Doc67 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 2:25 pm

Cowshed Cowboy wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 2:03 pm

Cowshed Cowboy wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 9:59 am

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Thu Sep 15, 2022 2:18 pm Over 5 million foreign tourists arrived in Thailand in 9 months
not sure of 10 but 9 + for sure
everyone i speak to in Phuket & Samui says its still dead with only Indians and Arabs being about

A Thai government spokesperson has announced yesterday that over five million foreign tourists have arrived in the ‘land of smiles’ between January 1 and September 8. The total number of foreign visitors was 5,018,172, said spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the biggest group of tourists came from Malaysia, with 751,397 arrivals. Up next was India, with 480,825 arrivals. In third place was Laos, with 310,464 arrivals. Cambodia sent the fourth most tourists to Thailand, with a total of 249,084 arrivals.

TAT estimated that the number of tourists would reach 10 million, based on advanced flights and hotel bookings for the next three months.

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/ov ... nment-says

For that figure to be correct is means 1.8 million came here from August 1st to September 8th which is another big increase month on month from July. I'm a bit surprised it is that high and there is a tendency for the final confirmed figure to be lower, I suspect in their final analysis of the data they strip out people not on tourist visas. Even so I've said all along their forecast of 10 million was realistic and these numbers back it up. They have oversight on future flight schedules, bookings etc.

Further to my comment above about being surprised at the increase re the govt spokesman's figure for August in relation to July.

August confirmed figure just released : 1,174,743 which is just 50k higher than the 1,124,227 reported in July !!! Something clearly doesn't add up to the govt spokesman's comment as that makes year to date August 4.4m. This is the first month this year where the monthly % compared to 2019 has not increased. It has been reported revenue per tourist has dropped significantly since reopening compared to 2019 which is likely due to theshorter-term near markets being the main visitors.

Connecting the dots I think we see why they have relaxed/extended the length of tourist visas from October 1st.

It has been reported revenue per tourist has dropped significantly since reopening compared to 2019

That'll be the Indians. Outside a go go bar in Nana Plaza, 8 of them rocked up. The Mamasam wouldn't let them in until all 8 had bought, and paid in advance for, a beer each. This took at least 5 minutes of discussion and peeking in the door to have a look first. The girl told us they get 45 minutes to drink it and either buy more or leave. It seems they have been going in and buying 1 beer between 2 or more and staying for hours. The locals don't like them and don't care who knows about it.

Phuket if full of them, all walking around but very few in the bars actually spending money. We saw a couple in a bar and they were buying lots of lady drinks. We got chatting - these guys looked Indian but came from Stanmore, NW London!

So much for Thailand chasing high value tourists, they have got Gupta and the gang and they don't spend a rub unless they absolutely have to.

Fair policy to eliminate that kind of stuff, I find it bizarre when I'm sitting in an open air bar and a group of them stop outside and just stand there staring in for a few minutes.

The Indians have always been low season fillers in Pattaya and to be honest they've got hotels/restaurants that cater to them opening up again, without them things would have been really quiet since May. However Thailand needs the long haul market that stay 16 days plus, not just the 5 day Asian market. If they don't start returning in numbers from November onwards I think they've got a big problem on their hands.

I've never bought into the power that be's high value tourist clap trap, Thailand has built itself on a mass market model which absorbs a huge lower skilled labour force, I don't see how can they get away from that. I do wonder whether they are competitive at the top end of the market these days, if anything wealthier people can be more discerning and expect more value for their money. High tax on luxury items like wine etc harms Thailand's competitiveness.

THURSDAY, September 29, 2022
THAI AIRWAYS plans new luggage allowance rules for passengers with effect from April 1
THURSDAY, September 29, 2022
Thai Airways International (THAI) is changing its passenger luggage allowance from overall weight to number of pieces with limited weight for tickets bought from next month, but for flights from April 1, 2023.

In its internal announcement to its ticket-selling partners, THAI said the new luggage rules will be applied to advance tickets sold from October 15 and will be come into effect from April 1 next year.

The new rules will be applied to flights within the TC3 zone (Asia, Australia and New Zealand) and between TC3 zone and TC2 zone (Europe, Africa and the Middle East).

The new rules will grant luggage rights as follows:

[And to keep it simple, here are the new rules]
THAI plans new luggage allowance rules for passengers with effect from April 1
● First-class passenger allowed to check in three pieces of luggage (with ceiling of 32kg per piece)

● Business-class passenger allowed two pieces of luggage (32 kg/piece)

● Special economy-class passenger allowed two pieces of luggage (23kg/piece)

● Y/B/M economy-class two pieces (23kg/piece)

● Other economy class one piece (23kg/piece)

● Royal Orchid Plus Platinum Member Extra allowed 3 pieces (23kg/piece)

● ROP & Star Alliance Gold Member Extra allowed 2 pieces (23kg/piece)

● ROP Silver Member Extra allowed one piece (23kg/pc).

THAI has yet to make an official announcement of the new luggage rules on its website for passengers.
THE NATION

Immigration police detail restrictions on Cambodian visa runs from Pattaya
By Barry Kenyon -
October 14, 2022

Thai and Cambodian border police at Aranyaprathet and Pong Nam Ron, a three hour drive from Pattaya, have detailed the rules for foreigners wishing to obtain a further 45 days to extend their stay in Thailand. The new entry stamp can later be extended for a further month at Thai immigration offices for 1,900 baht. The scheme is popular with Brits, western Europeans, Americans and Australians.

Borey San, a Cambodian clearance officer, said it was essential that applicants register with a Pattaya tour and minibus operator in advance of travel to the border. The company must then send a passport copy to the border post of choice to check that the applicant is eligible for the new permission. Unregistered individuals arriving at the frontier under their own steam could not be serviced the same day and would need to spend several days or a week in Cambodia on vacation pending a review of their application. The alternative was to remain in Thailand to risk overstay.

A Thai immigration captain explained that most nationalities could take advantage of the visa run scheme, but there were 19 countries whose citizens could not get a new permission at any land border. The countries included China, India, several central Asian “stans” and a dozen states in Africa and the Indian Ocean. Separately, no individual could take advantage of the scheme more than twice in a 12 month period to prevent foreigners living permanently in Thailand by regular border trips. He said prior submission of passport copies was necessary to avoid international visitors wasting their time by turning up unannounced.

Jessataporn Bunnag, owner of Thai Visa Center located next to Jomtien immigration bureau, said the new scheme was introduced last month after the Thai government confirmed its willingness for foreigners to stay longer without the hassle of applying for prior visas from Thai embassies in their home countries before travel. “The important thing is to show us your passport well in advance so that you can be sure you are eligible for the extra time by this particular route,” he said.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... aya-413339

Its rainy season alright