Tourists flooding into Thailand - some islands "twice as much as last year"

[lostinisaan]

Tourists eat Sisaket people as the huge food shortage made them to cannibals. 

 

             Must be true. 

[GAZZPA]

On December 13, 2016 at 9:12 PM, poohy said:

Regardless Of the Brexit fiasco.......GBP down from 53 to now 44 ish make thailand more expensive

 

it aint a cheap holiday here now and certainly not going to help!

Of course it's still cheap. Look, I spend about 60 to 70 baht on my lunchtime meal (I could spend less if I bothered trying) so even with the change rate as it is at the moment it's still peanuts.

 

Thailand is not as cheap as it used to be full stop and there are other cheaper destinations for sure but you can hardly call Thailand an expensive holiday.

[GAZZPA]

On December 13, 2016 at 4:59 PM, Lingba said:

This article is a joke right?...I have to laugh....They come out with all this warped BS...and for What reason?...at the end of the day, the real numbers come in and the numbers don't lie...Not like the TAT...Who are they kidding and why?

Politics my friend.

 

Years ago during the 70's and 80's Thailand heavily invested in infrastructure, it invested in roads, networks, oil, building and one of it's big drivers started to become tourism. So during the 80's, 90's and early 00's Thailand enjoyed really solid growth, huge tourism industry and foreign investment.

 

However, since then nothing much has happened. What has Thailand done in the past 10 years or so to secure the next 10 or 20 years prosperity and growth? Not much really.

 

The not bright spot they had a few years ago is that even though foreign investment was falling, exports were falling and economic growth was falling tourism was still doing well and they were holding onto that. Now if they make statements that tourism numbers are seriously declining (which we all believe they are) then they are essentially stating that the country is looking bleak in just about every sector that drives growth. So, they BS. 

 

So, lack of planning, political unrest, inability to implement and do things, denial etc,etc,etc will only lead to one conclusion and the reality is looming.

 

I know that eventually the truth comes out but that is not the Thai way to admit it openly and tackle it head on. Talking it all down and pretending everything is rosy is the name of the game here. I have read a few articles where economists believe that Thailand is now going into it's lost "10 years" the same as Japan and other Western countries have had to endure. I think that's probably right.

[dcnx]

Just realized, this is one of those "fake news" sites I keep hearing about.

[Dumbastheycome]

On 12/13/2016 at 11:32 PM, mcfish said:

Dead wrong buddy. I'm in jomtien and guess what? The Russians have jammed packed it in, even with there currency in the toilet. A good mate owns a guest house in soi 12 and they come and fight with him for a discount every single day. Beats the hell out of a Russian winter!
Never ever underestimate Thailand. It's still the world's hottest tropical destination!!!

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

Arrived  at Swampy at  midnight after a month  away. 2 hour queue thro entry! Yep, they is still  arriving! 

And for those  who complain that they are not rocketing down  to  your personal part of town as proof  of declining arrivals might need consider they have been  warned  you are  residing there !  

[the guest]

The party is over that is for sure, and the grass is alway greener on-the-other-side., and that happens to be other tropical countries which are pulling-out all the stops to attract tourists. 

 

Greed, and over-development has killed the place. Tourists come for the sun, that's for sure, but they also come for a good time, and value for money, and a taste of rural paradise, something sadly that is missing in Thailand.

 

TAT can spread 'fake news' as much as it wants, but honestly most us know exactly that tourism in Thailand has fallen.

[Dumbastheycome]

On 12/21/2016 at 1:59 PM, GAZZPA said:

Politics my friend.

 

Years ago during the 70's and 80's Thailand heavily invested in infrastructure, it invested in roads, networks, oil, building and one of it's big drivers started to become tourism. So during the 80's, 90's and early 00's Thailand enjoyed really solid growth, huge tourism industry and foreign investment.

 

However, since then nothing much has happened. What has Thailand done in the past 10 years or so to secure the next 10 or 20 years prosperity and growth? Not much really.

 

The not bright spot they had a few years ago is that even though foreign investment was falling, exports were falling and economic growth was falling tourism was still doing well and they were holding onto that. Now if they make statements that tourism numbers are seriously declining (which we all believe they are) then they are essentially stating that the country is looking bleak in just about every sector that drives growth. So, they BS. 

 

So, lack of planning, political unrest, inability to implement and do things, denial etc,etc,etc will only lead to one conclusion and the reality is looming.

 

I know that eventually the truth comes out but that is not the Thai way to admit it openly and tackle it head on. Talking it all down and pretending everything is rosy is the name of the game here. I have read a few articles where economists believe that Thailand is now going into it's lost "10 years" the same as Japan and other Western countries have had to endure. I think that's probably right.

It is  my opinion that you are  correct in certain  aspects. The  Western countries have  endured a phase of  decline and  rise of some magnitude but are currently  on the  verge of a  major collapse. Japan certainly has been in a  stall for  a decade. Thailand  has been steadily economically increasing after the Asian  financial  crisis ( which it  has been said to have created) perhaps in part of the  boom of  China. 

Tourism in Thailand is a welcome  bonus no less  than in any other  country wishing  to attract internationally disposable revenue. But  despite that it is  not the backbone of the  Thai economy. 

Tourism is  based on the  affordability of tourists to tour any place. A downturn in tourist numbers is not necessarily an indicator of  any one country. It is more an indicator of  disposable income of the tourist. And that has created the awareness of the concept of "quality" tourists. That is  not unique to Thailand. Many countries  have encouraged catering to the relative minority of  "well heeled" and have  ejected those identified as illegitimately residing or intending to reside . Yet the propaganda maintains the concept that  ll is  normal or has positive expectations.

Basically this is in preparation  for perhaps a decade of  austerity globally due to the retraction  from  the failed(?) attempt of  globalization. The  positive propaganda is a  counter to the  concerns of those currently employed in the  tourism sector. ( Don't  break it, let it break by itself ! ).

People  need to  seriously  contemplate the  ramifications in their personal situation.  It will be  be a  make or  break scenario globally.

 

 

[Rhys]

TAT ...just announced, the color of brown rice is white, they  TAT tested positive.

 

Edited January 23, 2017 by Rhys

[bodymassagemyfriend]

1 hour ago, the guest said:

The party is over that is for sure, and the grass is alway greener on-the-other-side., and that happens to be other tropical countries which are pulling-out all the stops to attract tourists. 

 

Greed, and over-development has killed the place. Tourists come for the sun, that's for sure, but they also come for a good time, and value for money, and a taste of rural paradise, something sadly that is missing in Thailand.

 

TAT can spread 'fake news' as much as it wants, but honestly most us know exactly that tourism in Thailand has fallen.

I saw the price of a 'condo' in Lumpini Naklua. 2.5 MBhat for 20 sqm. For this price , i get a cute small house in a rural but nice setting in France.So my initial plan of retiring in Asia does not make sense any more.

[fruitman]

On 18-12-2016 at 11:44 AM, spidermike007 said:

 

 

It is apparent by now that by courting the Chinese tourists, and virtually ignoring the Western tourists, the current administration is sabotaging an industry that has taken four decades to build. Talk about myopic. Talk about a complete lack of vision. Talk about a lack of experience, and appointing the wrong people to the wrong positions. It is a blunder of historic proportions, and unfortunately millions will lose their jobs over time, and billions will be lost on four and five star hotel investments. Perhaps a decade or two from now, they will teach about this stage of history in tourism industry classes, and it will be a lesson in what not to do.

But they won't loose their investment on good sidewalks, nice attractions, good roads, good new taxi's, good passengerboats and so on, simply because they never invested in it. It's still a messy chaos smelling like open drains (which are covered by burlap, yes in that they did invest).

[GAZZPA]

On January 23, 2017 at 11:17 PM, Dumbastheycome said:

It is  my opinion that you are  correct in certain  aspects. The  Western countries have  endured a phase of  decline and  rise of some magnitude but are currently  on the  verge of a  major collapse. Japan certainly has been in a  stall for  a decade. Thailand  has been steadily economically increasing after the Asian  financial  crisis ( which it  has been said to have created) perhaps in part of the  boom of  China. 

Tourism in Thailand is a welcome  bonus no less  than in any other  country wishing  to attract internationally disposable revenue. But  despite that it is  not the backbone of the  Thai economy. 

Tourism is  based on the  affordability of tourists to tour any place. A downturn in tourist numbers is not necessarily an indicator of  any one country. It is more an indicator of  disposable income of the tourist. And that has created the awareness of the concept of "quality" tourists. That is  not unique to Thailand. Many countries  have encouraged catering to the relative minority of  "well heeled" and have  ejected those identified as illegitimately residing or intending to reside . Yet the propaganda maintains the concept that  ll is  normal or has positive expectations.

Basically this is in preparation  for perhaps a decade of  austerity globally due to the retraction  from  the failed(?) attempt of  globalization. The  positive propaganda is a  counter to the  concerns of those currently employed in the  tourism sector. ( Don't  break it, let it break by itself ! ).

People  need to  seriously  contemplate the  ramifications in their personal situation.  It will be  be a  make or  break scenario globally.

 

 

I think that the global economy will have winners and losers. Whether the EU or US is about to collapse remains to be seen. I suspect they will limp along with uncertainty for some time and eventually move back to steady growth.

 

The tourist industry does indeed rely on the global tourist trade and these factors effect countries relying on tourism for their economy, I do disagree with you that tourism is not a big factor in Thailand. I think a collapse of the tourism industry would crash the countries growth and push it firmly into recession. Depending on who you believe tourism probably accounts for 10% to 12% of the countries entire GDP so a major contributor for sure.

 

In any case some countries right now ar succeeding in attracting tourists and growing well (one that surprised me is parts of Spain are in high growth right now). Thailand is building a poor reputation for many reasons that we do need to repeat as they have been done to death on TVF, whislt otter countries are building positive images.

 

Whatever you believe about the global economy or tourism one thing for sure is the countries who are well prepared and able to compete in an international market will be the winners,, Thailand is not at present one of those.

[alt]

Thought i'd add to this....

 

We've been visiting LOS for the past 5 years, always for 4 weeks Dec / Jan, so peak times.

 

This year we spent most of our time down South on the beaches, as the Irish weather made us miserable.

 

Difference between 2015 / 2016 (all IMHO from what I saw with my own two eyes)

Koh Lipe = Up a little, but a total building site as of Dec 2016. Glad I got there a few years ago before the building took over

Koh Lanta = Down (although hard to tell as quite a large island)

Phi Phi = Down

Railay = Down

Koh Samui = Down

Koh Phangan = Down

Koh Tao = Hard to tell for sure, but Sairee beach seemed dead at night compared to 2016, although still plenty of people around during the day.

[USPatriot]

A drive at night down beach rd should take 30 to 40 minutes but my truck does it in 10 and I didn't run over one tourist   

[Get Real]

That was expected. LMAO

[Rhys]

On 23/1/2560 at 9:11 PM, Dumbastheycome said:

Arrived  at Swampy at  midnight after a month  away. 2 hour queue thro entry! Yep, they is still  arriving! 

And for those  who complain that they are not rocketing down  to  your personal part of town as proof  of declining arrivals might need consider they have been  warned  you are  residing there !  

 

 

Maybe you might know this..... a Thai woman with her American husband processed through the Thai only immigration line... I saw the husband/man had a Blue American passport.    I went through the long line as Swampy,  but I met up with this man at the hotel,  struck up a conversation and asked how did he get through immigration so fast... He told me if you are married to a Thai you can process with your spouse?  True of False or BS...

[IsanBanHao]

1 hour ago, Rhys said:

 

Maybe you might know this..... a Thai woman with her American husband processed through the Thai only immigration line... I saw the husband/man had a Blue American passport.    I went through the long line as Swampy,  but I met up with this man at the hotel,  struck up a conversation and asked how did he get through immigration so fast... He told me if you are married to a Thai you can process with your spouse?  True of False or BS...

True. I always use this option. Sanuk maak seeing all the farang waiting in the long queue