"Drastic" losses to Thai tourism with 1.57 TRILLION baht hit, admits tourism minister

[webfact 79,114]

"Drastic" losses to Thai tourism with 1.57 TRILLION baht hit, admits tourism minister

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thailand's tourism minister said that the country's tourism sector had taken a 1.57 trillion baht hit from January to September compared to the same period last year. 

 

The huge downturn from the pandemic was seen not just in foreign tourism but domestic as well. 

 

Total revenue was 655 billion baht - 70.57% down.

 

Pipat Ratchakitprakarn told Thai Rath that this was a worldwide phenomenon. 

 

Foreign visitors in the first nine months of the year had been only 6.69 million, clearly those who arrived before the pandemic lockdown.

 

This was down 22.77 million compared to 2019 or 77.29%.

 

Foreign tourists had spent 332 billion baht, 1.1 trillion down or 76.77%.

 

Thais had made 52.71 million trips that was 63.57 million down or a 54.67% reduction in domestic tourism.

 

They had spent 323 billion baht that was 474 billion down or a 59.46% reduction. 

 

Thaivisa notes that with each passing story about the financial losses caused to Thai tourism by the pandemic the Thai media come with yet more hyperbolic language.

 

Thai Rath called this latest news "huap haap" or drastic.

 

Some reports put the tourism sector percentage of Thai GDP as high as 20%. 

 

The lack of foreign tourism in 2020 and the reluctance of Thais to travel to any great extent has resulted in catastrophic damage to the industry, notes Thaivisa.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-10-23

 

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[Matzzon 13,663]

That´s like a HUGE loss! Where is all the Chinese that are going to save this little insignificant mishap?

[Grumpy John 5,214]

Send the bill to your mates in Beijing.  They let the Wuhan China virus out so they can make restitution to every country effected.

 

[pkrv 552]

Yes minister this might well be a worldwide phenomenon, but there's a lot of places in the world that don't have ~20% GDP reliant on tourism.

 

So perhaps way past time to get your thinking caps on?

[DrTuner 24,558]

Good, now they have an excuse to take a loan from CCP and let them trigger the debt trap, effectively doing what the Sino-Thais want: selling the country to China.Motherland awaits with lucrative cadre positions.

[Misterwhisper 15,722]

Off with his head!

 

Not because of the financial losses (which are not his fault), but for lying, beating around the bush,, deflecting and making false statements all the way in order to save his precious face.

[Flying Saucage 3,420]

It was the paranoid reaction of the government to the pandemic rather than the pandemic itself which caused these 1.57 trillion losses to Thai tourism. 

 

Instead of gradually opening the country months ago after having learned about the virus and it's transmission and treatment, they decided to block any tourists from coming. So what did they expect, other than ruining the industry?

 

But of course, there is this masterplan of the generals, to sell the country to China in order to line up the own pockets. So nothing else was to expect.

[Silencer 354]

The initial pact between citizens of most countries with their governments was-  "We need a lockdown to slow the spread of the virus (NOT to eliminate it) and make sure our health care services are not overrun." I Many countries then successfully followed that (especially Thailand) but the tables have now turned to where very few cases are accepted, regardless if we understand transmission and treatments better, and healthcare services are not being overrun. 0 tolerance is not an acceptable policy position for any disease. Until a vaccine is ready, testing, face masks indoors, and any new localized shutdowns (if a spread is detected) seems to be the only sensible solution for a country that relies so heavily on tourism. Either that, or these burdensome restrictions (for real tourists) accounting for minimal arrivals and the wait for a vaccine for fully opening the borders. By then, many more people and businesses will be swallowed.

[sammieuk1 20,153]

You only have to look at who's in charge of tourism in a pandemic to find out who will do badly it was never going to be anything different than a cluster f here with these idiots

[ThailandRyan 16,847]

Govt’s first priority is economic recovery, not charter change, says energy minister, and now this tidbit

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's tourism minister said that the country's tourism sector had taken a 1.57 trillion baht hit from January to September compared to the same period last year. 

Do these guys even talk and then wonder why the tourist dollars are gone, and the economy is in the Tank.  Even if they did open up to tourists the money train has started to grind to a halt because of what Thailand has done to its benevolent guests.  You can not make this rubbish up.  Time to take the bunk out with the trash and maybe with a charter change and a new Government Thailand will bounce back.  No more lies Thailand, no more lies.

[EvetsKram 151]

Covid will not go away,  we are stuck with it.  It would be good to see this "government" do something to stimulate economy & get ordinary people employed & spending instead of throwing cash at big business. Too many small players going broke & closing down

[RotBenz8888 17,937]

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Some reports put the tourism sector percentage of Thai GDP as high as 20%.

Like spoiled brats, have taken the tourist money for granted. Cant help but laugh! 

[jackdd 8,512]

This was just the low season, the losses in the high season will probably be a multitude of this.

[ThailandRyan 16,847]

24 minutes ago, EvetsKram said:

Covid will not go away,  we are stuck with it.  It would be good to see this "government" do something to stimulate economy & get ordinary people employed & spending instead of throwing cash at big business. Too many small players going broke & closing down

You mean, they should not be buying Submarines or Jet's.  They should be helping those in need instead of stuffing there pockets first, do I have that right? 

[Pattaya Spotter 2,696]

For some reason, I'm not feeling it for the Phuket tuk-tuk mafia and their families, you know the ones who want B200 to go a kilometer down the road...and if you have the temerity to negotiate tell you to get stuffed (at best). Sometimes karma can bite you in the behind sooner than expected.