webfact Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Tourist arrivals increase in Q1 by 23%BANGKOK, 13 May 2015 (NNT) - The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has announced that there was a 23.5% increase, or 7.8 million people, in tourist arrivals in Thailand during the first quarter this year.Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Watthanawarangkun said after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the Cabinet asked all ministries to encourage their staff to wear clothes made from Thai silk according to the Discover Thainess project. Local clothes of each province would be worn by the staff in a bid to generate revenue from apparel sales and create a lively atmosphere, the minister said.As for tourism growth this year, the minister said Thailand earned more from tourism in the first quarter this year due to the 23.54 increase in tourist arrivals. From October 2014-May 2015, more than 18.5 million foreign tourists visited Thailand.-- NNT 2015-05-13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assayer Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 If there were 18.5 million in the past 6 months(Oct-May) and 7.8 in the past 3 months doesn't that equal a reduced number of tourists for the first quarter?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockman Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Numbers like the Thai lottery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunPer Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 23 percent increase, seem to remember some posting about "no tourists" and "less tourists than before"; presumably some of the tourists have changed – perhaps more Chinese and Korean this year and less Russian and Europeans – and is not visible in same places as before... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExPratt Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script> If there were 18.5 million in the past 6 months(Oct-May) and 7.8 in the past 3 months doesn't that equal a reduced number of tourists for the first quarter?? Yest if does . But a 23% increase in comparison to what, last years Q1 ? I'd also like to know what criteria the use to amass the figures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman34014 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Yes; and the number of Pixie's at the bottom of my garden has doubled in the first quarter ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOC Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Nonsense!! I am in the business, and we just had the worst "high season" ever!! Don't know where Madame Popcorn is getting her numbers from, but they have nothing to do with reality!! As for the Thai silk stunt, not really surprised considering the source......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strangebrew Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 You can tell so easy when there trying to feed a pile of horse c-ap because I noticed the weekly farang jumpers down 100%. haven't heard one story eluding to a single suicide in over 3 months. Come on farangs your not trying hard enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesetat2013 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Nonsense!! I am in the business, and we just had the worst "high season" ever!! Don't know where Madame Popcorn is getting her numbers from, but they have nothing to do with reality!! As for the Thai silk stunt, not really surprised considering the source......................... Your slow business is because the Chinese want a cheap place while they stay and not spend money here. Hard to believe anything TAT says anyway but if by chance this number is accurate it surely doesn't reflect the amount of tourist dollars spent here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toybits Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Wonder where they get their figures from??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inaktive Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 They are exchanging 2-4 week staying "Quality Tourists" from Europe/Aussi/etc. with over the weekend Chinese tourists . Sure the number of arrivals is up but the number of nights spend by tourists is down and the nights they spend are in "as cheap as possible" hotels either in in Chiang Mai or close to/In Bangkok. Even the officials in Phuket are saying the number of ARRIVALS there is down about 2 Million this year and many stay shorter than before. Most other beach locations will be the same with only the small and remote ones still getting some growth from the "stay away from the masses" Tourists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyLew Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I would be the numbers are made up of cheap tour groups Going from one site to another an no where in between All going around in tour buses Does great business for the tour operators and those on the their path, but not much for the average Somchaii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhill Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Would be interesting to see the breakdown by country!!! I would suspect all the increase is from China??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 If there were 18.5 million in the past 6 months(Oct-May) and 7.8 in the past 3 months doesn't that equal a reduced number of tourists for the first quarter?? Hold on I want to see what my Ouija board says and after that the Tarot cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Haggis Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Wonder where they get their figures from??? From the same place the monkey shoves his nuts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabhand Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Would be interesting to see the breakdown by country!!! I would suspect all the increase is from China??!! Breakdown is on the TAT website, here http://www.tourism.go.th/home/details/11/221/24246 Info indicates that increase due in the main to upsurge in Chinese arrivals (no surprise there), plus a smaller increase in Malaysians (likely to be mainly southern provinces for limited duration visits). The drop in European arrivals is virtually all down to the drop in Russian numbers. The 23% increase is a year on year increase from 2014 Q1. Increase sounds good, but due almost entirely to the lower spending/shorter duration tourists. So, it looks like good news / bad news / but overall no news!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Haggis Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 maybe they're also counting the refugees recently found in jungle camps as tourists to inflate the numbers? nothing would surprise me with TAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadman Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) Oct - May = 6 months ...holy crap. And the usual thai negative naysayers are equally as ignorant in their haste to ridicule anything Thai. Pleasing to see that the Thai's have a better grasp of numbers than the usual ignorant naysayers on here. For the benefit of those illiterate westerners Oct - May is 8 months and January to May 2015 being five months is not a quarter (comprising 3 months) the same as Q4 2014. The lot of you should try reading and comprehending what is in front of you instead of showing your ignorance. Edited May 13, 2015 by Roadman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExPratt Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) Oct - May = 6 months ...holy crap. And the usual thai negative naysayers are equally as ignorant in their haste to ridicule anything Thai. Pleasing to see that the Thai's have a better grasp of numbers than the usual ignorant naysayers on here. For the benefit of those illiterate westerners Oct - May is 8 months and January to May 2015 being five months is not a quarter (comprising 3 months) the same as Q4 2014. The lot of you should try reading and comprehending what is in front of you instead of showing your ignorance. I think he meant Mar not May , that's how I read it anyway. Could you tell me what the 23% Rise is in Comparison to ?, last years Q1 . Also do you know how the figures are compiled Edited May 13, 2015 by ExPratt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praematura Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 The number of Chinese busses parked on a main road that connects Pattaya with Jomtien has increased. Soon the entire road will become the Great Wall of Busses. There is no longer space between these busses as its bumper to bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konying Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Nonsense!! I am in the business, and we just had the worst "high season" ever!! Don't know where Madame Popcorn is getting her numbers from, but they have nothing to do with reality!! As for the Thai silk stunt, not really surprised considering the source......................... Your slow business is because the Chinese want a cheap place while they stay and not spend money here. Hard to believe anything TAT says anyway but if by chance this number is accurate it surely doesn't reflect the amount of tourist dollars spent here. Chinese groups stay at 4-5 star hotels because they get dirt cheap prices. They get driven around and anyone who is not in their circles does not see a single baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExPratt Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Nonsense!! I am in the business, and we just had the worst "high season" ever!! Don't know where Madame Popcorn is getting her numbers from, but they have nothing to do with reality!! As for the Thai silk stunt, not really surprised considering the source......................... Your slow business is because the Chinese want a cheap place while they stay and not spend money here. Hard to believe anything TAT says anyway but if by chance this number is accurate it surely doesn't reflect the amount of tourist dollars spent here. Chinese groups stay at 4-5 star hotels because they get dirt cheap prices. They get driven around and anyone who is not in their circles does not see a single baht. Agree , when you book 80 room at a time you get a bit of a subsidy. Thats the difference snit it they are not traveling as individuals it a lowest common denominator tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellacissa Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 And all 7.8 million of them are in those buses lined up on the streets of Pattaya.Half filled buses, mind you. Can't fill them up... No, that would lead to less buses and less buses makes it look like less tourists. Can't have that, now can we? Sigh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yunla Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Yes; and the number of Pixie's at the bottom of my garden has doubled in the first quarter ! I just hope that they were all wearing the correct traditional Pixie garb, woven from authentic local rainbows and woodland magic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharp Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Should say 'zero spending aggressive ,arrogant' tourists up 23%... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupatria Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I'm a little suspicious now. They may have added a couple of Rohingyas to their figures. I mean they are here and must be good for something at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupatria Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I'm a little suspicious now. They may have added a couple of Rohingyas to their figures. I mean they are here and must be good for something at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttthailand Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) Was in Pattaya this past Sunday and Monday and road around beach and second road. Many buses and Chinese everywhere but that was about it. Very few Farang anywhere. Walking street was packed Sunday night with thousands of Chinese but the bars were empty. Even the places where you sit and have a beer and watch the people walking by were empty. Never saw it like this before. The big bars with bands had a few people sitting but you could count the numbers on one hand, sad ! The numbers may be up but this increase has a negative effect on the tourist that spend real money. Over crowding with low end tourists is not the answer. Edited May 14, 2015 by ttthailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praematura Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I'm a little suspicious now. They may have added a couple of Rohingyas to their figures. I mean they are here and must be good for something at least. Haha nice point! My wife asked an immigration agent at BKK. He explained they count flights stopping here and continuing on as an arrival. For example, I flew on Eva Air from Taipei to BKK and the plane basically dropped my wife and I off and continued onto London. All of the people on the plane were counted as arrivals, even though a few of us actually went through customs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 My guess is that they use the tourist arrival cards to produce the numbers. The figures on the Ministry Of Tourism website are very precise. This of course means that every visa runner is counted for each entry, long stayers on non-imm visas are possibly included if they leave and re-enter the country. Arrival numbers mean little. Overall hotel nights would be more relevant and as has been quite rightly stated previously, the areas where numbers have increased, Malaysia and China, spend much less time in the country than a typical Western tourist. And replacing Russians, who would spend two weeks here, with Chinese with an average of maybe four days (guess), just isn't comparable. I actually believe the numbers but based on the above they are of minimal relevance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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