Falling
Pattaya Mail wrote yesterday that tourist arrivals in Sin City are down 30%. Since Thai authorities don’t like to publish bad news or negative statistics things must be grim when they admit this.
Director of the TAT in Pattaya, Chaiwat Charoensuk, said that the figures for January to March were down by 30 percent, and that this trend was showing no improvement during the overall first six months of the year.
In addition to the decrease in Thai tourists, tourism from the European and Asian markets is also down, he said, including key markets such as Russia, Korea, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
But I am sure authorities know what to do. For example:
- Make it harder for foreigners to get visas to Thailand. Change the rules randomly and demand more paperwork. Be suspicious and petty and never give anyone any rights.
- Raise prices to squeeze more out of the remaining customers. It tourism is down 30% prices should go up by 30%.
- Keep up the anti-foreigner rhetoric in the media so ordinary Thais have foreign visitors to blame for their misfortunes.
- Raid and harass as many entertainment spots as possible. Foreign tourists love spend two hours in line to pee in a cup while getting filmed by TV crews.
- Have more military coups.
- Have more unrest and terrorist attacks.
- Encourage scams, cheating and crime.
- Come down hard on the night scene, safe in the knowledge that tourists come to Thailand for the temples.
If this isn’t enough I am sure they can think of more.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Hahahaha SF, I think you have about covered it all.
For the first time in my travels to LoS, I have paid for a visa - because I want to stay for 5 weeks this time without doing the Sathorn sashay.
I also imagine that there are many small hotels, travel agents, eateries and the like suddenly out of business. How can anyone run a business on a 3-months-on and 3-months-off basis.
A sudden downturn in the inflow of hard currencies would also be a likely scenario methinks.
But, damn it, I still like the place and the people.
Yraen.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
It is sad, that the politicians in one more county found out how to ruin the economy with the minimal effort. I hope, Thailand will not roll down to the same level as Zimbabwe or Sudan.
It’s common to all populists to blame others, preferably foreigners or immigrants, in all of the country’s problems. It’s the same in U.S., in Europe, or in Asia.
I think Thai politicians are very disappointed, that they don’t have any local Jews to blame them in corrupting the country. So normal tourists have to play the role of the scapegoat.
By the way: if the number of customers are down 30%, they must raise the prices about 43% to get the same money. If it will down to 50% they need to double the prices.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Right again SF!
You should act as a consultant to their tourist authority!
August 11th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
A taste of ones own bitter medicine won’t hurt Thaksin. Let him deal with the frustrations and annoyances that western visitors experience in Thailand. Mind you Pattaya did need a little spring cleaning!
August 12th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Sure, and if they do any more “spring cleaning” in Pattaya, their tourists arrivals will drop by yet another 90%.
Be careful what you wish for.