webfact Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Teflon tourism: Thailand forecasts record visitorsBANGKOK (AP) — A deadly bombing in August threatened to scuttle Thailand's economically crucial tourism industry but officials are now forecasting more than 30 million visitors this year as arrivals from China swell.The bounce back reinforces the teflon reputation of Thai tourism which employs millions and has thrived over the past decade despite two coups, episodes of deadly street fighting, airport occupations and natural disasters.Thailand's tourism council is forecasting a record 30.3 million visitors this year, an increase of 22 percent from last year. Chinese tourists are expected to total 8.1 million, rising by three quarters from 2014.Thailand was aiming for 28.8 million tourists this year.-- (c) Associated Press 2015-10-22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amerasianex Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 It's no secret that many countries who have catered to Chinese and Japanese. Have nothing by worn out furniture and no silverware to show for it Why does TAT not know this?..and if the tourism is so fantastic why are about 50% of all store fronts in these areas closed or empty? I dont think anyone believes TAT anymore. And I was here way back 15 years ago when you could not get a seat at a restaurant or bar. So don't piss down my leg and say its raining I think every TAT employee starting at the top should be fired... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chainarong Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 It's no secret that many countries who have catered to Chinese and Japanese. Have nothing by worn out furniture and no silverware to show for it Why does TAT not know this?..and if the tourism is so fantastic why are about 50% of all store fronts in these areas closed or empty? I dont think anyone believes TAT anymore. And I was here way back 15 years ago when you could not get a seat at a restaurant or bar. So don't piss down my leg and say its raining I think every TAT employee starting at the top should be fired... In deed what you say is true , with the title Teflon Tourism, which means something that smells like, tastes like and is like baby sh!!t would describe the quality tourists to a tee and remember they have been voted for 10 years in a row , the worlds worst tourists , welcome to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCC1701A Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExpatOilWorker Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 They use to call the Asian tiger economies of the 1990' for Teflon economies and we all know how that ended in 1997, so maybe a poor choice of words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExpatOilWorker Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Maybe TAT should find a local partner. The attached is from Cambodia, at least they are honest where they get their statistics from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thian Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Now they even give visa's to anybody from anywhere, the restrictions are all gone. So yes the quantity might go up but the quality will decrease. There are still rooms for under 400 baht though, but even that won't keep kao sarn road fully occupied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fusion58 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Thailand forecasts record visitors And, in other news, the chocolate ration was increased from three grams to two grams this week... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattaya28 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 May I ask where this forecast came from ? Probably out of a hat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdoglover Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Yet another report that fails to document tourism revenues, as opposed to body count. Yes, there are a bunch of middle class Chinese nearby. However, their visits are shorter duration and their per diem spending on par with other nationalities. The revenue situation, year-on-year, must not be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Off topic generalization posts have been removed as well as the replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhream Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 This press release (it's not a 'news story') is an exemplar of weasel words. It *forecasts* the numbers but the 'teflon tourism' comment tricks the brain into being lazy and reading it as a 'fact' after the matter. I've been to China a few times recently, and I will say this, the Chinese you see around Chiang Mai at least, are model citizens compared to the real hoi polloi there. Another interesting bit of info I got from a young Thai tour guide who got a bit tipsy at a recent dinner revealed the Chinese tip way more than the westerners (average zero baht vs several hundred). Whether you think tipping is good or bad is not the point, but from what I have seen so far, the China bashing is unwarranted, I have met some vile (barely human) types in the middle kingdom, so I'm no apologist, bad manners are bad manners. They also dress better IMO at least in in CNX than the average westerner of the same supposed demographic (yuppie). As to the crux of the story, anyone who knows what Thailand used to look like in high season, knows that the truth is numbers are not only down, they're dire. But it's nice to actually have the place not overrun with tourists from ANYWHERE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heybruce Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 May I ask where this forecast came from ? Probably out of a hat They use a time honored forecasting technique known by the acronym PIDOOMA--Pulled It Directly Out Of My A**. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubbaJohnny Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 A non stick jek? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srikcir Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 How quickly people forget. This is old news. The Nation 2015-09-11 "THE TOURISM Council of Thailand now expects 30 million international tourist arrivals this year, up from its original projection of 28.8 million." 2015-09-13 "the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has formally acknowledged the significance of “quality over quantity” with the revelation this past week that the Thai government is no longer exclusively pursuing arrivals targets." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydebolle Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Now that's a new one - TEFLON tourism. Rest assured, wherever Chinese roam premises and/or sites you will see NOBODY else there. It's a high volume traffic with very thin margins and those quality tourists do not spend any money with third parties as they are not even given the chance to. Given he chance they still behave worse than cattle and once they Chinese have steamrollered the place you can look near and far for anybody seeking a 4* or 5* star service. The big spenders are scared away already but mathematics, foresight, concept and professionalism were never TAT's backbone strength. What a pity; and if you want to see what those brethren from the Northern communist neighbours are all about - visit Chiang Mai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulchiangmai Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Interesting to see that the UK has just announced that the biggest spending tourists to the UK are the Chinese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heybruce Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Interesting to see that the UK has just announced that the biggest spending tourists to the UK are the Chinese. Europe and the UK get the Chinese tourists with money who are eager to buy designer goods that aren't fakes. Thailand gets the budget Chinese tourists who want to take pictures and spend as little as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJK Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 TAT must promote China there helping Thais with gateways The record numbers are based on google search engine hits and soon that won't be possible either. Oh well maybe they do not want white man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJK Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Customs officers USA AU and UK are extremely reluctant to let any Chinese in and screen them like they are from out of Space Disease is also a issue from the 5 star tourists and there packet noodles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulchiangmai Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Customs officers USA AU and UK are extremely reluctant to let any Chinese in and screen them like they are from out of Space Disease is also a issue from the 5 star tourists and there packet noodles Tell me you are just having a little laugh with your last line. As obnoxious McInroe said 'you can't be serious'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiBiker Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 This one could provoke a dozen pages of doom mongers telling us the figures must be wrong. To some, the sky is always falling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gato Negro Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 So the numbers are up, but is the revenue they bring/spend also up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozyjon Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Unlike us foreigner types who filter through Thailand with no set agenda, you can find one of us in virtually every village in Thailand and yes we spend to survive and contribute to the economy, the Chinese and the older (Japanese) travel in pre set organized groups, they eat in pre designated eateries they sleep in pre designated hotels they have special pre arranged tours they are in and out faster than a cheap pattaya hooker is it quality or quantity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookee68 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I forcast i will die one day too, but when is the question, just like the Tourists, the TAT talk more shit than there is in a pig farm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk10002000 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I have no doubts that Thailand "forecasts" great things. I doubt it really will happen. But, two things I do know that could help tourism are (1)The USD is to Baht exchange rate is very good right now, (2) EVA airline ticket prices from LAX to BKK are the lowest I have seen them since I first visited Thailand in 2004. Low oil prices? Coup? Bomb Blast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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