San888

Very interesting topic. My ex gf told me it's part of the culture..to have a baby in the early teens. Mother encourage s it knowing they will give the girl a reason to leave home to make good money from falangs. The end result is the mama and family win with receiving  money every month and maybe Thai boy friend and  the girl wins,  good money, plenty of parties , plenty of good times with girlfriends.

 As for having this type of culture, my ex gf say that Thai boyfriend is important...cos no Thai boyfriend= no Thai baby = no more Thai girlfriends..

The moral of the culture is one of compromise!

Maybe although, maybe a waste of time...but it's reality , not as you would like, but it's still reality. It is what it is, sad but true.

For those that wish to look at tourism through rose tinted glasses...thats your prerogative to do so. 

After more than a decade of frequent travels to Thailand,  I have concluded that the Honeymoon period is over, brought on  a little early due to covid for the following reasons:

1.political termoil . The 3 finger sulute...say no more.

2. Response to covid. Figures are low cos of limited testing is low. Opening the borders prior to a vaccine, may result in the downfall of the current dear leader. If figures reach that of Europe. In short, the Thai health structure is simply not designed to handle a pandemic.

3.There remains covert hostility towards the falang....no matter how much money you spend or invest, you have no right to own property, unless your Thai.

4. The Thai bhat remains strong ,and continues..no incentives appear to be in place to encourage tourism. Instead the opposite...having loads of money is a key requirement 500,000 for a 3month  visa stay. If the expectations you will be spending 5000 a day. People that stay  for 3 months and have 500,000 plus  are not the same people who spend 5000 a day in a country where less than 1000, is enough to relax and enjoy good food and drink minus lady entertainment ????

It's the 2 or 3 week tourist..that on overage spends 5000 a day.. the type of tourist that keeps the Thai economy on its legs. Regrettably,  this fact appears lost perhaps due to being lost in the midst of an pandemic and political turmoil.

5. Last but not least the apparent banning of pornhub..maybe just the beginning, taking away a form of pleasure entertainment from the masses and future generations..will only exacerbate feelings. As for trying to control the masses... It's to late.. today's and tomorrows generation of youth , are smart and very tech savvy to be controlled by H2O cannons...it's a battle that only can be won by suppression as in HK .And if that happens, then the end of tourism as we know it will follow.

Conclusion

Plan to travel outside of the Thai comfort zone, over the next 2 years  to other South Eastern countries. I say 2 years cos it may take that long before Covid has been fully addressed with an effective vaccine..remembering that it's the additional 12 month period after the vaccine has been made available that counts...no good having a vaccine, if the possible side effects, maybe just as bad as  what it's trying to prevent..... only then will the penny drop and changes and tourism incentives will follow to bring back the falang!

Time to move on and pursue other destinations nearby . Thailand has changed. No going back...with the strong bhat, political turmoil following student  protest, exacerbated by a ban on Pornhub, Protests against  the establishment, ban on political opposition parties and last but not least a dislike for equality in areas of ownership (49% max) for those from abroad willing to invest hard earned cash into a country that they love .

The new generation of Thais that 10 and 20 years ago  may have headed straight to Bangkok or Pattaya, are now more likely to be found in downtown Bangkok protesting for reform. ....resulting in high vacancy numbers with the night entertainment industry!

The decision to issue legal proceedings is an own goal.. causing more damage to the hotels reputation given the online global attention it's now receiving.

So say all of us.

If a tourist is living there, aithoised or not, he/she is contributing to the Thai economy, given they are not entitled to benefits...such a policy can only damage the economy.

I say if that's what they want, so be it...sooner or later the bhat will drop (no pun intended), and the economy will go down hill, assisted by Covid , with the closing of the borders!

Maybe after 1 year, when the economy is in free fall, may the policy towards tourist and the value of the bhat change to encourage their return!

Perhaps consider spending your hard earned cash or savings on your next post Covid holiday in another country...that welcomes the tourist or the falang as they say in the land of smiles and gives great value for money. Yes it's a gamble going to another SE Asian country, stepping out of your  comfort zone, but what have you got to lose.

As for those with an interest in SE Asia ladies.. they can be found outside the land of smiles, but only if your prepared to look for.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!??

If 

Dear All,

The aim of the original post was not to slam Thailand as a go to destination..

It's been my number 1 destination for the last 10 years...but to really think about whether you really want to keep spending your hard earned cash in a country that does not really appreciate the western tourist, only there money and where the  exchange rate is almost heading to half as it was  5 years ago....steps could be taken to address that to ensure tourist get more value...more value =more spending...Thailand  wins ัััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััััั.

The question one must ask is how low does the £,$,€ have to fall before you say enough is enough, cos for now , you keep spending, why would they want to lower the Baht. "For what " as the locals say in Thailand!!!