Thailand tourism situation

[sateeb]

He must have factored in the visitors from Cloud Cuckoo Land

[handdrummer]

Conversely, I was in MV around 6 pm this evening and it was packed with Farangs. I could hardly get up and down the aisles in Tesco for all the shopping carts loaded with stuff.

And yet not a single tourist amongst them! The usual pre-Christmas panic shopping...

How can you know? You can't tell the players without a program.

[PeteC]

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[caller]

It's absolute drivel that tourism is up. It beggars belief that TAT can get away with putting such figures out, unless the generals themselves support such blatant lies?

However, I would agree that visitors from India are up. I don't know about Hua Hin, but there were plenty on the flight I recently took to Krabi and they and tourists who were Muslim, were the most noticeable groups where I was. Looking at Thai Smiles routes in their in house magazine, they now fly to about 6 Indian destinations.

[oakdale160]

The Scandinavians here are for the most part snow-birds, spending the winters in Thai and summers in Scandinavia. They are halfway between residents and tourists. I was talking to a group of them a few days ago. Their observation is that their they and their friends are not leaving but there are almost no newcomers: The losses are not being replaced.

[hhinner]

Many of the houses in the soi behind soi 80 (when there were few bars there) used to be rented by half-year-stayers for the whole year, making sure of their places. It's a while since I've been around there now so I don't know if that's still the case.

[uncle tom]

In the UK, the barber I visit tried to get fit in the gym, and ended up giving himself a minor hernia.

Not fancying the long wait on the NHS, he is planning to get it sorted privately. I suggested coming to Thailand to get it done and have a couple of weeks in the sun with the money saved.

He's checked this out and tells me that the price he's been quoted in Bangkok is £900 cheaper than a private hospital in the UK, so after flights and hotels, there's no saving for him. If the exchange was back at 50 instead of 40 it would be a different story.

Health tourism is potentially huge for the Thai economy, but the exchange rate is killing it..

[handdrummer]

Health tourism is potentially huge for the Thai economy, but the exchange rate is killing it..

That and finding a trustworthy, experienced doctor.

[uncle tom]

Health tourism is potentially huge for the Thai economy, but the exchange rate is killing it..

That and finding a trustworthy, experienced doctor.

My experience of Thai doctors and other medical professionals has been invariably excellent

[buksida]

The exchange rate is one aspect but visa hassle plays a big part too. Tourists I've spoken to recently have been put off by having to show financial/employment evidence just to get a 60 day tourist visa in their own country.

You really do get the feeling that the junta doesn't want pesky foreigners traipsing all over its lands.

[Big Boy]

We have some visitors at the moment, who have spent time in Pattaya and Cha-Am before Hua Hin. They come annually, and say they've never seen it so dead. A lot Indians in Pattaya though, but not in bars or restaurants.

[oakdale160]

B'grad led the way with Medical Tourism others followed. Brought in American management. Set fees at consistent levels, very reasonable. They succeeded dramatically, got greedy, raised fees. So double the fees, Baht appeciated, and voila fees FOUR times the original, Americans replaced by Thai administrators.

[Ttmike]

The visa situation is definitely a factor, I was in the hull consulate in September and some people were far from happy with the requirements for a 2 or even worse 3 month visa.
One couple said to the visa staff member that this would be their last visit due to stupid requirements for a 3 month visa.
To be fair to the ladies in hull they are quite flexible, they issued mine and asked that I e mail the further requested documents.

[handdrummer]

Health tourism is potentially huge for the Thai economy, but the exchange rate is killing it..

That and finding a trustworthy, experienced doctor.

My experience of Thai doctors and other medical professionals has been invariably excellent

Aside from Dr, Payrut, my experience has been universally horrible, including a botched surgery by a Dr. who lied about his experience, a dentist who was more interested in watching the 2014 protests on tv, than taking care of my dental needs, an eye dr. at the famous eye hospital in Bangkok that never listened to a word I said and wrote a wrong prescription, ditto an eye dr. at Bangkok hosp. Hua Hin, a nephologist at Bangkok hosp. Hua Hin, who, every time I went for a check up asked the same questions and never listened to the answers. How do I know? I made up credulous answers and she paid no attention. I'm glad you've have good experiences but I don't trust Thai drs. Oh, I do have an excellent dentist in Hua Hin. That's 2 out of 5, not a good average for medical care.

[Big Boy]

Whilst uncle tom's comment was relevant regarding medical tourism, we are now drifting into good and bad doctors generally. Can we stick to tourism on this thread please?