Tourist Numbers

[Mancs]

The Centre for Aviation website gives these figures for total passenger traffic at Suvarnabhumi:

2011 47.9 million
2012 53 million
2013 51.4 million
2014 46.4 million

It hasn't seemed very busy with tourists when I've been in Bangkok this year. Hotel prices seem soft. All the sex workers I know are complaining even more than usual about business being poor. What's it been like in Pattaya and Phuket?

[dinagam]

The year 2012 was probably the peak for passengers using Suvarnaphum before the low cost airlines reverted to use Don Muang airport as their base in subsequent years.

[bruce_nyc]

Yea. I wouldn't read too much into those numbers. And they do only show one of the two airports here.

Has there *ever* been a year, in the past 250 years, that sex workers here *didn't* complain about business being poor.....?

Ask any business in the entire world, "Do you have enough customers?"

[Smiles]

Yea. I wouldn't read too much into those numbers. And they do only show one of the two airports here.
And I don't read too much of importance into your post.

Don Mueang Airport is mostly a domestic airport and is thus fairly moot regarding tourist figures. AirAsia flights ~ the only significant international airline into DM ~ uses only Airbus 320's which are all small single aisle jets. Hardly a drop in the bucket compared to Suvarnaphumi.
95% of the international tourist trade comes through Suvarnaphumi, and thus makes the tourist figures highly significant.
Not sure if any of the noodle vendors on the first floor accept Bitcoin.

[bruce_nyc]

I honestly don't know how true that is any more. The last three international flights we've taken have all been in/out of Don Muang.... and we never fly Air Asia.

Singapore Airlines now has started 2 new subsidiary airlines, Scoot and Tiger Air. NokAir now has a significant list of international destinations ---- at prices much cheaper than Air Asia. And there are new little cheapo airlines popping up like weeds.

Then there's Air Asia..... which is a major powerhouse.

I think the so-called "discount airlines" are a huge player now.... especially for Asian tourists coming from Australia, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, SE Asia, Japan, Korea, and anywhere else in Asia.

Also, it's not only the size of the aircraft..... it's the number of flights.

[Yraen]

Smiles, I guess I have to disagree with you and generally agree with Bruce_nyc.
Regional airlines from all over SE Asia and North Asia are using DMK as it's landing fees are significantly cheaper.

There is an Air Asia graphic attached of their A 320 seating 180 pax 6 abreast. This is equal to or bigger than the B 737s that are being flown by some airlines from SE Asia to Australia.[attachment=0:2hs7yjjk]Air Asia A320.jpg[/attachment:2hs7yjjk]

Bruce's point about the number of flights is important. You only need two of these aircraft a day and that is close to a B 747 (about 350-360 seats) and 4 of 'em are close to an A 380 (about 540 seats "in a comfortable three class configuration").

Let us never forget the financial disappointments that occurred when most flight changed to Swampy. I feel sure the owners of DMK have been moving heaven and earth to re-balance the financial aspects.

[bruce_nyc]

We're in an Uber car right now.... headed to Don Muang for an international flight. :)

[pong]

DMK is expected to get nearly 20 million (billion for US?) pax this year-just go and see the immense throngs of mainland Chinese. In fact the delayed re-opening of T2 is badly needed there. You should add the 2 for a complete picture-and also not forget that local airports like HKT and CNX are also getting more+more flites to ASEAN.
When I look around daytime and eves in this part of BKK there is no talk whatsoever of dwindling numbers or empty houses-its for a large part more Chinese and Korean.

[bruce_nyc]

.....20 million (billion for US?) pax....

What does this mean?

Billion for us?

[fountainhall]

Don Mueang Airport is mostly a domestic airport and is thus fairly moot regarding tourist figures. AirAsia flights ~ the only significant international airline into DM ~ uses only Airbus 320's which are all small single aisle jets. Hardly a drop in the bucket compared to Suvarnaphumi.
95% of the international tourist trade comes through Suvarnaphumi, and thus makes the tourist figures highly significant.

It seems bruce is closer to the mark in terms of DMK's international flights. On a rough count done by checking today's departures from midnight to midnight, there are just over 400 in total of which 105 are international flights. The list of international destinations and airlines is far greater than I had thought. Not all the aircraft are of the single aisle A319/320/321 variety. Thai Air Asia X operates 5 A330s with 377 seats on routes to Tokyo, Osaka and Seoul, and some of the Chinese aircraft may also be wide-bodies. With low cost and charter flights generally packing more seats per aircraft, a rough guess is that DMK must generate some 16,000 international passengers daily - or approx. between 5 and 6 million per year.

[Smiles]

OK OK ... 85%.

[Brad the Impala]

105 international flights per day at Don Meuang, 800 per day at Suvanabhumi, means 88% of international flights arrive at Suvanabhumi. Given that the planes landing at Suvanabhumi undoubtedly have a significantly larger capacity, they may well have brought in 95% of overseas tourists.

[christianpfc]

1,000,000 = one million in US, eine Million in Germany
1,000,000,000 = one billion in US, eine Milliarde in Germany

[malchik21]

Are we to assume that as a result that Egypt (sharm anyway) and Turkey are off the Russian holiday menu that PAT and PUK will be straining at the seams with the Russian bear and bear'ess. Although Tranaero are no more Aeroflot operate 2 777-300 to BKK every or most days. Used them last week and not a bad service. The exit row seats are only available at airport bag drop/checkin and cost and extra тВм50. This would be prohibitive extra cost for the locals but for moi is a good deal. Had a row of 3 to myself. Other than that it was standing room only.

[bruce_nyc]

I've always avoided exit row seats because some of them have the seats locked upright.... so they won't / can't recline.

Same for many of the bulkhead seats and the last row seats.

[bruce_nyc]

1,000,000 = one million in US, eine Million in Germany
1,000,000,000 = one billion in US, eine Milliarde in Germany

That's just weird. :-o

ha ha

[fountainhall]

I've always avoided exit row seats because some of them have the seats locked upright.... so they won't / can't recline.

I've usually found the exit row seats themselves are OK for recline. It's those in the rows in front of an exit row that are usually locked to ensure no obstruction in the event of an emergency evacuation. I guess if there are two exit rows, one behind the other, though, the first may be locked.

I've checked online and flights for the days bother before and after my flight to Thailand have seats available in every class

Oh, and Brucie - it's only the Americans who think 1,000 million = a billion. Everyone else knows it's a million million = a billion

[egel]

So back to the original question......

[egel]

So to the original question......

[egel]

There are definitely less tourists in Pattaya. You only have to look at the long double rows of song tows waiting at the crossroads of Pattaya Tai and 2nd road.
Also hardly a Russian to be seen in the whole of Pattaya.
Don't believe the bollocks told by the authorities...ever heard of a business actually telling you it's going to the wall?
Now back to the technical aspects of Airbusses and pax levels at airports,!!

[neddy3]

There are definitely less tourists in Pattaya. You only have to look at the long double rows of song tows waiting at the crossroads of Pattaya Tai and 2nd road.
Also hardly a Russian to be seen in the whole of Pattaya.

Yes, certainly true.
In years past, there would be hordes of Russians at night getting onto songtaews at the school corner.

And the number of Arab visitors seems also to be well down.

[Oliver]

True...at 2300 the queue for Jomtien buses would stretch to the 2nd Road junction. Yet, each time I arrive in Pattaya, I see more new hotels being built in Jomtien. I always assumed that they were predominantly for Russian visitors. So who is staying there? or perhaps fewer Jomtien holiday makers travel into Pattaya for evening entertainment? Central always seemed to be full of Russians...has that been affected too?
As for Arab visitors, the banning of shish cafes was a disaster not just for them but for other users (often Thai) and has turned areas surrounding Sunee into a ghost town. And this affects the attractiveness of Sunee iyself.

[bruce_nyc]

It's only the Americans who think 1,000 million = a billion. Everyone else knows it's a million million = a billion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,000,000,000

[dinagam]

ok guys, let's put this into Bangkok perspective... short-time off at 1,500 baht each.

1 million baht will get you 666.66 offs

1 billion baht on the other hand will get you 666,666.66 offs, virtually for a lifetime & a bit more, with as many jolly friends you want to treat.

[Jellybean]

It's only the Americans who think 1,000 million = a billion. Everyone else knows it's a million million = a billion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,000,000,000
That was also my understanding bruce_nyc. The British now regard 1 billion as one thousand million, i.e. 1,000,000,000.

For example, the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom has purchased two new aircraft carriers at a cost of ┬г6.2 billion. Which I take to be ┬г6,200,000,000. If a billion meant a million, million and not a thousand million, then that would be a hell of a price to pay for two aircraft carriers. Not sure if we have any aircraft to put on them yet, but thatтАЩs another story. #-o

[thaiguest]

I've always avoided exit row seats because some of them have the seats locked upright.... so they won't / can't recline.

Same for many of the bulkhead seats and the last row seats.
Bulkhead seats are often fitted with baby cots. I know babies are an investment in human future but they can keep up a flight-long whail.

[bruce_nyc]

Thanks for that, Jellybean.


Bulkhead seats are often fitted with baby cots. I know babies are an investment in human future but they can keep up a flight-long whail.

I've never seen "baby cots" before.... But I sure have heard baby whailing before. There are few things worse than hearing a baby wail for hours on end. Eventually, *everyone*'s morals drop to the point that they'd actually consider putting a bit of alcohol into that baby's bottle.... if it would just Shut Up.... :((

In fact, I've often thought that doctors should come up with some sort of a safe "baby tranquilizer pill" specifically made for long haul flights... :-s

[francois]

I've always avoided exit row seats because some of them have the seats locked upright.... so they won't / can't recline.

Same for many of the bulkhead seats and the last row seats.

Why not fly Biz Class which is what I do? If talking millions and billions a few thousand is nothing.

[cdnmatt]

In fact, I've often thought that doctors should come up with some sort of a safe "baby tranquilizer pill" specifically made for long haul flights... :-s

heh, are you serious? You want to tranquilize infants?

Reminds me of this:

[youtube:1tkkr6ew]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-RtrFYROy8[/youtube:1tkkr6ew]

EDIT: And yes, they have things like Nyquil for babies and others now. However, you don't give that to a 7 year old just before heading up 36,000 feet in the air. The change in air pressure might not be a big deal to us, but for them it's a little different.

[Mancs]

Maybe the Thai government should publish an etiquette manual for gay mongers. It could include not spending too long in rest rooms (I gather this is already in their guide for Chinese visitors), tipping ones masseur decently (Thai masseurs tell me some customers tip nothing!), how long to discuss the merits of bitcoin for, whether one should expect one's young man to arrive on time, and why Christmas lasts until the Chinese New Year. :)

[bruce_nyc]

These days I usually do fly business class..... especially if the flight is longer than 3 hours. I've promised my bf that we'll fly first class for his first trip to the US next month. He's so excited! And that is a joy.... It's like checking in to a great hotel, having a great meal, climbing into bed, and waking up so well rested.... in your destination city.... You almost wish the trip would last longer!

But I can very *clearly* remember long haul flights I've taken ( before 2012 ) that were torturous due to bad seating, impossible to recline seats, and/or screaming babies, etc.

The change in air pressure might not be a big deal to us, but for them it's a little different.
Absolutely right Matt - babies cry as the plane descends so as to compensate for the change in air pressure which is causing their ears to hurt. Remember the good old days when the flight attendants came around as the plane was starting its descent, handing out boiled lollies (just like pedophiles do according to mythology) for the passengers to suck so as to ease the pressure on their ears? Sucking, yawning and blowing your nose (better: pinch the nose and then blow) will all help ease the pressure, but babies can't be told that. I suppose if the mother wants something for the baby to suck on she can flop her tits out at 20,000 feet ...

[bruce_nyc]

Yea. That's very understandable.

But that DOESN'T explain them screaming and whaling at the top of their lungs nonstop for 6 f--ing hours..... *nonstop*.

Sometimes they aren't even infants..... just spoiled brats.

[a447]

But that DOESN'T explain them screaming and whaling

You're right. Nothing worse than a blubbering baby!

[bruce_nyc]

Johnson & Johnson Baby Tranquilizers

That's what they need.