DonniePeverley

Long term stayers here only benefits property developers, at the expense of local Thai's who will be pushed out. Go look at whose running the country now.

Oh it will indeed let in riff raff. Go see Dubai who have now gone harder and closed loop holes that were being exploited by Indians visiting (who were overstaying and working). Now they check every single indian's return ticket, and bank account details manually. Thailand is not even checking return tickets at immigration.

Who benefits from open borders mass tourism / long visitors ? Property developers for one. Hmmmm ..... you see where i am going.

Thailand isn't a rich country. It's citizens can live and work in central Bangkok and get by. It's a fine eco system. Once the locals are pushed out, due to foreign investors speculating on property (which is disgusting) at the expense of living, then you damage the eco system. Local Thai's would be pushed out, rents will increase forcing hardship on Thai's, which will result in demands for an increase in wages, which is then passed onto the consumer. The only ones who benefits are the property developers, and those who can afford a risk on property in Thailand. I've seen examples with my own eyes. A condo i was staying had loads of Thai's, however it's now fully occupied by mostly Russians, and investors from China who are happy to keep the properties empty. The Thai's have had to leave due to rent increases. So they move to a crappier area, and have to travel further. Isn't the role of the government there to protect them? It's a disgrace.

These recent measures - allowing an influx of long stayers, changes in rules of property ownership (which will harm many Thai's) - almost seem like they have been introduced to benefit real estate developers. OH WAIT ..... i get it now.

Big difference Cambodia and Laos are not open to India. The indian economy per gdp is far lower than Thailand. There will be incentives for them to come and work here. They did this in Malaysia, before their visa restrictions were put back up. Just curious why did Thailand ever have any restrictions at the borders in the first place then? It's to protect local Thai's. They're sleep walking into a change that's going to change the country, and no one really asking questions. It's an absolute disgrace.

I predict next year Thai's will be protesting at the open door policies for visitors.

4 ? Bit of a low ball there. I have seen 8-10 indians in a two bedroom condo. Last week in Kuala Lumpur my friends condo, next door neighbour had two full families (ten people including grandparents and children) in a one bedroom appartment !

Utter nonsense. Tourists from wealthier countries spend on tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, nightlife, gifts, etc (Unless they are Chinese or Indian tourists). A long term visitor will invariable be more open to eating at home, won't visit many tourist attractions as he has done them, and won't go crazy on nightlife like he is on holiday. The only sector which a digital nomad may help is in buying a long term condo. And there is your answer. Forget the ecological and mass tourism, the answer always comes back to one thing.

The Thai eco system is very fragile. At the moment local Thai's can still afford to live in central Bangkok and work. If you allow foreigners to come and speculate and invest (not to live), then you push up prices. This then causes a ripple that local Thai's will need more wages to keep up. This then demands more wages and ultimately places hardship on Thai's and pushes up prices - as the cost is passed onto the consumer. Mess with that at your peril. Go see European cities worldwide to see the mess they are in

ecoligical disaster. Only ones who stand to benefit - property moguls.

Ownership has slowed down. But rental prices have gone up.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/world/europe/barcelona-tourism-squirt-guns.html

Hang on so this is basically allowing people to live in Thailand for 5 years ? That's wrong on so many levels. So they have just opened up the borders to the world to come and live here without barely and checks and controls (other than the very low savings required). This is going to push up rents like nothing else. Once rents go up, local Thai's will also face the living squeeze and will also want more money, which will then push up costs to the consumer. Never mind the effects to the consumer and locals who will face so many undeseriables. Only one set of people to benefit from this and that's the property owners.

Country addicted to cheap mass tourism, rather than looking to diversify it's population into different industries. Look at Malaysia, Vietnam for local countries who are diversifying their economy with great success.

There will be no 'about turn' .... they are committed to mass tourism, and to hell with the experience or enjoyment. You are going to see visitor numbers from India shoot up especially, and many will come to seek some employment. Indian economy is much less than Thailand, and many will seek an opportunity to come here and work. I can't literally believe only a few months ago Indians could only stay for 14 days, visa on arrival, and had to show savings evidence ... to now being given 2 months, and more with no need for any visa! There was a reason Malaysia back tracked on opening up to Indians due to the volume of overstays.

Disgusting mass tourism here we come. As citizens of other countries fight back against mass tourism, Thailand does the reverse. Totally disgusting. Low quality mass tourism here we come.

The Thai economy is a very delicate system. This will push rents up for many local Thai's. If that happens, workers will demand more wages. More wages means prices pushed onto the consumer, and a reduction in workers. At the moment labour is plentiful in Thailand, as locals can by and large afford housing, even in central Bangkok. As a result you have a pretty content population. You mess with this eco system at your peril.

Mass protests today in Barcelona over mass tourism. Joins Japan, Italy, Southern France, Some UK cities, Portugal, and Spanish islands pushing back against wreckless mass tourism. Firmly believe we will see this kind of anger amongst Thai's in the coming years. https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c0dm9w2ey7po

Phuket has just become so over developed. It's no longer some idylic island type paradise. The constant development is outrageous and just wrong, especially when the whole point of the place is the mass tourism it brings. It's been wrecked. It's basically now turning into a metropolis city with a beach. And with the leaders keen on pushing even more and more cheap mass tourism to the island i am seeing more and more moving. It's soul destroying in the evenings trying to get somewhere. Same with other areas of Thailand. Same old mass tourism being pushed. Most of my mates this year usually come to Thailand for their winter breaks, but all heading to the Caribbean, eg Barbados, Aruba, type islands. Every single one of them could not deal with the mass tourism they faced. There was simply no need to open up to literally the world without any limits. I doubt anyone in Thailand cares or has any long term vision - they only barometer that is looked upon is the number of visitors, not the quality of tourist spend. So you end up turning away 'quality tourists' and then you commence talk of the ecological damage that mass tourism brings.

Bizarre comment, as tourism is through the roof in Thailand at the moment. It may well actually be number 1 this year. Problem is they are attracting very cheap tourists from China and India, which in turn is putting of high spending tourists from 'better' regions.

Susssh because bad news is not good news for tourism ( c ) Thailand

You know what this means - beggin more tourists to come. Next stop Afghanistan, Iran and Syrian tourists all welcome

Ecologically mass tourism, and mass increase in urban development on a 'island' is a recipe for disaster. The flood may well have had adequate drainage from the landscape before being removed.

Speaking of Swiss David ... what happened to that case ?