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How important are tourists for Thailand?


basilofbarnes

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Says valentinoxxx:

It may depend on whether you are quoting figures for the Travel and Tourism Industry or the Travel and Tourism Economy.

Annual visitor spending is supposed to be around 6.1% of Thai GDP, though the tourism economy as a whole may be closer to the figure mentioned.


 

They dont know how many people are in Thailand for a start.

 

So they need tourism heaps and heaps IMO

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to most around the world Thailand is still undiscovered territory. Everyone is still going to Ibiza, Canacun and the Carribean. When I tell people that I was in Thailand they are facinated at where I went, because to them its not your regular vacation spot like Mexico, or Europe.

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Says mrkungfu:

to most around the world Thailand is still undiscovered territory. Everyone is still going to Ibiza, Canacun and the Carribean. When I tell people that I was in Thailand they are facinated at where I went, because to them its not your regular vacation spot like Mexico, or Europe.

 

Ibiza if you are under 25!! and or in good shape,

 

The world is an oyster but costs come in to it and time of travel and how long the flights are etc etc.

Thailand is a hugh market for australasia a short flight as well.

The destinations you mention are very expensive for the average tourist from oz btw

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Man oh man...

 

These fancy restaurants can't survive on domestic consumption alone? Are you kidding?

 

Just look at the MP's and clubs (excluding the japanese clubs). Who has the more expensive clubs? Farang or local? Of these most expensive clubs, are there more farang oriented or local oriented ones?

 

Just who are driving all those Mercedes and BMW's?

 

Thailand has world market share in a remarkable number of things. Do some digging and you'll come up with a whole lot of weird shit. Remember, Thailand is a major world source of rubber. How many different items and plastics are made with this commodity?

 

Yes tourism is very important but somebody has to put all those fly fisherman lures together (Chiang Mai is the world capital of fly fishing lures).

 

<<burp>>

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Answers concerning the Top 50 Thai exports at :

 

http://www.moc.go.th/thai/dbe/stat/rank_50/tft_com_fram.htm

 

There are more than 50,000 factories in Thailand for which wastewater output quality is monitored by the Thai government.

 

Just in case you thought that Thailand was a backwater of industry.

 

Compared to Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, Thailand is a veritable dynamo of activity.

 

Cheers!

SS

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Thailand: GDP 122 bn $

receipts from tourism: 7.1 bn $

exports total: 69.3 bn $

computer: 8.5 bn $

textiles: 4.7 bn $

integrated circuits: 4.5 bn $

rize: 1.6 bn $

 

as comparision: Switzerland: GDP 240 bn $

receipts from tourism: 6.9 bn $

exports total: 74.9 bn $

machinery: 22 bn $

chemicals: 21.2 bn $

precision instruments, watches and jewelry: 12.1 bn $

metals&metals manufacturing: 6.4 bn $

textiles: 1.6 bn $

 

So in the first view, tourism is for thailand as important as for Switzerland relative to exports and more important relative to GDP.

 

let us compare with USA: GDP 9'837 bn $

tourist receipts: 85 bn $

total exports: 782 bn $

 

So tourism relative to exports is as important for the USA as for Thailand ::

 

Best regards

 

(source: World in figures, 2003, the economist)

 

 

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the more important figure is maybe the current account balance and the importance of tourism relative to it:

Thailand: cab 9.4 bn $

Switzerland: cab 32.5 bn $

USA: cab -444.7 bn $

 

So the USA needs the tourism to decrease the current account deficit whereas thailand without any tourists still has a positive current account.

 

Naturally this just prooves that numbers don't help to estimate the importance of tourism for thailand.

 

Best regards

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but I'm sure it must be drugs that are the Kingdom's major export.

-----------------------------

 

I think you confused the topic unless you assume Thailand exports tourists. Drugs are part of the underground economy, same as prostitution. I have heard from well informed economists, BTW, that just about 50% of the national income is totally unaccounted, black market, illegal activities and non-declared income. We should not go by the official numbers, they are a joke. A lot more cash circulates in Thailand that these stats let you know. IMO

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A lot more cash circulates in Thailand that these stats let you know. IMO

 

I totally agree. Between drugs of which Thailand is one of the largest consumers in terms of Meth (yah bah) and one of the largest pipelines for export (heroin and meth), prostitution, sales of illegal products such as teak, and even legitimate businesses that do not report or pay taxes such as the diveshop I worked for on Koh Phi Phi. If a tourist (non-sex) spends 30,000 or 50,000 Baht on a trip a big chunk of that will more than likely go to untraceable businesses, i.e. souvenirs, meals in small restaurants, travel (taxis, tuk-tuks), possibly even accommodations. With sanuk travelers it would obviously be a much higher percentage being untraceable.

 

I also wonder if there wouldn't be some incentive for the government to under report the impact of tourism so as to diminish the reflection of reliance on foreigners for Thailand's economic survival.

 

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