DonniePeverley

The only thing Thaiand is importing from the UK is the Benidorm drunk Brits on a budget holiday, who make no attempt to fix into the local culture, and the older variety being racist.

It's not even the dirty massage shops. You basically have anyone with hands just turn up take a days training and are let out on customers. They have no ideas on pressure, experience, look for signs of relaxation etc They just basically apply oil and rub up and down (literally). I've gone out of the tourist zones, some old skool massage shops and dayam they are wonderful, a proper throwback. The joints may not be in the best condiiton but these are masseuses who put some pressure on, respond by experience to know where you are feeling pain and relaxation. The problem i feel in tourist zones comes from fatigue. Ladies can suffer from exhaustion like anyone else. You see short cuts (like using objects, or elbows).

That's just it .... many spend time away from Thailand. Kids study in international schools, etc

The UK should just stay out of this. Develop it's own security hardcore (especially protecting it's infrustructure) and build up it's nuclear detterant. That's it. And stay out of it. Fishing rites mixed with the security of Europe is beyond absurd.

Seems drastic. Have a pint ?

Why on earth would you still weed ? I thought it chills you out.

Not all jobs are 400 Baht a day. The Russian Hair dresser in Karon charges 400 Baht for a mens haircut. That's even more than my haircut in the UK at my local barber. Bendirom Brit tours around the islands - they are charging some 2k UK pounds to take them around for a week - i know completely absurd. I've seen another British guy doing photography for companies around Phuket, and another Brit making banners for clubs - again these are jobs they are not meant to be doing.

Name me one traveller who says Thailand is better now to visit and stay than it was 10 years ago. Not a single person will say it. The past 2 years have been a storm of absolute carnage and destruction of a great country - but the utter lunacy and garbage of an open border, the politics of the playground. Crumbling infrustructure, enviromentally a disaster for some of the most beautiful islands, crime rampant, locals put out. 'NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE / ONGOING DISCUSSIONS' means nothing will change. The Chinese will continue to arrive in masses and pillage and work in Thailand for all it can. Draft dodging Russians will continue to set up businesses in Thailand that they are not supposed to. Benidorm Brits will continue to arrive to create havoc and violence. Indians will continue to arrive to look for bargain women to accodomate their group, ten to sleep in a room or on a beach. No checks on balances on any single visitor. No attempt at all to clean up tourism. The pure gutter.

I've seen alot of Brits and Americans working on tours around the islands - it's a protected jobs. When some of them have been confronted they have said they are 'influencers' and just headlining/advertising the tour - but they have sold it as though they are leading the tour. Massive fees, and openly advertising. You have some Brits going on tiktik doing raffle tickets, etc - just very weird. So whilst the Chinese and Russians in particular are preveleant at this - it's stretches across many. If you are going to stay here long term you will no doubt seek work - especially as Thailand attracts low quality tourists on a budget.

The business model is flawed then. I saw numerous people walk away as their was no seating. But you had primarily westerners sitting there, buying one bottle of water, then setting up a full office on a table - if there was a spare chair they'd use it to put their bags on. None of the staff did anything to play fair and move them on after 30 minutes or so. Nope they just sat their for hours. After my lukewarm coffee, i went to a few shops. Came back as i left my umbrella, and the same souls were sitting there.

Depends what you mean by 'trouble'. Violence, disorder and poor behaviour can be seen to have increased by anyone with experiencing living here. However, i doubt they are worried by that. What is clearly on the rise is those working here illegally, engaging in scams, etc

The UK let in nearly 1.2 MILLION LEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN 2024. 36,000 illegal immigrants is nothing in comparison. The boats was just a Tory race bait that was an own goal. Go to the USA and see the sheer volume of illegal immigration from Mexico - it's astonishing.

Malaysia is not getting 40 million tourists a year. Thailand's borders are open to the world - which is an experiment of child like idiotic behaviour no other country has tried it.

First thing that goes when mass tourism takes over is the service quality. They know they have plenty of others behind you, so need to make any effort. Stick to local places.

The UK is an island. If we had a land border, you'd get hundreds of thousands crossing. If you live in Thailand, and go to the Myanmar Thailand borders, thousands cross the borders back and forth all day long. 36,000 a year is nothing. There are estimates that from Bangladesh into India they see some 10,000 pour into INdia a day !

36,000 people crosed the channel illegally last year into the UK. It's nothing. You are being played with.

I've only just read the headlines, but completely absurd if true. The UK along with France, is the only real superpower who can offer a defence to Europe. This is a time when countries like Poland and Scandanavian countries (who are most under threat) really have to use their voice. Poland last year were incensed around the EU's behaviour to be playing politics with the UK over defence.

Different strokes for different folks.

I do. Just now i have come back from my local cafe. I said i wanted it extra hot. He nodded. Then gave it lukewarm. I told him to take back the cup and bring it hot. He took it back, and bought it back luke warm again. I gave up. Doubt he was bothered. The shop was packed with westerners sitting on their laptops with a bottle of water, using their electricty and wifi.

Very true. Those staying 2-3 months, will often also go into short term rentals (which apparently are now illegal), and will not pay to stay in hotels in general. As a result the benefitiary is not the state but the owner (usually Chinse) of the condo.

Hot. I want to take my time drinking it, over a conversation. If the first sip is luke warm (which invariably it is in Bangkok) then a few minutes later (with the ac on) it's going to be a cold drink, which is absolutely horrific. Why doesn't Thailand get it ?

You get lovely instagramy cafes in Thailand. But the actual state of the coffee is horrific. Today, twice i had to send back my cup as it came back luke warm. You can never get a hot cup of coffee.

Schengen Zone does not offer visa free access to India, China, most of Africa, South American countries. It does not even offer visa free access to Thai people. Thailand has removed all restrictions to most of the world - just come and enter, even if you are criminal. If you are a Thai national the process of getting a Schengen or UK visa are soul destroying - as well as the mandatory insurance they make you get. Thailand is an open border. For example, it seems so enamoured with Indian tourists (often pointing out to the revenue they bring, whilst ignoring the revenue per head is actually pretty low, and the damage from low economic tourists will turn away other tourists). Thailand has removed all checks and balances it had on visitors - when was the last time they even asked to see a return ticket? There were dangers of removing all restrictions on Chinese visitors - there was evidence from neighbouring countries who have put protocols up.

Pretty much this. It's rubbish as usual. Nothing will ever change. The country has been told so many times to diversify it's economy, and not rely solely on tourism. It does nothing to implement any changes, the population constantly stuck in a cycle of cheap mass tourism. All it would take is a war, or some economic hit effecting tourism and the country will be in the mire again. The difference being this adminstration has turned tourism into a free mass for all on steroids. There is not a single soul who can tell me being in Thailand now is better than say 10 years ago. It's just appalling out there, and the soft approach from law enforcement, lack of spend in infrustructure has been appalling. Quality visitors who will spend money in Thailand - like myself, are genuinally looking to go elsewhere.

If the US had no tarrifs then imo Tesla would be struggling to compete with the Chinese brands - who are just producing much cheaper, much more efficient cars. The deal with Tesla, was it became a brand that people got behind - like say Apple. But since Musk has had these sinister moments it's turned off the actual people (tree hugging liberals) that were his market.