.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tourist-arrivals-exceed-2-million-now


-- Thai PBS 2015-03-27

[kingalfred]

More fairytale numbers

[thesetat2013]

It doesn't matter the numbers of tourists they quote. A billion Chinese tourists will never get TAT to reach the projected 2.2 billion baht they said. Cheap travel and cheap tourists will never spend as much as a american or European here. So these numbers mean absolutely nothing.

[Ricardo]

If tourist-numbers have recovered, does that mean the TAT no-longer needs their budget, to promote the recovery, and can safely now be made an inactive-post agency ?

[NongKhaiKid]

Lots of downbeat news on tourism recently so many posters correctly predicted there would be a positive official comment.

Well done lads you were so correct and right on cue ... !

[keestha]

Don't know about Chinese tour groups, but nobody who has his feet on the ground in the tourism industry will deny that the number of visitors from western countries has gone down. Talk to any hotel owner, tour operator or taxi driver. Important factors are the economical situation in Europe and the downward movement of the Euro. It is also noticeable that Europeans who are there have less money to spend. In my area I saw mom and pop stores who offer Chang beer for 55 Baht and Khao Pad for 45 Baht being packed with westerners.

[steve187]

do they get these fairytale figures from arrivals, if so do they then deduct the passengers that fly straight onto surrounding countries.

[Strangebrew]

I bet those figures include all the expats doing visa runs.

[LuckyLew]

Spring break maybe?

1.9 Million are high quality Chinese tours spending billions of baht

Lets see what lies they spew during low season

[madmitch]

Our April bookings have never looked so bad, and we operate one of the busiest guesthouses in the area.

Either they are just plucking a figure out of the air (probable), they know something that those in the industry don't know (doubtful) or the Chinese numbers are growing exponentially (distinct possibility).

[bim]

I have always wondered if visa runs were included in the numbers. Does anyone know?

[NongKhaiKid]

do they get these fairytale figures from arrivals, if so do they then deduct the passengers that fly straight onto surrounding countries.

Decades back I had a long association with the Philippines and lived in Manila for a couple of years.

The Ministry of Tourism was regularly accused of enhancing arrival figures by including everybody who landed in the country and that included ' Balikbayan ' ( returning Filipinos ) and transit passengers.

Absolutely no reason to disbelieve it then or now here in LoS as it's easy to do and difficult for detractors to prove but as a friend who owns a small bar / restaurant regularly says " if there's so many tourists in the country, where are they ? "

[godden]

Do these people write fairy stories as well..

[Pib]

They are doing this comparison to last year this time at the peak of the protests when tourism was dipping big time due to the turmoil in Thailand....then the coup happened in late May Easy to use manipulate stats to support most any agenda. I expect their stats will look good for the rest of year when comparing them to last year....no where to go but up, right?

[wabothai]

Her only motivation is Thai baht.

SUCKS !!!

[Lupatria]

Respect! At least she did not threaten any non-believers with execution.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Lupatria

[TSF]

Do the Chinese actually spend any money? From what I've hear they pay for package tours which include their airfare, hotel, transportation, group tours, and meals (buffets at their hotels and pre-arranged group meals in allocated restaurants) so apart from a can of coke and a pack of cigarettes in a 7-11 that's pretty much it.

[Johnny S]

Only in Thailand can an official Office like TAT fill people with bs like this

[Greenhill]

The photo with this statement is utterly misleading, showing a young 'white' couple!! Walking around Pattaya there has been no increase in 'white' tourism but plenty more Chinese package tour cheapies coming off the boats after their compulsory tour of Koh Larn!! Numbers might possibly be up but income will certainly be down!!!

[JOC]

Respect! At least she did not threaten any non-believers with execution.

Log on to Thaivisa tomorrow, and half of the posters on this thread will be gone..................

[SoilSpoil]

Sometimes I get a bit tired of all the sarcasm here. I think TAT's prognoses might even be too low. A saw a photo the other day with at least half a million Chinese on Maya beach alone.

[JOC]

Only in Thailand can an official Office like TAT fill people with bs like this

How dare you call it BS??

TAT have the latest tools in prognosis making:

[Lupatria]

Respect! At least she did not threaten any non-believers with execution.

Log on to Thaivisa tomorrow, and half of the posters on this thread will be gone..................

OK guys rest in pieces, make sure they allow you to have a last ciggy

[Lupatria]

Sometimes I get a bit tired of all the sarcasm here. I think TAT's prognoses might even be too low. A saw a photo the other day with at least half a million Chinese on Maya beach alone.

Good one! Sarcasm is the humor of the intellectuals

[PatOngo]

Their stats are derived from a random number picked from a phone directory.

[rubl]

With Songkhran approaching and the Ministry pondering security measures and celebrating the 'Thai' way, will the Ministry of Culture do it's bit to stimulate the fun?

Maybe TAT could hand out free Tshirts which show appropriate Thai values when wet ?

[Jiggo]

Could be true...loads of Chinese walking around Pattaya last night,watching me enjoying my "Tiger" Beer.

[rubl]

Could be true...loads of Chinese walking around Pattaya last night,watching me enjoying my "Tiger" Beer.

Did they whisper to each other "look, a barbarian" or "look, Tommy Cooper" while pointing at you ?

[sambum]

More fairytale numbers

Tend to agree - as a later poster said " if there are so many tourists here - where are they all?" Certainly not in my neck of the woods, which is supposedly "Paradise Island"!

[bangon04]

I bet those figures include all the expats doing visa runs.

who are spending more than the typical Chinese Flag-follower...