DubaiIsCalling

I agree with this article. Not about the regret part, because if SEA ceased to exist

it would make little difference to America or Europe. From an outside perspective,

a coup looks bad. Probably conjuring up images of some tin pot dictator taking

over a country and immediately ordering a private jet. But that is far from what

has happened here. Through vote buying, it was fairly easy to simply take control

of Thailand and start looting it .Prayuth has brought that to a halt. So what he has

now is a communication issue. He needs to fully expose the cancer of Thaksin

to the public eye, prosecute those involved ,and show the western world the

enemy he is fighting. Then and only then will the western world understand what

is going on here.

Thaksin is not the cause, he is the result of what Thailand goes through. When I see generals stepping out of S500's and already exposing their wish for a political career after retiring from the job they were taught to do; army!

That the EU and US take a strong position is logical, civilised and to be admired. Who really believes you can bring happiness by a song, censorship, narcism to an entire population?

The World Bank sees a dimmer economic outlook but in the last couple of days we have been told that tourists will be back in numbers very soon, that rice sales will rise and now car exports will reach a record level.

So who do we believe ?

I believe the CEO of DTAC

"In one "public" comment from November, Ms. Weluree accused Redshirts of being "dirty," "anti-monarchy" dissidents and that Thailand would be cleaner without."

"I am not neutral. I am on the side of His Majesty the King," Ms. Weluree wrote. "I'm so angry at these evil activists. They should all be executed."

She managed to bring HMK into the discussion as if he were on her side. I am no fan of the Shinawats and I am no enemy of the people who call themselves 'Red shirts" I happen to disagree with the Thaksinisation of them and the way they've been used and abused.

Most red shirts are decent hardworking people as are most of the other color coded members of Thai society. This color coded animosity is totally destructive and I believe most Thais want to live in a society where everyone has a chance of a better life.

This airhead used her position in the worst possible way describing them as dirty and evil and advocating their execution. What the hell was she thinking when she made that bizarre statement. She brings shame to herself, family and friends by making such outrageous statements in public. She obviously has led a rather sheltered self centered life.

A good thing she has quit.

Youngsters like she proof Thailand isn't fit and ready to be a Democracy. 'I am soo angry at those activists'. Let ber work a paddy for 2 months without electricity nor running water. Nor beauty case.

She is a Very Bright girl and there is Nothing wrong with being Anti Red.... I am

And as well in favor of execution solutions?

She gave her open and honest opinion about how she feels about Thailand. Why should she kow down to people that do not like her views? This is the problem now, no one can have a different thought apart from the herder of the flock............not all people are sheep. If I were her I would have kept the title and said F U to the rest of them.

'Open and honest'. Wishing your fellow citizens to be wiped away. I will do some genealogy research tomorrow. Pretty sure her grand grand parents came from the Isan (otherwise she wouldn't be pretty). IQ of a Bangkokian trafficlight.

Cowards.

Why does everyone think this article is about foreign tourists. Clearly the "lo" meaning "local" refers to local tourists. I have seen plenty of these types of tourists in northern Thailand...they greatly outnumber foreign tourists in places like Lampang.

They for sure outnumbers foreigners when it comes to how many persons occupy 1 apartment or hotelroom.

About 12 years ago, I was a consultant with a team of US advisory experts in cooperation with the Thai Govt and one of the projects we did, and which I led was to engage with tourism sector businesses in the north. This was just before all the 5 star hotels were built. At the time, there were none. Only the 4 seasons up in Mae Rim. Any others had lost their star rating. And the tsunami of investment was coming in only couple years.

I could not marshal enough support for much of anything. It was like herding cats. There was not even a Welcome Booth at the airport to give out information for free on how to get into town, what was going on, etc. This kind of independent entity that major players and local govt could agree to support financially was finally set up after a year of wrangling.

I had a tourism consultant arrive from the USA to lead a seminar on eco-tourism products. He walked up to the booth and found the kid behind the desk spoke virtually no English. He understood not a single question.

That is just an anecdote. There are many stories. We tried to get a website up to fairly promote the city and environs. It failed. Look at the stupid night safari. Etc. Etc. The traffic in Chiang Mai is horrendous. Most people I know who live there hate it now.

My first trip there was in 1991 and I stayed a few years. It was pleasant. Fun to ride my motorcycle anywhere and go on week trips up into the mountains to get lost. Pure fun.

Thailand continues with its unregulated, unplanned tourism development and the product is more Pattaya and Phuket (Patong) and so on. Sad.

In today's Postbag of BKK Post there is a strong condemnation by an angry Thai towards foreigners. And that we, foreigners should not underestimate the intelligence of all Thai. I know there is intelligence but is it used ? Technological inventions, make Thai traffic less lethal, maintain your National Parks like Koh Samet ? Teach people by TV spots plastic bags shouldn't be thrown in the environment, learn at least English when you want to assure income ?

Apart from travel insurance issues, many tour operators in the civilized world refuse to organize package tours to countries with a military regime. Myanmar has therefore been banned for years. Bringing tourists to a place where Human Rights have been pushed away.......this TAT is a Happy Club with only positivism and Happiness. Reality does not pop up in their vocabulary.

In the where, in the civilized world, where's that then!

And whilst it was fashionable and trendy for some "responsible " travel agents to refuse to organize tours to places such as Myanmar (how patriotic and noble that gesture is), others cleaned up and sent groups their by the thousand, case in point the Hong Kong agencies completely ignored the issue during all of the 1990's and 2000's .

And actually it's not TAT that has reality issues it's posters in this thread and the like. Look what happened to tourism after every coup in the past twenty years, it increased to new record highs and the same thing will happen after this one..

Tourism increased to record heights thanks to Thaksin's Suvarnabhumi. Not military coups. If Thaksin comes back we really have tourism perspectives. Not with Flower Power Parties in army colors.

She has done nothing wrong.

Case by case, very few know the ultimate reasons why people choose such a way.

There's simply no point in pontificating.

RIP.

Fully agree. it is like the positive cable in your head makes miscurrents with the negative.......and all sense for realism has vanished.

I had a friend in Spain, sportive guy, says byebye to his wife and 2 kids in the morning. Walks into his huge and healthy business and 10 minutes later he hangs on the sealink. That state of mind is something we will never understand.

Apart from travel insurance issues, many tour operators in the civilized world refuse to organize package tours to countries with a military regime. Myanmar has therefore been banned for years. Bringing tourists to a place where Human Rights have been pushed away.......this TAT is a Happy Club with only positivism and Happiness. Reality does not pop up in their vocabulary.

Oh my goodness, I already dread to read tomorrow's newspaper headlines:

"Thailand Regains Global Rice HUB Status"

"Thailand Resumes Position as Global Rice HUB"

"Thai Exporters HUBby To Rebound As World's Top Rice Suppliers"

"Thailand Is Rice HUB Once Again!"

It's a miracle! Hardily 2 weeks of military repression and Thailand ranks top tourist destination SEA and the biggest rice Suppliers.

Every day is lovely to wake up and wait for the next happy news.

TAT, you are back to business.

A good result for Thailand and also a credible one.

With the present climate, I can see tourism flourishing again, for the good of Thai economy.

Euromonitor, Travelzoo........hardly ever heard of. Anyway; people VOTED for Thailand (past tense). Let's see how they in 2557.

The streets are safe again, consumer confidence is at it's highest for over a year, the people are more relaxed and so there is every reason to suppose the tourist business will pick up. Once all the curfews have been lifted and the government eases up on censorship then travel advisories will cease.

Of course there is always the chang in the hong.......

The streets are safe again? With intimidating uniforms and weapons? You have a funny look how safety should look;

Surprisingly, last week the China Airlines plane from AMS-BKK was completely full. But then i heard that they also carrying the passengers of a KLM flight and a 3rd airliner, so .... 1 third full then? or 2 third empty?

Beaches Pattaya and Jomtien last weekend. Less then 15% occupied. TAT sells wishful thinking......

Euromonitor states that TAT members are the nr.1 Prozac intakers of all state run touristic agencies in the world.

The Disease Control Department top should be replaced. Peace and order please.

This is not accurate. Number one is Moldova. They do drink. In the country people make tons of wine just for one family of 4 to 10. No nation can over drink them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_alcohol_consumption

According to the link Thailand is ranked as number 77, but not near to 4. Bad report indeed. Ukraine is classed as number 4!

Didn't Euromonitor come with more bullock reports before? In Korea they drink but they are angels compared with Scandinavians, Poland, Spain etc. Waste of time these 'statistics'. (but Thais indeed drink more as years go by. What else to do when your democratic rights get raped on an average 8 years).

The pirates would have needed a tanker themselves, or a large-decked ship and a load of drums.

Possible collusion.

when I worked before for an American insurance co. we called this a classic event of insurance scam. And pretty dumb orchestrated.

It's a certainty that many of these Thai military brass have MBAs and corporate and public operations P&L experience and will make the right informed business decisions and not be influenced by agenda or people.

And where and how did they obtain their MBA's. At the intdrnational coup academy in the city of Regime, France?

I am 55 of age. Can not recall any military coup bringing happiness to all their citizens. In Thailand it is the 12th coup in 70 yrs? Are there any TVF members who can tell me I should keep faith in the words of a power just chosing to take Power

Happiness to all......

what an empty boring phrase.

When this 'soldier' is a drinker I would back off. Because Thais have the tensency to go balistic when courageous alcohol in their system. If they only make noise, not drunk I wouldn't let get intimidated and search for his supervisors and worklocation. And show prints of this post to him so he is aware 10's of Angry Farangs might come to squeeze his willy.

Without making a connection to anyone,.....

How about we, expats living in Thailand, just mind our own business and lay low for as long as it takes for 'them' to return Thailand to a peaceful place to retire in and a prosperous place for the people of Thailand to live in.

I know I will.

That's all we are allowed to do here.

We don't understand because we're not Thai, we don't love the army because we're not Thai.

Remember all of the coups that came before this and now think of how they improved the country.

My wife is off giving Lipton Ice Tea to the soldiers up the road, I have decided to keep my mouth shut for the rest of the coup as it only causes stress in our relationship.

Remember we're not Thai so we couldn't possibly understand.

Nice to see HALF your family can see the truth!!....maybe you should listen to her more!!!

"Husband, Ice Tea has to be ice & ice cold when you drink it. Otherwise it does not taste well. I gave those strange man in uniforms and helmets some tins to try. Do you know who they are. Husband?"

How strange that in less than a week the Army can pay the farmers but the PTP exgovernment couldn't manage to do the same thing in more than 9 MONTHS.

My understanding is that when they had caretaker status, they were not able to borrow money as the government of Thailand. The army, however, can simply order banks to provide the loans necessary for the payments.

The Thai Military Bank won't get such orders.