“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.”
Sir Arthur Conan Doyale
• There are around 250,000 Aids patients in Thailand and the Aids infection rate is 17,000 to 18,000 per year compared to 100 cases in Japan.
(Bangkok Post, January 30, 2008)
• Thailand’s doctor to patient ratio is 3.7 doctors to 10,000 people.
(Teera Chakajnarodom, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association)
• Thai consumer spending on luxury goods in 2007 increased by 24.6% to 400 billion baht.
(Commerce Ministry)
• Cultivated cassava covers 7.47 million rai in Thailand producing 26.41 million tonnes per year.
(Bangkok Post, January 30 2008)
• Suvarnabhumi Airport is ranked the 40th best airport in the world.
(Airports Council International)
• Thailand's film market measured by ticket sales was worth five billion baht last year, of which 1.7 billion was generated by Thai films, up from 1.1 billion baht the year before.
(Bangkok Post, February 7 2008)
• The TAT recorded 1,291,568 Japanese arrivals last year. The figure was down from 1,293,313 in 2006.
• Thailand has become the third most popular destination for Korean tourists, following China and Japan. It is expected that the number of Korean tourists in Thailand this year would increase by 10 per cent from around 1.26 million in 2007 helping to increase the revenue Thailand earns from tourism by 14.8 per cent to Bt39.6 billion baht(US$ 1.2 billion).
(TNA, February 11,2008)
• Thais eat on average 160 eggs per person per year compared with 350 eggs for Japanese, 270-280 for Singaporeans and 230-240 for Malaysians. Total daily consumption in Thailand is 25-26 million eggs and in 2007 222 million eggs were exported.
(Hen-Egg Farmers, Traders and Exporters Association)
• Pattaya, Thailand’s biggest tourism destination saw approximately 6.85 million tourists in 2007 with 20-25% consisting of Thai weekend tourists and the largest overseas group being Russians.
(Nigel Cornick, Raimon Land)
• Mobile phone service subscribers in Thailand for 2007 totaled around 52 million.
(IDC)
• Electricity generated from Liquefied Natural Gas in Thailand costs 2.5 baht per unit compared with 2 baht per unit for gas sourced from Thailand and Burma while electricity generated from hydropower transmitted as power from Laos costs 1.8-.1.9 baht per unit.
(Bangkok Post, February 6 2008)
• Thai jewellry exports are expected to reach 200 billion baht this year up from 185 billion baht in 2007.
(Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association)
• In January Thailand exported 800,000 tonnes of rice, up 25% compared to the same period in 2007.
(Bangkok Post, February 11 2008)
• During the Lunar New Year 120,000 passengers a day departed, transited and arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport.
(AOT)
