14/11/11 BKK movements ; Passenger arr 54,876 dep 50,058 ; Aircraft arr 416 dep 415 ; Freight arr 1,125 tons dep 2,283 tons

The Department of Tourism actually claimed that tourism arrivals for the month of October 2011 was up 7% over October 2010 – pure fabrication.

Yes.  Some postponed, most cancelled and have gone elsewhere.  Main reason for uncertainty is the piss-poor reporting by the Thai Government on the actual situation.  There have been numerous inaccurate, incomplete, stupid, false, and sugar coated reports coming from various Thai Government agencies and most conflict with one another. Not being able to get straight info in a timely fashion is the fault of the Thai Government.

Sent letters?  Geez – get out of the stone age.  Just goes to show that the Thai Government doesn’t have a clue on how to use Social Media to get the word out.

The rest of the article goes on to tell what various agencies are going to spend on flood repair damage and gets completely off the tourist arrival topic.  Typical shitty reporting from one of the almost English news outlets in Thailand.

In a related article at The Nation, TAT, groups hatch tourism rehab plan, the illustrious Tourism Authority of Thailand is going to come tot the rescue and save Thailand from all of its tourism woes.

Key tourism bodies will tomorrow propose a short-term rehabilitation plan for the sector to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), which is expected to be implemented in January.

Which the Tourism Authority of Thailand will completely ignore as they have already laid out their 5 prong attack plan.  This is the stupid plan to get local tourists to visit stuff in their own neighborhood and then go visit Central Bangkok.  It also expects expats living in Thailand to do the TAT’s job and promote the country.

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) and some other key associations will be involved in tomorrow’s discussions of the plan, according to TCT vice president Pornthi Hirunkate.

Another meeting with brilliant ideas that will fall on the deaf ears of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

She said the private sector would propose that the authority organise road shows in all key markets including China, Japan, Korea, India, Germany and Australia.

Sure – send the Tourism Authority of Thailand on a boondoggle tour wasting tax money.  If the Thai Government Officials already working in those countries had done their jobs properly and kept the people informed of what the actual situation is/was in Thailand instead of sugar coating and telling lies, this would not be necessary.

“TAT and operators will go to all targeted countries as part of a Thailand Team to regain tourists’ confidence,” Pornthi said.

Confidence in Thailand has been totally shattered with all of the lies, inaccurate reporting, political infighting, conflicting information daily, and videos, blog posts, and photos that showed that the Thai Government was totally inept in this disaster.

“Tourism has been dropping since the flooding reached Bangkok last month, and this could continue into the high season. Hotel business in Bangkok has already dropped by 20 per cent, but operators in Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai have gained as many tourists are flying directly into the southern region,” Pornthip said.

Tourism was dropping despite what the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Department of Tourism report monthly.  The significant dropping started in September when the floods hit the North and Northeast and got worse in October.  The numbers for Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai are false as many of the “tourists” are evacuees from Bangkok.

Earlier, the TAT said flooding would only reduce international arrivals by 2 per cent.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will post fictitious numbers for November just as they do for every other month.  Claiming an increase in tourist arrivals for October when the Hotel and Travel Agent industries were claiming 20%-50% drop in hotel occupancies and 50%-100% cancellations of tours in November. Tourist arrivals for November should show an approximate 25% drop but I am sure that if the Tourism Authority of Thailand actually claims that the numbers dropped, it will most likely make it look like it had little or no impact.

The private-sector groups and the TAT will also review the overall tourism picture and may revise down the projections for this year.

The forecast started out at 16.5 million tourist arrivals, adjusted downward to 15-15.5 million when the tsunami struck Japan, revised upward to 18 million 2 months later, and then again upward to 19-19.5 million.  My guess is that the TAT will claim 18 million tourists arrived in Thailand in 2011 besting 2010 by about 3 million tourists.  And, it is all lies.

According to the CNNGo website, the International Flood Evacuation Centre at Bangna Commercial College on Sukhumvit 103 is posting invitations via Twitter, Facebook and various websites to alert foreigners living, studying or travelling in Thailand who need somewhere to stay because of the floods.

First I have heard of this.  I have no idea who the International Flood Evacuation Centre is.

TAT also lists hotels offering flood-relief accommodation for both locals and tourists at lowered prices through its website.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has information 1-2 days old at tatnews.org web site.  They constantly sugar coat, give out incorrect information, and tell out-and-out lies.  There is NO WAY that I would trust TAT to list accommodations that are lower priced. Most likely, same or higher prices and kickbacks to TAT.

More lies and bullshit tourist arrival numbers from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the other Thai Government Agencies.