Thailand tourism situation

[handdrummer]

Slump, what slump,,,
the place should be full of potheads
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-06/ ... /101500422
then it will be full of potheads and xxxx heads

Looks like the Chinese have misread the new drugs law:

Hundreds of Chinese citizens arrested in Bangkok drug party raid

Thailand appears to be struggling a bit in its quest to draw in “high-quality tourists.”

Bangkok police arrested hundreds of Chinese citizens at a raid on a drug party in the Sathorn area early this morning. The police busted a total of 266 people at a karaoke venue on Charoen Rat Road. 237 of the busted partiers were Chinese nationals, including 111 men and 126 women.

The police reportedly found several kinds of drugs including ketamine, nimetazepam, and “happy water,” a drug cocktail containing MDMA, methamphetamine, diazepam, and ketamine, Nation Thailand reported.

https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/hun ... 49g2_wXVH0

They should have just of smoked weed. I wonder who blew the whistle on them?

[Ratsima]

[PeteC]

Foreign tourists swarm into Thailand

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/fo ... o-thailand

Immigration officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok are struggling to cope with the crescendo of foreign tourists flooding into Thailand. Pictures (At link) of the jampacked airport taken on Sunday, October 20, reveal a promising outlook for Thailand’s tourist High Season, which runs from November to April.

Between 1pm-5pm on Sunday, 76 flights landed on the airport’s runway, an average of 20 flights per hour. An average of 3,000 – 4,000 foreign tourists per hour passed through immigration that day, according to Spokesperson for the Immigration Bureau Mj. Gen. Choengron Rimphadee. It is by the far the busiest the airport has been since before the pandemic.

To ensure that arrivals didn’t have to wait longer than one hour at immigration, all immigration booths were staffed and officers spent no longer than 45 seconds checking the passport data, visa status, personal biometric data, and blacklist status of each arrival.

Commander of Immigration Division 2 Pol. Maj. Gen. Montree Pancharoen said that although immigration officers are quick, they still do a thorough job to ensure that foreign criminals posing as tourists do not slip through the net and into the kingdom ahead of the APEC summit in Bangkok later this month, which will be attended by several world leaders.

In preparation for High Season, the airport increased the number of immigration booths from 92 to 112. During busy hours, every booth will be staffed, said the officer.

The airport is capable of checking in around 6,500 passengers per hour without compromising security, said Mj. Gen. Choengron Rimphadee.

Staff from Airports of Thailand (AOT) helps the immigration process run smoothly by lining up passengers and helping them prepare their documents before going through immigration checks.

Currently, Suvarnabhumi Airport is welcoming an average of 45,000 to 50,000 people every day and the airport only expects figures to increase.

Several of Thailand’s policies are thought to have contributed to the uptick in foreign arrivals, including granting longer stays to tourists, the legalisation of cannabis, and the complete removal of Covid-19 entry restrictions and requirements.

[Big Boy]

Foreign tourists swarm into Thailand

To ensure that arrivals didn’t have to wait longer than one hour at immigration, all immigration booths were staffed and officers spent no longer than 45 seconds checking the passport data, visa status, personal biometric data, and blacklist status of each arrival.

Well, if true, and no reason to disbelieve it, that sounds promising. I don't ever remember having to wait an hour at Immigration in Thailand.

I must say, I am seeing more touristy types around town, so hopefully, we are seeing the upturn here.

[PeteC]

There was a time years ago where it seemed every flight in the world arrived around the same time between 2130-2330. Easily in line more than an hour if you got caught up in all that.

[buksida]

Yep, took an hour to get through when I got back in Sept.

Even down here in the boonies, a handful of tourists have started to trickle back which is good news for the few businesses that remain open (they may be disappointed with what little is left though - Thailand 2022 is a shadow of Thailand 2019.)

[Big Boy]

Yes, I've heard stories, and some not so long ago, but I guess I'm just lucky Actually, thinking back I was in some biblical queues, but I was always moved across to join Mrs BB.

The only time I've had an excessive wait was when we moved here, and 2 suits marched my son off for questioning. To beat visa requirements, I didn't let him travel with a passport i.e. he travelled on a Certificate of Identity, which really blew their minds. I'd done my research, and he eventually emerged. That was a very long wait, but I'd beaten the system .

[HuaHin61]

there will not be a significant increase of tourists 2022/2023
airlines like ETIHAD apparently do not expect the situation to improve, because they still don't offer nearly as many flights as they did before the planned Corona Pandemic, ETIHAD still did not offer DUS-UAH-BKK, only 2-stop DUS-FRA-UAH-BKK, so there will not be a significant increase of tourists from germany i guess.

[Dannie Boy]

I doubt that one airline from one destination is a very good gauge on how many tourists can be expected - the report of how many planes arrived yesterday is a much better indicator. Having said that, I’m sure that numbers will still be down on what they were pre-pandemic for another year at least.

[buksida]

I think there is a solid point to what HH61 says though. Most airlines are running nowhere near their full route schedules from before Covid. So naturally, the fewer planes that are flying on limited routes are going to be full giving the illusion that tourists are "swarming back". Additionally, airport arrivals are not all tourists - but try telling TAT that.

I know our spot isn't a good gauge, but hotels around here are still running at about 10% occupancy if that. However, 10% is better than 0% which is what it has been for the past two and a half years!

[sateeb]

there will not be a significant increase of tourists 2022/2023
airlines like ETIHAD apparently do not expect the situation to improve, because they still don't offer nearly as many flights as they did before the planned Corona Pandemic, ETIHAD still did not offer DUS-UAH-BKK, only 2-stop DUS-FRA-UAH-BKK, so there will not be a significant increase of tourists from germany i guess.

Planned Pandemic...Still in your bunker?

2nd..That's a load off

3rd..Stop with the Eurocentric view, Thailand doesn't fully rely on Europe as the cash cow.. In my recent travels the overwhelming majority of visitors are from the land of Narendra Damodardas Modi

[sateeb]

/\ Closely followed by our cousins from Austraaaaaalia.

[STEVE G]

When I was in Hua Hin over the last month, I did see more of what appeared to be normal Western tourists, families and couples etc. For the three other trips I've done since the pandemic, I didn't really see anyone who didn't look like retirees or people with Thai partners or connections to Thailand.

[caller]

There are definitely more western tourists in Hua Hin, but that was the case two months or so back, then they all disappeared again. And anymore than none at all doesnt equate to much. It will be telling whether this increase is seen throughout what used to be called high season. Or just a pent up demand for travel being released by those who have such a need.

[HHTel]

I've never seen a stat that shows 'tourists in' vs 'tourists out'