Thailand's May tourist arrivals up 4.6 pct y/y - ministry

[webfact]

Thailand's May tourist arrivals up 4.6 pct y/y - ministry

REUTERS

 

BANGKOK: -- International tourist arrivals in Thailand rose 4.6 percent in May from a year earlier, with revenues up 6.9 percent, but a strong baht could impact the lucrative industry, the tourism and sports ministry said on Monday.

 

The number of foreign tourists stood at 2.59 million in May, led by visitors from China, Malaysia, India, Russia and the United States, generating revenue of 125 billion baht ($3.67 billion), Pongpanu Svetarundra, the ministry's permanent-secretary, said in a statement.

 

In the January-May period, tourist numbers rose 3.2 percent to 14.61 million, with revenue up 5.1 percent to 747 billion baht, the ministry said.

 

The strengthening of the baht against currencies in Thailand's tourist markets, such as the dollar, the pound and the euro, might affect visitors' spending and their travel decisions to Thailand, Pongpanu said.

 

But a stronger rouble against the baht has helped lift arrivals from Russia, he added.

 

Tourism accounts for 12 percent of Thailand's economy, and has been a rare bright spot for Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, whose growth has lagged regional peers in recent years. ($1 = 34.02 baht)

 

(Reporting by Satawasin Staporncharnchai; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Sunil Nair)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-13

 

 

 

[colinneil]

Generating revenue of 125 billion baht.

So where do they get these figures from? Thin air?

So every tourist tells the authorities exactly how much they spend, nonsense.

[Peterw42]

7 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Generating revenue of 125 billion baht.

So where do they get these figures from? Thin air?

So every tourist tells the authorities exactly how much they spend, nonsense.

Easy to compare the amount of foreign currency exchange over any time period, take away imports and exports and the rest was spent by tourists. You could even look at the amount of tourists from a country and the amount of foreign exchange, and work out how much they spent per head.

[darksidedog]

I would like to know where all these tourists went. Pattaya is empty and I hear other places aren't exactly thriving either.

It's like they walk out of the airport and just vanish. In fact, if it weren't for the Government figures, you would almost think they weren't here at all.

[Peterw42]

8 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I would like to know where all these tourists went. Pattaya is empty and I hear other places aren't exactly thriving either.

It's like they walk out of the airport and just vanish. In fact, if it weren't for the Government figures, you would almost think they weren't here at all.

Depends where you look, with the current demographic the bar-stools in walking street are empty but the beach at Kot Larn is standing room only. A lot of them appear to have been staying in my Condo block in Jomtien, happy to see the end of high season, I can go back to using the pool, laundry, Gym etc.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Peterw42

[brain150]

Government propaganda !

It's pretty empty everywhere and has been for at least 2 month ... this is a simple observation !

[Moti24]

6 hours ago, colinneil said:

Generating revenue of 125 billion baht.

So where do they get these figures from? Thin air?

So every tourist tells the authorities exactly how much they spend, nonsense.

If you compare the January-May period to the May period alone, the tourists are actually spending less, just over 48,000 Baht per head.  That's quite easily achievable, shall we say for a 30 day visit.  However, I wonder how many Cheap Charlie Chinese Package Tours are included in those figures.

 

Where they got the figures in the first place is anybody's guess.

[Lupatria]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

(Reporting by Satawasin Staporncharnchai; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Sunil Nair)

That says a lot about independent press, and freedom of the press in this country. Melt it down until it fits the gov. propaganda.

[Bluespunk]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's May tourist arrivals up 4.6 pct y/y - ministry

Plenty of people still seeking danger then...

[madmitch]

Busload after busload of Chinese in Phuket right now. Of course it's only the hotels, restaurants and shops that cater for this market and the 7-Elevens that are making anything from them but if it's numbers the tourism ministry wants then it's numbers they're getting. 

[chickenrunCM]

not true, numbers going down since 2 years, accomifation in Ciang Mai is every year less, 

but in Thailand it´s easy to lie about statistics

[wakeupplease]

17 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I would like to know where all these tourists went. Pattaya is empty and I hear other places aren't exactly thriving either.

It's like they walk out of the airport and just vanish. In fact, if it weren't for the Government figures, you would almost think they weren't here at all.

They fly into the airport get off the plane while its being cleaned and refuelled and then get back on it and continue to there desternation.

 

TAT only count planes full of people not the fact that many are in transit and never set a foot outside the airport. Add that to all the expats doing border runs and again classed as a tourist not an expat and you can see why half the place is empty, but the luny liar says different as per usual.

[Krataiboy]

Goodness knows where they all went. Cha-Am has been a ghost town for weeks.

[wabothai]

Just read in a report from Air Help placing Suvarnabhumi Airport as one of the worst airports in the world. Eager to see the spin on this one from madame.