Thailand's tourist arrivals may grow less than 5% this year - industry body

[Parker2100]

19 hours ago, bangkokequity said:

 13 hours ago, HHTel said:

  Quote

According to figures in the 2019 Thailand Migration Report, there are just 150,707 expats residing in Thailand, of those 72,969 are retirees

 

Wow.  That is an eye opening number.  I had no idea we were such an insignificant percentage of the population of Thailand.  On any given hour of Monday - Friday in the morning, there are more people than that riding the BTS to work.  And all this chest thumping on Thai Visa how Thailand would have to cash in their chips and live in a cave without us.  Amazing (Arrogant) Foreigners!

 

 

You miss the point!  There is undue harshness directed at Farang.  If there are so few of us, why, until recently, was their so much undue attention.  If the Visa says 60 days why do they get so suspicious if want to stay 60 days (and can prove I am not working illegally)?  They don't want my money?

 

If I apply for a 30 day extension, and they give it to me, wohoo! Mo money, mo money, mo money.  Why am I treated like a criminal if I want to come back?  Whats the big woop?  TAKE MY MONEY!

 

They supposedly have 37.7 Million visitors that are only allowed to stay 2 weeks and hotels are suffering.  Gee, I don't think you have to be Einstein to figure it out.

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by Parker2100
Misspelling

[saengd]

9 minutes ago, Parker2100 said:

You miss the point!  There is undue harshness directed at Farang.  If there are so few of us, why, until recently, was their so much undue attention.  If the Visa says 60 days why do they get so suspicious if want to stay 60 days (and can prove I am not working illegally)?  They don't want my money?

 

If I apply for a 30 day extension, and they give it to me, wohoo! Mo money, mo money, mo money.  Why am I treated like a criminal if I want to come back?  Whats the big woop?  TAKE MY MONEY!

 

They supposedly have 37.7 Million visitors that are only allowed to stay 2 weeks and hotels are suffering.  Gee, I don't think you have to be Einstein to figure it out.

 

 

 

There is some reported harshness towards some farangs who are perceived as gaming the system, a pastime previously enjoyed by large numbers of farangs in Thailand! The vast majority of farangs have no problems in this respect, particularly when they have the correct visa, adequate funds and don't try to overstay their welcome by living in Thailand on back to back tourist visa's.

[Tony125]

Below another article on the dropping Indian economy, Thailand may not get the influx  of Indian tourists it is expecting to bail them out.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/indias-ghost-towns-saddle-middle-class-with-debt-and-broken-dreams/ar-BBZ1EKl?li=BBnb7Kz

[saengd]

Whilst there's a lot of focus here on the things that are wrong with the Thai economy I think it's important to remember that an increasing number of countries globally are now facing similar problems. This is not just a Thailand problem, although Thai economic growth is linked directly to what happens to the economies of other countries much more so than many people imagine. Growth estimates for a whole slew of foreign countries are starting to look very poor, for example the UK, Europe, especially Germany, the USA and even China is not looking great. The World Bank forecast for GDP growth in developed economies in 2020 is 1.7%, in SE Asia it's 5.5% but all countries have trended downwards. Here's the WB global report, it's worth a look:

 

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/01/08/modest-pickup-in-2020-amid-mounting-debt-and-slowing-productivity-growth

 

Thailand's economy is heavily reliant on external factors, overseas export markets and foreign tourists, their domestic markets are small by comparison so the only real fallback is consumer spending which is already stretched. So if tourist numbers do grow by 5% this year it will be nothing short of remarkable, all factors considered.

[Parker2100]

22 hours ago, saengd said:

There is some reported harshness towards some farangs who are perceived as gaming the system, a pastime previously enjoyed by large numbers of farangs in Thailand! The vast majority of farangs have no problems in this respect, particularly when they have the correct visa, adequate funds and don't try to overstay their welcome by living in Thailand on back to back tourist visa's.

Yes, I agree.  But they got carried away.  "Good guys in, Bad guys out" became 'Every Westerner is suspicious.' 

 

I was getting 60-day visas, and leaving after less than 60 days (I extended to 90 twice but I never stayed that long).

 

Then I would leave 30 to 60 days.  How could that be living there, right?  Wrong!  After doing this over a year.  I was deemed as living in Thailand.  Ok, fine, I am in Cambodia, and they gave me a 1 year-visa after a month.  And I still travel.  But not to Thailand.

 

 

Edited January 18, 2020 by Parker2100
Forgotten word.

[saengd]

13 minutes ago, Parker2100 said:

Yes, I agree.  But they got carried away.  "Good guys in, Bad guys out" became 'Every Westerner is suspicious.' 

 

I was getting 60-day visas, and leaving after less than 60 days (I extended to 90 twice but I never stayed that long).

 

Then I would leave 30 to 60 days.  How could that be living there, right?  Wrong!  After doing this over a year.  I was deemed as living in Thailand.  Ok, fine, I am in Cambodia, and they gave me a 1 year-visa after a month.  And I still travel.  But not to Thailand.

 

 

Nothing personal of course but that's not the profile of a regular off the shelf tourist, frankly I'd view you with some suspicion if I was an IO.

[Parker2100]

2 hours ago, saengd said:

Nothing personal of course but that's not the profile of a regular off the shelf tourist, frankly I'd view you with some suspicion if I was an IO.

That is exactly the definition of a tourist.  Someone who tours.  I have been to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong (got tear gased taking pictures in the wrong spot) and, of course, Thailand.  I needed somewhere to get my mail and rest up for the next trip.  

 

That was all in my passport.

 

What is your definition of a tourist?

[saengd]

4 hours ago, Parker2100 said:

That is exactly the definition of a tourist.  Someone who tours.  I have been to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong (got tear gased taking pictures in the wrong spot) and, of course, Thailand.  I needed somewhere to get my mail and rest up for the next trip.  

 

That was all in my passport.

 

What is your definition of a tourist?

Yes of course that's the literal definition of the word, except you don't win the argument with Thai Immi. by being the Merriam Webster champion on the block! 

 

In practical terms: absolutely no more than 180 days per year otherwise you look like you're tax resident, and the closer you get to 180 days, the worse it is.

 

No more than two visits in six months, repeat visits makes it look like you could be working.

 

As far as Immi. is concerned a tourist is someone who comes here for three weeks every year and maybe, maybe, does that twice a year, the further you stray from that model the more scrutiny you can expect. 

 

Anything over six months and expect the rubber glove treatment and having finger nails pulled. ????

 

 

[morrobay]

6 hours ago, saengd said:

 

 

 

 

No more than two visits in six months, repeat visits makes it look like you could be working.

 

As far as Immi. is concerned a tourist is someone who comes here for three weeks every year and maybe, maybe, does that twice a year, the further you stray from that model the more scrutiny you can expect. 

 

 

 

 

More than 2 visits in 6 months and looks like could be working. What kind of work is that?  Is that the anything is possible interpretation. So now according to immi/govt. making up new rules along the way, visiting more than a couple of times a year for several weeks is excessive and unwanted now. And this in a tourism dependant country with hotel occupancy decreasing drastically. So that's the new abnormal. 

[saengd]

5 minutes ago, morrobay said:

More than 2 visits in 6 months and looks like could be working. What kind of work is that?  Is that the anything is possible interpretation. So now according to immi/govt. making up new rules along the way, visiting more than a couple of times a year for several weeks is excessive and unwanted now. And this in a tourism dependant country with hotel occupancy decreasing drastically. So that's the new abnormal. 

Back in the 1990's I used to fly into Bangkok for a few weeks/months at a time, two or three times per year, solely for work, I had three clients there but I lived in the UK and Hong Kong at the time.

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts have been removed. 

[Damrongsak]

On 1/16/2020 at 12:20 AM, Jane Dough said:

I don't think long term expats are the people to ask. 

 

I have been here the best part of forty years but I couldn't tell you anecdotally whether tourism is up or down. 

 

I live my life away from tourist areas and hate the idea of going anywhere near tourists. 

 

Rooster

I don't blame you on the tourist thing.  But, about 41 years ago in Loei, I was at my Mom-in-laws house.  Looked out the back porch and there was a young white couple walking in the Loei river bed (dry season).  Hailed them and they came up to the house.  A young Irish couple way off the beaten path... We invited them into dinner (on a mat on the floor).  Had a great time.  Loei town was usually BORING back then, maybe 8 farangs all told and we rarely saw each other.

[Parker2100]

On 1/19/2020 at 6:56 AM, saengd said:

Back in the 1990's I used to fly into Bangkok for a few weeks/months at a time, two or three times per year, solely for work, I had three clients there but I lived in the UK and Hong Kong at the time.

Rather than just "working", immigration should focus on whether the job can reasonably done by a Thai and if work is neing taken away from Thais.  

 

In your analogy, can a Thai work with your clients for your UK company for only a few weeks/months per year?  If the answer is no, then you are adding to the Thai Economy, not subtracting.

 

I presume the paychecks you were using to support yourself were commimg from your UK company and not the clients directly.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2020 by Parker2100
The article posted before I was finished