Misterwhisper

Surprise, surprise, somebody finally deployed reason instead of constantly pulling fantasy figures out of a hat. Though I still believe that de-facto arrival numbers will be closer to the "worst case" projection than the "best case" scenario.

Well, at least the historic building hasn't been peddled off (yet!) to the CP Group so they can demolish it to erect yet another unneeded shopping mall.

I wonder how these millions over millions of high-end tourists are going to react when they realize that they were sold a Porsche Cayenne but upon arrival instead received a battered, patched-up Toyota Crown.

Thailand has catered FOR DECADES to low-end and medium-range visitors. Its tourism infrastructure is almost entirely built around this demographic.

To believe that 40 million "normal-spending" visitors per year can practically out of the blue and in the short span of only 2 years be swapped for 30 million high spenders borders on the insane.

The comparatively small number of truly high-end establishments currently in existence don't have the capacity to even accommodate 10% of those targeted 30 million high spenders.

And even IF enough high-end facilities were there, Thailand would still be up against some mighty competition.

Another question is: What is going to happen to all theses tens of thousands of "normal" hotels, restaurants, bars/clubs and tourism attractions already in place? Simply close them down and put countless MILLIONS of locals out of work?

In order to shift its focus exclusively to high-end visitors, the country's existing tourism infrastructure would have to be replaced COMPLETELY. Even assuming the gigantic necessary investment going into the BILLIONS of $ were there, it would take DECADES to accomplish.

Mr. Yuthasak is in urgent need of psychiatric help. He has lost it completely.  

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Premchai Karnasuta's health had improved

And that in just 1 week!

See what a fish head soup diet can accomplish?

Wait another 2 years and he'll feel 30 years younger, ready to take on the world again. But hopefully in a good way.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He is on a red notice from Interpol but seems out of reach of the Thai police.

Apparently he is NOT. The Thai Police CLAIM he is.

I have tried all possible spellings of his name -- no result.

Unless he's listed as "Boss", there is NO red notice out for him.

He's "out of reach of the Thai police" alright, but for entirely different reasons than stated here.

Try it yourself. Perhaps you have more luck:

https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Notices/View-Red-Notices

Bloody amateur! He should've turned up like this at his court appearances to avoid jail time altogether.

3 hours ago, djayz said:

And so it begins. Barely 24 hours in and already preparing for his departure. There are many people in prison who are in considerably worse condition, but we don't hear about them. Fatty here is the sick boy on the block, must take good care of him. 

Be a man Fatty. You did the crime, now do the time. 

Isn't it ironic how this "man" - in his serious condition and basically with one foot in the grave - was nevertheless perfectly able to embark on random camping trips in the jungle?

13 hours ago, Nip said:

"To serve his term of two years and 14 months?"

 

Actually it's 1 year and 26 months. Or to be even more accurate, it's 6 times half a year plus 2 times 30 days.

22 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

That shouldn't stop him serving his jail sentence.

Quite right. Because it also didn't stop him from serving as company president and siphoning off all the profits, a large chunk of which contributed to his morbid obesity, hypertension and fatty liver, I suppose. Or embark on random camping trips into the wilderness, for that matter.

But actually everything seems to go exactly as planned from the start. Less than 24 hours after being jailed, he reportedly already has filed a petition to be transferred to "a hospital outside the prison system," which without doubt will be granted. And we all know how that is going to pan out: comfy single room, personal nurse, unlimited visits from family members and sycophants alike, a lone guard at the door who is absent or falls asleep very often, a plentiful supply of all the luxuries he is accustomed to -- and early release on account of his (self-afflicted) poor health... shortly after which his grave condition will miraculously improve, of course.

He's doing a "Somchai Khuenplome" and we shouldn't be surprised at all.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

will not affect the operations or management of Thailand’s leading construction company.

Don't kid yourself. The "operations" and "management" of these family-owned mega businesses don't depend on one or another family member heading the company. They attain their roles not because of their huge expertise in any particular field but simply because they have the "right" surname, their main responsibilities usually consisting of not much more than to siphoning off a healthy proportion of the operating profit. Italian-Thai would function even without a Karnasuta scion at the helm. Look at the boy. How old is he? 22, 24? What "expertise" can he possibly lend to the company without which it couldn't survive?