Thailand is doomed …

Thailand is doomed …

Thailand got greedy and took away a huge part of the fund. People chose to go elsewhere. Is Thailand in trouble? Thailand, the land of smiles, a vibrant tapestry of ancient traditions, stunning natural beauty, and a hospitality that has charmed millions for decades. But what if the smile started to fade? Today we’re diving into a topic that’s both fascinating and a little bit concerning. The decline in tourism to Thailand over the year 2025. [Music] [Music] Hello, I am William and I am here at the pretty new One Bangkok building. We’re going to talk about the tourism crisis. What’s going on here in Thailand? [Music] Now, we’re going to take the MRT subway. It’s attached to this building right in the basement of the one Bangkok building. Very convenient. [Music] So for years, Thailand has been a top tier tourist destination. In 2019, before the world changed, they welcomed almost 40 million international visitors here. Of course, the pandemic hit really hard here. But Thailand has been resilient, slowly rebuilding its tourism sector. So why are we talking about a decline in 2025? It’s a confluence of factors, some global, some regional, and some self-inflicted. So let’s break them down. [Music] Firstly, the global economic climate, inflation, rising energy cost, general economic uncertainty. That means that discretionary spending like international travel is often the first thing people cut back on. So for many people, a trip to Thailand, which often involves longhaul flights, is becoming an increasingly expensive proposition. However, over the last year, tourism has actually increased in many other Asian countries besides Thailand. So, what’s up with that? One factor is currency conversion. The bot is strong, so it’s making it more expensive for people to come here. The extreme inflation that occurred in many countries across the world during and after the scandmic also occurred in Thailand. And the double pricing on a lot of things frustrates many visitors. So if a nice hotel is a similar price, especially when factoring in currency conversion, you know, between Japan and Thailand, and Japan is cleaner, not polluted, and easier to get around and safer, where are people going to go? The next factor is increased competition. Countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, and even Laos have heavily invested in their tourism infrastructure, offering similar cultural experiences and natural beauty, oftentimes at a lower price point and with less perceived over tourism. So, travelers now have more choices than ever before. The competition is rising to uh dethrone Thailand as the number one Southeast Asia destination. Years ago, people used to come to Thailand for relaxing, exotic experiences. But now that it is such a well-known destination, many parts of Thailand have been loved to death. Places that were previously known for being beautiful and pristine, like Pee Island, have become home to McDonald’s, Burger King, and literal boatloads of tourists. It seems like Thailand is rapidly slipping from that top spot. Now, countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia have risen to fill those gaps. I believe a contributing factor to this is Thailand just taking tourists for granted since tourists have been coming here in such strong numbers for so long and that has led to higher prices and more touristy experiences and double pricing and all of these things. Next, let’s talk about pollution and the environment. Environmental and health concerns. Over tourism has taken its toll on some of Thailand’s most beloved natural wonders. Maya Bay, for example, was closed for rehabilitation several times. But I think the real culprit is the air pollution. The air pollution is toxic in the tourism high season around December and January. And it continues for months after January with thick toxic smog blanketing most of the entire country, not just Bangkok. Earlier this year, we had the earthquake with the building collapsing and that made international news. So that did not help the tourism influx here in Thailand at all. Another big contributing factor in the decline of tourism here has been the perception of the tourist experience itself. This is a delicate one, but consistent reports of scams, rising local prices that price out budget travelers, and even some highly publicized safety incidents can cumulatively impact Thailand’s reputation as a hassle-free, idealic destination. Mastercard recently listed Bangkok and Phuket as two of the scam capitals of the world. Even though I think Thailand is relatively safer than most other countries in the world, there’s been a lot of bad press and I think social media is I don’t want to say to blame, but just the way that it works with everybody with a camera in their pocket. All of these negative incidents get filmed and then go viral on social media and the positive experiences don’t go viral. So this increases a negative reputation. Okay, now we finally come to the biggest reason for the decline in tourism in Thailand and that is China. In China, Thailand has now become known as a dangerous destination and China has been the primary source of foreign tourists into Thailand in recent years. So the first thing is that China has had a massive campaign going on to increase domestic tourism. Part of that includes smearing the reputation of other countries. There was a movie that came out a few years ago in China that was about Chinese people getting kidnapped and forced to work in Thailand. And the nail in the coffin was when earlier this year that exact scenario played out. A Chinese actor got kidnapped in Thailand and taken to Myanmar, forced to work in the scam centers there. This incident went viral and turned many people off from visiting Thailand from China. What’s ironic though is that most of those scam centers are founded and managed by Chinese people. And also the building that collapsed during the earthquake here was being built by a Chinese company. [Music] I’ve come here to the new Central Park Mall at the Ducetani Hotel. This mall just opened about 2 or 3 weeks ago. A decline in tourism isn’t just about fewer tourists on the beach. It impacts small businesses, tour operators, hotels, restaurants, and the livelihoods of millions of Thai people. It could force a re-evaluation of their tourism strategy, but personally, I wouldn’t count on it. This topic has been hot here on YouTube for the past few months. So, I’m just going to read out some comments from other videos on this same topic. Prices are increasing because the quality of life is increasing. Thailand is turning into an industrialized and developed nation, which means higher income per capita. Still, Thailand is very affordable compared to East Asia or Europe. At least you can find some super budget friendly accommodation and food options. A hostile bed space in major European city can get you a threestar hotel in Bangkok or Phuket. Thailand isn’t really a lowcost destination anymore. Greatly overstated. If you are smart and you are not visiting Thailand to stay at high-end hotels, the cost of travel remains a bargain. None of this will stop me from coming to Thailand every chance I get. If you fall for scams, blame yourself. Did Thailand once, never again. Got scammed and food poisoned. My favorite Southeast Asian country, which is underrated, is the Philippines. Publicity says their tourism is slow, but locals there don’t care. They want to keep it that way and don’t want too much tourists. Their beaches are far better than any. Thailand can still be relatively cheap if you are not a five-star traveler accommodation-wise, and food can be very cheap if you are prepared to eat in local eeries. This is a long one. We just spent 13 nights in Thailand from blah blah blah to blah blah blah. As a family of four, excluding flights, we spent around $2,500, I assume that’s US dollars, on a rental car, accommodation, food, sightseeing, and a bit of shopping at MBK Mall. We avoided tourist hotspots and explored lesserknown places instead. It was fantastic. Easily the best holiday we’ve had in years. The Thai people were incredibly friendly and adored our two young kids. Scams, high cost, absolutely everywhere. Unbreathable air and safety make other places in Asia much more desirable. Double pricing, extremely poor air quality, and unsafe roadways, just to name a few. Thailand is trying to market itself as a high-end destination, but the product it offers is the same as 5 years ago. It is the same product, but at a more expensive price. So, if the quality of the product is the same, but the price goes up, then yes, you’re not going to get the tourist numbers that you want. It’s the same as putting new paint on a house and then trying to double its sales price. You are just getting scammed, bro. [Music] I’ve been to Thailand 10 times since 2018, and Thailand has certainly changed for the worst after the pandemic. In my first trip back after the pandemic in November of 2022, I was met with unreasonably high prices for nearly everything. I asked one restaurant owner how they justified this steep price hikes, and her exact explanation was, “If you on holiday, then you don’t care about price.” It’s this level of entitlement that has become pervasive and is driving visitors away along with the scams and air pollution. As a tie, reading all of these comments is like a slap in the face. And they are all right. People start going to Vietnam these days. Well, maybe it’s a good thing many natural tourist attractions could get recovered and it’s time for Thai people to adapt and realize that tourism is not our main income anymore. It’s safer to visit Taiwan, China, Korea, Singapore, and Japan. Food prices may be a little more than Thailand, but you can count on the overall cleaning and personal safety. I have been going to Thailand for years, and the prices have gone up exponentially. I can definitely see why Vietnam and other countries are more appealing. Thailand has got greedy thinking foreigners will always come, and that’s just not the case. Vietnam has just as much to offer, and at the fraction of the cost. Thailand needs to wake up fast. I’ve just been to Patea in Bangkok, and I found the prices to be ridiculous. A holiday in Europe would be cheaper in many countries. It’s not a collapse, it’s a downturn. Things eb and flow. I’ve just been to Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, and I’m sad to say it, but you’re 100% correct. I have a few Thai friends who have businesses and have tried to help them, but they can’t see past the more we charge, the more we make mentality. Thailand isn’t cheap anymore unless you go off the grid, which isn’t really a short-term holiday activity. Thailand is still a lot more affordable compared to places like Dubai, Las Vegas or Singapore. If you want cheap, visit China, Bali, Vietnam or Cambodia. They are great places to visit for a few weeks. If you want to travel on easy mode, then spend a bit more money in Thailand and you have a great time. I had the same experience coming from Bangkok and Phuket to Da. Wow, what a difference. Last night, I enjoyed a real Wagyu ribeye steak here and couldn’t even spend $50 US out the door. Thailand is done. It’s very simple. Thailand is old hat. It’s done. Finished. No longer what it once was to attract tourists. Nowadays, there’s far more competition. Over touristed too much. Now it’s not authentic. If going for a beach holiday, I would definitely prefer Philippines or Vietnam. The prices of resorts and hotels in Phuket, Kosamoy and other locations is just too high now compared to these other destinations. But I definitely prefer Bangkok over any major city in Philippines or Vietnam. One aspect many people, especially families, consider before deciding on a holiday destination is political stability. Thailand has forcefully removed the last five political leaders. Thailand has experienced martial law three times in recent years. Newsre photos of prime ministers in jail and the nation’s army on the streets of the capital do little for tourism. You don’t need to understand rocket science for this collapse. The most vital thing is the cost of the trip. Each and everything price each and everything price is went rocket high in Thailand before and after pandemic. There is huge cost gap in every sector for the tourists. All local businesses owners trying to recover their loss. They thought this will not affect anything on tourism ratio. On the other hand, Thai government still keep stronger bot artificially which is backfired. If locals and Thai government not make any policy near soon, mark my note, local Thai tourism industry going to collapse within couple of years. I think a big part as well a lot of people just follow what others are doing. So when everyone was going to Thailand, others would think it’s okay to see what the is all about. then you have a then when people start saying stuff like it’s not as cheap as it used to be and it’s cheaper to go to Bali or Vietnam others hear that and take it on board and go somewhere else trends change through word of mouth I just returned from Thailand and Vietnam and this was my fifth trip to Thailand and my last and it all started at the border. government immigration officers were extremely rude and like at one stage was doubtful that I was going to be granted a visa as an Australian citizen. I was extremely disappointed. Next was how the cost has gone up so much. We did spend 28 days there traveling from Bangkok to Shanghai. My go-to place is now Lao and Vietnam. Definitely not Thailand. The bar is way too high and the flights have more than doubled. For a family of four to fly from the UK direct return is now approaching 3,500 quid before your holiday even starts. So to get here and have a hotel for 2 weeks, you’re looking at 5,000 quid. Add in 200 quid a day for spending and the holiday is approaching 8 UK grand. It simply is not worth the price. Apparently it is Chinese numbers that’s impacting Thailand, not other countries. I think Japan, Korea are providing a more rounded experience now. Sightseeing, food, choice, shopping, safety. I love Thailand, but I feel other destinations have caught up now, like like Vietnam and Bali. The dual pricing on my last trip really got me. I never minded before, but this time it got to me. Went to a waterfall in the entrance for a Thai was 50 bot and the foreigner was 500. Then went to see some famous temple in Bangkok and again it was free for ties but 300 bot for a foreigner. Thailand is no longer cheap and there are always two pricing systems, one for foreigners and one for locals. And also places and goods are divided into systems for locals and foreigners. Price differences of at least double. It’s common for them to be triple or quadruple. Greed has cost them their credibility. I’ve just changed my trip agenda from Thailand to Indonesia. Been to Thailand 30 odd times since 1984. Thailand has priced itself out of the Asia tourist market. Exchange rate, ATM bank fees, continuous scams from locals, and being taxed by police for whatever reasons. it not wanting me to go back and look elsewhere. Vietnam sounds great. This is exactly what Thailand wanted. The government repeatedly said that they now want quality over quantity. Apparently, that means higher spenders. Earthquake ban, confusing and constantly changing visa regulations, knock them backs at the borders and airports, income tax for expats, high prices, unstable government, Thai Cambodian war, and strong bot are just some of the things deterring people from Thailand. Currently, Thailand got greedy and took away a huge part of the fund. People chose to go elsewhere. Thailand needs to look around and see that everyone around them is doing way better. There are reasons and the current government is being silly. 12 to$15 for a bowl of noodles in Thailand is twice as high as it were. If they keep doubling up the prices on everything, lots more travelers would choose other places to travel. However, I could see prices of things naturally coming down due to the decrease in demand. What do you think? Put your thoughts in the comments below. [Music] Well, just to conclude with a little bit of positivity, Thailand is incredibly resilient. Its people are patient and flexible, and its cultural and natural assets are undeniable. A dip in the 2025 tourism numbers might just be the wakeup call needed to refine their approach, ensuring that the land of smiles continues to charm visitors for generations to come. Let me know your opinion about all this in the comments below. Have you experienced any of these changes about Thailand? Subscribe to the channel for more Thailand videos. That would really help me out. And I’ll see you soon. [Music]

The Tourism Crisis in Thailand has become a major concern for many people. We discuss many reason for the Crash in Tourists visiting Thailand in 2025.

#thailand #thailandnews #tourism #travel

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I am a Digital Nomad based in Bangkok, Thailand. I make videos about traveling the world, Asia in particular, as well as my life based in Thailand. As a former professor of Asian Humanities and World Religions, I like to talk about Asian Culture and Spiritual Topics. As a Cybersecurity Professional, I like to talk about Digital Nomad and Intentional Lifestyle Design, as well as Personal Development and Success.