Thailand tourism situation

[fft100]

The reason Chinese average spend in Europe is high is because they buy lots of designer handbags, shoes etc there. They are convinced that most of the stuff in China is fake/copy. In Europe they get a serial number, guarantee etc. Lots of Thais also do the same when they are in Europe. And, compared to places in BKK it is normally cheaper in Europe. I know.... Though it is about 5 or 6 years since I last spent hours in handbag shops in Koeln.

And this is all 500 euro plus stuff. Some a lot higher.....

[STEVE G]

The reason Chinese average spend in Europe is high is because they buy lots of designer handbags, shoes etc there. They are convinced that most of the stuff in China is fake/copy. In Europe they get a serial number, guarantee etc. Lots of Thais also do the same when they are in Europe. And, compared to places in BKK it is normally cheaper in Europe. I know.... Though it is about 5 or 6 years since I last spent hours in handbag shops in Koeln.

And this is all 500 euro plus stuff. Some a lot higher.....

Yes, that's what I see here in Luxembourg, I've seen wealthy looking Asian's coming out of shops like Louis Vuitton loaded down with carrier bags and that could cost you about 10,000 euro's in those kind of places.

[buksida]

Thai quarantine flip-flop throws holidays into doubt
Thailand threw possibly tens of thousands of holiday plans into confusion after Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered any new arrivals from nine countries and two territories to undergo quarantine for the coronavirus, before swiftly reversing the decision.

Mr Anutin posted an announcement Tuesday saying travellers from affected countries would be subjected to a 14-day quarantine "without exceptions".

The countries were China, South Korea, Japan, Germany, France, Singapore, Italy, Iran and Taiwan. Hong Kong and Macau were also included on the list.

The post was removed hours later, and his official Facebook page was taken down.

Mr Anutin is no stranger to gaffes.

Last month he lashed out at "Western" tourists for not wearing face masks, suggesting they should be expelled for putting others at risk. He later apologised on his Facebook page.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... into-doubt

[oakdale160]

A Scandi friend tells me that flights into Thai from Scandinavia are half empty but flights out are all overbooked. I know the snowbirds always leave at this time of year but the input is probably way down.

[Big Boy]

This link is talking about hotel capacity in Hua Hin being down to about 10% at the moment, which is very believable https://www.banmuang.co.th/news/region/ ... mqpgp2UURE

It also talks about the lack of traffic on the roads. I drove down to Khao Tao today to have a walk around the lake. Driving was pleasurable, at levels similar to when I moved here 8 years ago. Khao Tao was like a ghost town also. Not one other person walking around the lake. This is more like the Thailand I moved to. A hidden benefit of Covid-19.

[lomuamart]

Agreed. I drove back from Black Mountain earlier and I don't think I've ever seen the roads so quiet at about 3pm on a Sunday. I even managed to do the two uturns necessary to get into our soi without having to wait 30 mins for each (that's a bit of an exaggeration).

[Big Boy]

When will they wake up and smell the coffee? Only a couple of days ago it was stated all new arrivals will spend 14 days in quarantine.

TAT expects 16m international tourists

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... l-tourists

[buksida]

The army runs Thailand's tourism so its no surprise they're spouting such bullshit .. who is going to argue with them?

PRAYUT’S BROTHER, MILITARY MEN DOMINATE TOURISM COMMITTEE
More than half of the newly-appointed Senate Committee on Tourism are military officers turned senators – including PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s younger brother.

The list of 23 members, among them Gen. Preecha Chan-o-cha, was announced in the Royal Government Gazette on Thursday. Besides Gen. Preecha, other 14 military generals named to the post include former deputy PM Gen Thanasak Patimaprakorn, who will chair the senate committee.

The appointment came amid a growing crisis among Thailand’s once prospering tourism industry due to the coronavirus pandemic. But many netizens questioned how appointing military strong men will help the situation.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics ... committee/

Preecha's tourism panel gig draws fire
The appointment of the prime minister's younger brother, Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha, as a member of the Senate committee on tourism has come under fire from the Pheu Thai Party.

The main opposition party questioned his ability to help the tourism industry, which has been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to party spokesman, Anusorn Iamsa-ard, Gen Preecha had a poor attendance record while serving as a member of the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

As such, his appointment to the Senate committee on tourism at a time when the sector has taken the heaviest blow from the novel coronavirus outbreak does not bode well, he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... draws-fire

[oakdale160]

Why oh why do I have to explain this too you? All the needed info is there.
1 He has been appointed to a Senate committee on a subject on which he has no knowledge and probably no interest.
2 He is not going to turn up to the committee meetings. so will do no harm.

[buksida]

These sort of articles beggar belief ...

Hotels welcome back Chinese
Hotels are eager to welcome Chinese guests as a survey confirmed tourists are ready to return, since the yuan has appreciated against the baht and airlines are restarting their activities.

The China Thailand Travel Sentiment Survey 2020 conducted in mid-April by C9 Hotelworks and DAC China Digital Services revealed 53% of Chinese tourists would like to travel this year, targeting August, October and December in particular.

The preference to travel in Thailand was high at 71%, with Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai ranked the top three destinations, followed by Koh Samui and Pattaya.

Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks, said Chinese tourists totalled almost 11 million last year, more than one-fourth of Thailand's overall 39.8 million international arrivals.

He said the strength of the yuan, which was weaker in the third and fourth quarters last year because of the economic slowdown and trade war, means Chinese tourists can spend more in Thailand.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... ck-chinese


Someone has pulled that out of thin air - China's economy is weakening fast and with continued baht strength and a 14 day quarantine period on arrival, they're not likely to be flooding back here in a hurry.

[hhinner]

And the Chinese will also have to enter quarantine when they go back. Great holiday!

[Dannie Boy]

Unless Chinese visitors are granted special privileges?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[oakdale160]

And the THAI quarantine will be enforced-?- enforced--is that another English word for which there is no Thai equivalent?

[buksida]

Long-stay travel packages in the pipeline
The Tourism and Sports Ministry is floating an idea to provide long-stay packages to foreign tourists who are seeking disease-free destinations.

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said that while international tourists are expected to gradually return after the domestic market, Thailand has to come up with a more appropriate marketing strategy to cope with the new norm of travellers.

"The ministry is working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to set up a model which will attract specific group of travellers to visit chosen areas," Mr Phiphat said.

Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan will be the pilot destinations to welcome high-end tourists globally.

As those locations are reachable via limited gateways, the provincial authorities can ensure the screening of incoming guests and provide more safety prevention against the possible import of the virus compared to other major destination, such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.

Mr Phiphat said tourists who want to spend at least one month in Thailand have to provide health certificates and strictly comply with every screening and health measures by Thai health authorities.

Currently, TAT offices abroad are reaching out to the long-stay market which normally spends more than average tourists, while four-star and five-star hotels are promoting the packages to their regular guests.

"The outbreak allows Thai tourism to shift focus to quality tourists rather than quantity," Mr Phiphat said.

The disease-free tourism packages are set to launch during the last quarter this year which is the time tourists from western countries usually seek warmer climes.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... e-pipeline

[buksida]

Chinese tourists still face entry ban
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has dismissed reports Chinese tourists will be allowed to visit Thailand again next month.

This will not be possible because the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on April 27 decided to extend the ban on all incoming commercial flights for another month -- until May 31 -- over coronavirus concerns, CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said on Wednesday.

"Foreign visitors cannot visit right now," he said. "We have to take care of our own people first. Tourism will be discussed later. Don't worry."

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -entry-ban