Suffinator

Quote: "One of the biggest problems for Pattaya is the room oversupply. International hotel chains are offering rates of just Bt3,000 per night, while local operators offer Bt900-Bt1,800 per night," he said.

The THA has urged the government and local administrative bodies to go after illegal operators in order to stop the price war that is hurting overall business. If the authorities followed this suggestion, the association says, operators would stay in business and Pattaya could regain quality tourists. Quote end.

I don't get it, they are pissed off that so called illegal operators charge 900-1800 baht per night and that is hurting overall business, well if those people can't get those room prices they might stay away. They should target people that are willing to spend 3000 per night instead. Price war is good for the customers but not for THA.

Well tough shit for THA.

What is a quality tourist anyway?? A rich person? I don't think many rich persons have holidays in Pattaya, they go to the Maldives and places like that where they wont get hassled by pick pocking lady boys and other persons sitting on the beach clearly high on drugs, talking to themselves.

They simply don't like competition.

As for your assertion regarding 'quality tourists' the same could be said for the expats.

"reported that photographic evidence, seen by the newspaper, of the alleged abuse of three other Burmese migrant workers who said they had been scalded with boiling water during a police interrogation, had been passed to the British ambassador to Thailand Mark Kent."

“I confirm that there was no abuse of any of the suspects,” lead investigator Maj Gen Suwat Chaengyodsook"

So if the photos will be published i can name the Maj Gen officially as a Liar ?

Furthermore there is no witness anymore:

"Maung Maung didn’t witness the murder"

The whole mess for the police getting uglier and uglier,somehow it makes me happy

Don't bank on Mark Kent doing anything... he's just another over paid arse wipe. If ever there was a waste of public money it's Ambassadors.

Stop giving her money ... you'll soon discover just how much disdain she has for you. No good having a walking ATM if it doesn't dispense cash.

Quality tourists for a quality country.. nuff said.

So the RTP bribe their own officers not to take a bribe from traffic violators. Sure 10K is much better than 300 baht but this is little more than a farce.

One of the benefits of the junta (and believe me I`m more accustomed to pointing out the negatives) is that Prayuth can basically act as he wishes in terms of reshuffling police hierarchy and demanding a fair trial. Heads should have rolled and a big show put on to show the world Thai police can actually do a good job.

Instead he came out and said the girl basically deserved it as she was wearing a bikini, (she wasn`t actually but beside the point) whilst others have suggested electronic tagging and charging tourists to visit. Finally we shamefully have 2 innocent Burmese, the most vulnerable group, framed for it when everyone know who did it. The whole thing has been a farce.

In reality the junta is more concerned with whether the RTP hierarchy are loyal to them or Thaksin, and have little concern about their ability to do the job or corruption.

Do what I did ... Leave in protest. I've said this so many times... if significant numbers of expats hit the Had Yai border the world would take notice and maybe change can be effected. Whilst you still financially support such a regime it will continue to flourish.

And yet another excellent reason why all expats living in Thailand should leave in protest. Let's stop asking the tourists to boycott Thailand shall we and do something constructive ourselves. If I can leave in protest then so can you.

Remember your spending in Thailand helps fuel the system, a system that is corrupt enough to garner sufficient suspicion that is is a cover up. Whether the two Burmese are scapegoats or not remains unanswered but the fact is that any expat remaining in Thailand merely helps fuel this type of situation.

Right now there's a petition - http://www.change.org/p/the-government-of-the-united-kingdom-independently-investigate-the-horrific-murders-of-hannah-witheridge-and-david-miller# I'm sure you've all seen it. Surely signing it is a good thing but it would be far more effective if thousands of you simply walked out of Thailand in process.... If I can do it so can you.

Launching a new Airline next week.... Piggy Airways. Well that's just as plausible.

They really are scrambling for any cock and bull story in order to try and convince the public. It's not rocket science - let the British conduct an independent test... in fact if I were the British Prime Minister I would insist upon it after two nationals were murdered. Unfortunately David Cameron has about as much spine as a jellyfish... there are times when diplomacy ought to be put aside and this should be done for the sake of the families.

Again, two days after the murders and with the farce unfolding I left... I simply cannot in all good conscience support a nation through spending my money in a country as corrupt as Thailand and if any of the expats here moaning about it had half the moral integrity they so highly laud they too would leave en mass in protest.

As I've said before... you can effect change but only if you have the will to do so.

Hardly a secret, Koh Tao's reputation is now known worldwide for its mafia and corruption after the sham investigation by The BIB.

I doubt 99% of tourists have a clue how far police extortion goes in Thailand.

Anyone knows how many cops/immigration officials partage the monthly fees from the Myanmar workers?

500Bx2000 workers = 1 million B/month.....

Hey Good General, wake up!

Funny how I keep reading expats calling for the Thais to wake up, especially the authorities. You could do what I did ... leave in protest. You see how quickly the Thais wake up if they saw a couple of hundred thousand expats crossing the border!

As long as the expat community remains so with all the issues because the Thais have become accustom to the fact that the expat community will remain not matter what atrocities are leveled upon others, be it murder or extortion.

Each of you has the power to make change but it's time you stopped asking the Thai authorities to take action and did took matters into your own hands. Yes I left two days after the murders... remaining would have, in my view, been an insult to their families and their memories.

You all have a choice ... bar stool or border ... which one will it be I wonder?

The Sky News reporter who stepped in to her own story should be ashamed of herself.

Yes and so should every expat who remains in Thailand for they all financial support such a regime. I hear so much about disgust and indignation and yet none of you really do what is necessary ... leave and ensure your money doesn't continue to fuel their corrupt ways.

The Sky News reporter who stepped in to her own story should be ashamed of herself.

A reporter with shame? No such thing Jennifer

And so should every expat who remains in Thailand and supports the regime. Oh how you so easily berate others and yet do nothing tangible yourself to improve the situation... your money ultimately fuels their corrupt system.

Are they saying Thailand is a toilet .... I'll plead the 5th on that one.

The last thing they want is for a competent police force uncovering incompetence or worse a cover up.

If any of you really cared about those two poor kids you wouldn't still be in Thailand. Like me you would leave in protest, remember your money keeps the wheels oiled and those responsible for this atrocity in a job. No doubt you'll be just as outraged when the next murder happens and no doubt all you'll ever do is talk about how bad things have become and yet do nothing but sit on a bar stool and complain. Ultimately your money provides the fuel; why not show the families your true feelings of disgust and leave - frankly depriving the Thais of your money is the least you can do and if enough of you did it then it would show those poor families just how angry you are that they lost their children.

You can thank your lucky stars it wasn't your child but it could be next time. It really is time to pack your bags and find another country that doesn't treat every foreigner like a piece of meat to be used, abused, murdered or simply scammed.

They better hope so because the Chinese are probably the only ones still willing to come here. Most other nations nationals are now avoiding Thailand like a whore with AIDS. As for the expats ... three of my friends this morning joined me in Malaysia - that's four people who refuse to support the Thai regime any longer. All we need now is for a hundred thousand or so other expats to grow a pair and develop a conscience and maybe Thailand will sit up and take notice - dare we even consider change!

God help them.

God help the expats that remain in Thailand for they are the ones supporting the regime. Do the right thing ... leave. I did and I feel better for it, how can anyone justify staying in a country that behaves in such a way?

Well it was predicted by 95% , a set up it is lol

If I was Hannah or David parents there is no way I could accept innocent people being blamed for their murders

I really feel for the parents and did the only decent thing ... took a bus the the border and left. Not a single penny will the Thais get out of me unless serious change is effected. Wonder how many other expats have done the same ... or willing to actually take action, if not for their own good then as a stand of solidarity in that we will no longer allow kids to be murdered and then covered up for the sake of tourism numbers.

I found the perfect solution to the Thainess... I crossed the border to ensure I don't support their regime any longer. Pity more expats don't follow suit and see what Thailand does when thousands exit - hurt them were it hurts the most ... in their wallets.

How anyone, with a conscience or a spine, stay in such a country and inevitably support their ways is beyond comprehension. Time to get of your bar stools and grow a pair, along with a spine - stop your pissing and moaning and do something about it.

That's it. I'm done with it.

I was done with it the moment the news broke. I for one decided I would no longer spend my money in a country that openly despises my presences, treats me worse than a dog, breaches every human right I am entitled to and then attempt to cover up the murder of two of my countrymen.

I've said this on a number of threads.... time the expat community got off their bar stools and walked. Imagine thousands of expats heading for the boarders ... the impact on the Thai economy would be enormous and something the Thai Gov could not ignored. It's time to make a change but unless the expat community is willing (or have the spine) then nothing will ever change... your money will just keep fueling their fire.

Sounds impossible to achieve? Think of the ice bucket challenge... with the internet it takes very little effort to spread the word, rally the mass and in doing so bring about positive change.

If Japan was that worried about the reporters being murdered with little or no progress of Thailand bring those responsible to justice then why not threaten to pull out Japanese investment? That's the trouble with diplomats ... no balls, just talk. As a British citizen the Thais can count themselves lucky I'm not the British Prime Minister for the murders of my two countrymen would have had serious repercussions. It wouldn't be a matter of asking ... I'd tell them.

The truth of the matter ... governments are weak, they are all too concerned about taking care of their own and what they can make. Money makes the world go round and in the process destroys any moral fortitude.