Fewer tourists are going to Thailand because of its expensive currency

[Fex Bluse]

5 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

I take it you have never been to Africa or South East Asia. 

I take it you have an agenda not based in fact. Either that or a different opinion. 

[Tropicalevo]

20 hours ago, nev said:

No just the high Baht, Making it hard to stay here with Draconian visa rules are driving many away.

There are no draconian visa rules for genuine tourists - as far as I am aware.

 

I could be wrong - I was once back in the 1960's.

[BobbyL]

10 hours ago, boonrawdcnx said:

Absolutely ridiculous argument - why would a tourist care if he gets 31 or 33 baht for a dollar or 34 or 36 Baht for a Euro?

Tourists stay maybe 2-3 weeks then they go home again. If they spend 200 Euros a day they will hardly care if they loose 5 or even 10 Euros a day because of the exchange rate. Hotel prices are down or at least not higher than previous years.
Flights have never been cheaper easily making up for the costs of the high Baht.
Just ran a random flight search on Kayak - for example during the high season from Munich to Bangkok - a very busy route normally- return during December - January and got an amazingly low price of 15.055 Baht return during the HIGH SEASON!
That means nobody or very few Europeans are coming.
Usually inflated seasonal prices during this time of the year are between 28.000 mid December up to 40.000 Baht around Christmas time for economy return.

Wake up Thailand!
Tourists not coming has very little to do with the high baht - but of course any excuse to hide the truth will do!
My relatives are still coming here because we take care of them from the moment they arrive to the moment we take them to the airport when they leave.

But I would never ever recommend to them coming here on a holiday alone - the thought alone of leaving my elderly mother to the vultures who pray on tourists from the moment they arrive here makes me shiver.



Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Fully agree with all of this.

 

I used to know lots of people coming here on holiday, but that ship has sailed for Thailand nowadays due to the constant bad publicity and the way they treat a large majority of the tourists. 

[Tropicalevo]

20 hours ago, Snuller21 said:

I am just guessing, but I think that everybody who lives here will agree about that. And then again, yesterday, it came up that there only were o.1% more tourists in June compared by last year. But would like very much to know where they tourists are hiding. Not in the Tourist destinations for sure, so it have to be out in the Gulf of Thailand in Underwater Worlds. Just ask Hoteliers about it. They have so many empty rooms that it is hard for them to survive, and the number are still rising. Who give the numbers? Who control them?

This is a tricky one. Try looking at private villas instead of hotels. I look after a number of viilas on Koh Samui and they are all full on at the moment. May was our only quiet month this year.

 

I believe that a lot of the TM 30 reporting fuss is because of all of the villa tourists. (AirBnB and Booking.com)

 

it is difficult to tell if the numbers are up or down in the villas because now it is mostly short term bookings - large Asian family groups. Three to five days. Until recently, it was Europeans staying for weeks or monthly bookings. The baht has definitely hit the Europeans. The USD is usually quite consistent to the baht and I have seen an increase in Americans this year. Five groups from the USA checking into different villas just in the last week. In previous years I would not have five groups in the whole year!

 

The big impact though is on the bars, girly bars and restaurants. Large family groups do not go to those. Three days in a villa. Shop at Tops and then sit, eat and drink chatting around the pool. Yes - the tourist spots are dead but tourism is not.

[Bert Jones]

18 hours ago, lkv said:

Then, when they go back home from their drinking session, god forbid they are in Phuket, a taxi will cost them more than in their home country. Western home country, that is.

I recently visited a friend in Phuket, ...I walked to Patong from Karen beach, took about 1hr 20mins, I enjoy walking and needed the exercise...Had a few beers with pal and as it was getting late, decided to get a taxi back...The taxi driver wanted 850baht, for a 20 minute ride...I fumed, - in London, it wouldn't come to more than £8 for the same journey (black cab might be the same though), after a prolonged remonstration we settled at 600baht...still way too much...and that's the big issue, it's not a question of not affording it...it's just way too expensive, there's nothing special about Patong and travellers won't wear it!

[FarFlungFalang]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

I could be wrong - I was once back in the 1960's.

Don't tell me, you thought you were wrong but it turned out you were right?

[Mel52]

Thank God I get paid in USD.

 

 

 

 

[Mel52]

The sooner the world drops the US dollar the better they will be.  So many countries are printing more money to keep their currency weak relatively.  Saying your currency is "too strong" is saying that your currency has too much value.  If this, or any other government was smart, they would allow the currency to appreciate and prices within the country would naturally adjust accordingly.  The Thai economy would be much better off in the long run as would their people.

I know right if the rest of the world could only just get rid of that pesky USD then everyone else’s currency would actually be worth something right LMAO [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

This is a tricky one. Try looking at private villas instead of hotels. I look after a number of viilas on Koh Samui and they are all full on at the moment. May was our only quiet month this year.

 

I believe that a lot of the TM 30 reporting fuss is because of all of the villa tourists. (AirBnB and Booking.com)

 

it is difficult to tell if the numbers are up or down in the villas because now it is mostly short term bookings - large Asian family groups. Three to five days.

Thanks for that. I was thinking about a weeks getaway to a Samui villa but if it's full of Chinese as neighbours or they've trashed the places - no go. I'll look in Bali and perhaps Vietnam instead.

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, DrTuner said:

I'll look in Bali

Bali will be full of Australians who've trashed the place

[DrTuner]

12 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Bali will be full of Australians who've trashed the place

I still prefer them to Chinese. At least they understand when I swear at them in English.

[totally thaied up]

25 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Bali will be full of Australians who've trashed the place

Many of my Aussie friends are now going to Jakarta. Some very nice hotels and they do trips to the outlying areas and it's nice they tell me. 

 

Mind you my family this year went to America and Mexico and told me it was not that expensive for the quality and service of the holiday. They seemed very satisfied with Mexico and spent a lot of time in Texas. During smokey season this coming year they want to meet my wife and I in Vietnam. Normally they come to see me every two years but they passed this time quoting to me it is too much of the same thing and not value for money anymore. 

[dcnx]

This is the exact opposite of another report. 

 

These people lie so much there’s no telling what the truth is.

[dcnx]

18 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

They seemed very satisfied with Mexico

Mexico is an amazing country. Unfortunately the drug / gang crime is giving it a terrible reputation when it’s usually restricted to certain states, often near the border.

 

It’s also VERY visa friendly.

[lootarzoon]

23 hours ago, Eligius said:

Where do TAT get their data from? It's obvious to any us who have lived here for more than a decade that they simply conjure them out of thin air. In other words: they make them up as they go along (just as all Thai officials make up any statements of 'fact' as they go along).

Thailand: Land of Make-Believe.

I work in Samui, All tourists biz much down by a record 20 to 50% in revenues and bookings for past 2 months and high season August look still bad, friends from other Thai tourism spots cfming the same, government is blind and issuing fake news... Closing and suicides will go far up soon. Reasons are not only currency, the tourists have been finally disgusted about the reknown dream of Thai hospitalities and clean smiles failure, roads security and fair costs clean approaches by taxis, tuk tuks, fully missing for too long time. Polution and cleaness around getting worst, laws are not reinforced, or squeezing mostly farangs. I feel the good time is over, marketing should be increased a lot and Thai people related to the industry  should consider the tourists needs of clean deals and sincerity and then change their well forgotten great mentality to welcome the visitors in better ways again... 

[Thongkorn]

On 7/23/2019 at 7:03 AM, lazygourmet said:

Meanwhile Thai tourists are flocking to Europe. On my last Songkran trip to Brussels the Thai Airways flight was full of upper middle class Thai families.

Good maybe they will get some real Education on seeing how the real world is.

[nong38]

They get their figures from a Fortune Teller in Soi Cowboy, she has a contract with TAT.

[marcusarelus]

5 hours ago, Mel52 said:

Thank God I get paid in USD.

I'm glad I get paid in Thai baht and that has done quite a bit better than USD over the past 15 years.

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, Thongkorn said:

Good maybe they will get some real Education on seeing how the real world is.

The real world is Thailand and Europe.  Both real both different.  I think you mean your view of the world is different than the Thai view.  

[marcusarelus]

2 hours ago, lootarzoon said:

I work in Samui, All tourists biz much down by a record 20 to 50% in revenues and bookings for past 2 months and high season August look still bad, friends from other Thai tourism spots cfming the same, government is blind and issuing fake news... Closing and suicides will go far up soon. Reasons are not only currency, the tourists have been finally disgusted about the reknown dream of Thai hospitalities and clean smiles failure, roads security and fair costs clean approaches by taxis, tuk tuks, fully missing for too long time. Polution and cleaness around getting worst, laws are not reinforced, or squeezing mostly farangs. I feel the good time is over, marketing should be increased a lot and Thai people related to the industry  should consider the tourists needs of clean deals and sincerity and then change their well forgotten great mentality to welcome the visitors in better ways again... 

The high season is August?  I think everyone can agree the crash of the pound and Aussie dollar has hurt tourism but as for the rest you have no way of knowing.  Good first post though.  

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed. 

[CaptainJack]

6 hours ago, dcnx said:

Mexico is an amazing country. Unfortunately the drug / gang crime is giving it a terrible reputation when it’s usually restricted to certain states, often near the border.

 

It’s also VERY visa friendly.

If your American,  back to back 6 month tourist visas with a single Visa run.  Visa is 25 dollars if by air.  Expats have been living in Mexico for years doing this.  Last I read, perhaps over a million Americans live in Mexico? Could be.

[Jingthing]

4 hours ago, CaptainJack said:

If your American,  back to back 6 month tourist visas with a single Visa run.  Visa is 25 dollars if by air.  Expats have been living in Mexico for years doing this.  Last I read, perhaps over a million Americans live in Mexico? Could be.

Yes could be two million but many of course are Mexican Americans. My information says that living indefinitely on tourist visas is very difficult these days because of an upgrade in the Mexican computer system at borders. So they don't want people to do that anymore and they are actively trying to stop it. It's easier just to overstay. There are of course options to actually long stay legally though including permanent residence and citizenship. 

[CaptainJack]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes could be two million but many of course are Mexican Americans. My information says that living indefinitely on tourist visas is very difficult these days because of an upgrade in the Mexican computer system at borders. So they don't want people to do that anymore and they are actively trying to stop it. It's easier just to overstay. There are of course options to actually long stay legally though including permanent residence and citizenship. 

I did not know that about the border and computer system changes.  I guess if I would have given Mexico a chance I would have found out then.  Just about every country is now or likely will lock down their immigration system in the near future.  Thanks for the update.   Fortunately for me, I'm getting settled back in the USA.   I'll be back on travel soon, but no more expatriate days for me. 

 

I wonder what the Mexican government is going to do about the 10's of thousands of Americans living there if they stop the border runs?  You can't get a retirement visa inside Mexico.   Has to be done from the USA and can be a difficult task.  

 

Our world,  for tourism and living abroad has changed a lot. Sad.....

[sunnyboy2018]

On 7/23/2019 at 8:14 AM, marcusarelus said:

Durian, women, hospitals, oranges from Chiang Rai, crystal glassware, hard drives, moonshine, water and electricity prices and rents for homes and apartments, massage.  

And fun. But holiday makers often check the exchange rate before deciding on a destination.  Turkey was cheap last year, Greece though in the Euro zone was cheap a couple of years ago. Apart from Croatia the other 6 Balkan states are good value for money. The things is: for expats Thailand is a bit addictive.  However when I retired here a few years ago I pledged to leave when the Sterling exchange rate sank to 35 to the pound. I am thus reluctantly considering my options right now.

[DrTuner]

8 hours ago, CaptainJack said:

Our world,  for tourism and living abroad has changed a lot. Sad.....

It's a necessity. Overtourism is rampant in many places, people are abusing tourist privileges to stay as illegal workers, air travel is far cheaper than just a few decades ago, social media causes stampedes (the immigration waves to Europe a few years ago were coordinated using facebook & co), etc. Human overpopulation is also a culprit.

 

One solution could be VR tourism. I for one would like to go to the three gorges, but have absolutely no desire to travel to China.

[totally thaied up]

Been reading plenty of reports coming out of Lao now via Facebook if you have had six months of tourist visas and repeat ED visas,  your not getting renewed on you SETV. Days of easy border crossings seem to be over now in most countries. The electronic world and data matching is catching up. I think the whole world will tighten up. Just how it is now. I have to go through the gauntlet of getting my wife PR in Australia next year. Wish me luck. 

[BobbyL]

6 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

 I think the whole world will tighten up. Just how it is now. I have to go through the gauntlet of getting my wife PR in Australia next year. Wish me luck. 

I am sure that will be easier than here. When my wife and I moved to England for a few years her UK visa and the one time she had to report to the visa office in Sheffield was incredibly easy compared to the never ending monitoring, paper work and changes of Thailand. 

[stevemac]

Yet again an article claiming incorrectly that the high value baht is causing all the problems which is simply not the case.
Yes the Dollar/Baht rate is stronger than we would like but its only accounting for 25% of the problem
 
The 75% is coming from the other side of the currency pairing and our own currencies weakness against the USD whether you're a Brit or from the Euro zone nations or the Aussie and Kiwi Dollar
 
Those countries weakness against the Greenback is doing the main damage. Its beyond me how people are allowed to possess passports but have zero grasp of currency exchange rates or more to the point how they are calculated

Nowhere in the article did it say the high value baht is causing ALL the problems. In fact, in the full article it states:
“The Thai baht’s strength is PART of the reason why the number of tourists has dropped, as those who come would get less money from their currencies to spend,” 

Sent from my SM-G965F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Sonhia]

It is not just the high baht.

 

Sadly, Thais have bitten the hand that has fed them for so long and shown very little respect toward what they call FALANG. It was juat a matter of time.

 

How many decades have English speaking visitors ventured into Thailand and compare that to how many Thai can converse in basic English language!

 

Says it all to me. Why visit such a place with so many hurdles, when the world has a lot more to offer with much better value too.