In a way I dont blame the locals. I just spent a few days in a public ward in a government hospital in the poorest province in Thailand and the locals could not have been more warm hearted. All the staff were the same, just absolutely wonderful. Why? We dont see many farang around here. I read about the yahoo's in Phuket making it bad for all of us, locals, tourists, expats. Reminds me of the only time I have been to Bali, couldnt believe the mayhem, bogans screaming and shouting in the streets a;ll night, drunk, high on shrooms I dont know. Makes you embarrassed to be a tourist/westerner. Got out the next day straight to the tranquility of a tiny island off Lombok. Imagine its caught up to Kuta by now.
But then the ones who are doing the complaining live and work there because they benefit from the same yahoos either directly or indirectly. Its a sign of the times, as everybody wants tourist dollars but unfortunately it all comes at a cost. I kinda think of tourism and immigration in the same way, the problem is too many too soon which overwhelms the system, the economy, the environment and the local culture.