3 minutes ago, AntDee said:

The BTS's amateur station design doesn't help either. Took them like 7 years to put in a handful of lifts for handicapped access. Still have not integrated new stations properly with the fare/card system after years. How long will it be before they add capacity and redesign the stations? 20 years? 

I find it one of the more efficient systems in SEA.

Do you have a BTS card? just walk thru whats the problem?

Hey, but if you hate it take a taxi or a bus.

Good luck with that.

1 hour ago, VBF said:

Like it! ?

Nice to read a post from someone who doesn't want his/her life wrapped in tissue paper and everything done for them!

Having said that, I have seen immigration queues snaking back and forth especially when a flight from China or South Asia has just landed. 

 

Last time I came in. there was a uniformed person checking landing cards and telling people to have them filled in before getting to the desk.

And....my favourite moan......these totally useless f***ing a***holes who travel without a pen!  Clueless! 

A couple guys' anecdotes about having no difficulty lacks significance in the face of millions of complaints and acknowledgements by the AOT and other Thai transport bodies that structural issues exist. 

 

That people want quality service and protection from harm (financial and physical) does not make them weak. It makes them smart and less selfish than people who know problems exist but who, perhaps because of their relative wealth or advantage, could not care less about the others who do regularly experience problems. 

 

There are so many issues. Even the TM6 cards, like many immigration forms, are poorly designed and contribute to so many tourists filling them out incorrectly. Example? Where is the line for Condo/hotel name that the immigration officials insist on??? 

1 minute ago, AntDee said:

A couple guys' anecdotes about having no difficulty lacks significance in the face of millions of complaints and acknowledgements by the AOT and other Thai transport bodies that structural issues exist. 

 

That people want quality service and protection from harm (financial and physical) does not make them weak. It makes them smart and less selfish than people who know problems exist but who, perhaps because of their relative wealth or advantage, could not care less about the others who do regularly experience problems. 

 

There are so many issues. Even the TM6 cards, like many immigration forms, are poorly designed and contribute to so many tourists filling them out incorrectly. Example? Where is the line for Condo/hotel name that the immigration officials insist on??? 

It's not a case of people being weak (your word not mine). But IMO if you want to travel to a foreign country, you take it as it is or just don't bother. As many people quote "TIT"

I'm not wealthy or advantaged but I simply research, find out what's available and if it works for me, use it. If not, I have a choice of accept it or don't bother.

 

As far as I'm concerned, no country should ever change anything for tourists - tourists owe it to themselves to do their own due diligence and decide if a country is likely to suit their desires and/or adapt as appropriate.

 

I once saw the following definition (forget where) "Tourist: One who travels to see things that are different and then complains when they aren't the same"

 

I travel on a Tourist Visa because that is the law, but I regard myself as a visitor - subtle difference.

 

As for the TM6 - give me a break - there is a block on the card to fill in where you are staying - just write in what you think appropriate - personally, if I'm going to Pattaya, I just write Chonburi, and the post code if i have one - I've never even been asked about it!

 

1 hour ago, AntDee said:

The BTS's amateur station design doesn't help either. Took them like 7 years to put in a handful of lifts for handicapped access. Still have not integrated new stations properly with the fare/card system after years. How long will it be before they add capacity and redesign the stations? 20 years? 

It took about that long to propose then finally build what was originally called the Skytrain. Such is the result of allowing corruption to become so deeply rooted in society, and I see no sign that anything has changed, for all the present junta's huffing and puffing.

There are so many problems and issues to fix, it is virtually impossible to solve them.  There is no will, only talk.  Until everyone shins taking the issues seriously, the tourists will go elsewhere 

20 hours ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Would it be impertinent to enquire what has happened to the hundreds of buses seized a couple of years ago at the port and originally destined for the capital's streets? Are they still caught up in the judicial system, even as the poor continue to be unable to afford the BTS and must struggle to work and back on forty-year-old rust buckets?

You can Google search Thai Visa to get the history. Great function!

In short those initial 489 buses have been purchased in accordance with the bid award terms, registered with BMTA, tested and deployed into service. That doesn't mean that the issue of import taxes has been resolved. But that's largely a matter between the Thai import company and the import authorities.

Late last year another 489 buses have been purchased and deployed this year. Another 200 buses will be all electric followed possibly by some number of hybrid electric-diesel buses. The remaining "rust buckets" will be refurbished to the extent BMA budget can afford.

On 6/11/2018 at 5:06 AM, webfact said:

‘Major infrastructure boost needed’ to cope with burgeoning tourism

Greater Thailand tolerance towards diversity will be needed also with burgeoning tourism.

We're talking foreign visitors equaling half the Thai population. A secular, authoritarian nation that operates in a male feudal-like society presents major challenges to accommodating foreign tourism.

10 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

You can Google search Thai Visa to get the history. Great function!

In short those initial 489 buses have been purchased in accordance with the bid award terms, registered with BMTA, tested and deployed into service. That doesn't mean that the issue of import taxes has been resolved. But that's largely a matter between the Thai import company and the import authorities.

Late last year another 489 buses have been purchased and deployed this year. Another 200 buses will be all electric followed possibly by some number of hybrid electric-diesel buses. The remaining "rust buckets" will be refurbished to the extent BMA budget can afford.

Thanks for the update on the original 489 buses. I often wondered about them.

26 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

You can Google search Thai Visa to get the history. Great function!

In short those initial 489 buses have been purchased in accordance with the bid award terms, registered with BMTA, tested and deployed into service. That doesn't mean that the issue of import taxes has been resolved. But that's largely a matter between the Thai import company and the import authorities.

Late last year another 489 buses have been purchased and deployed this year. Another 200 buses will be all electric followed possibly by some number of hybrid electric-diesel buses. The remaining "rust buckets" will be refurbished to the extent BMA budget can afford.

Thank you, but if it is the case that almost a thousand new buses have been deployed in the past year, it's curious that I have never, barring one, fleeting glimpse of what might have been one of this rare species, seen a single one in my patch of Eastern Bangkok. Perhaps they have all migrated? It would be interesting to hear about sightings from other TV twitchers.

It's not a case of people being weak (your word not mine). But IMO if you want to travel to a foreign country, you take it as it is or just don't bother. As many people quote "TIT"

I'm not wealthy or advantaged but I simply research, find out what's available and if it works for me, use it. If not, I have a choice of accept it or don't bother.

 

As far as I'm concerned, no country should ever change anything for tourists - tourists owe it to themselves to do their own due diligence and decide if a country is likely to suit their desires and/or adapt as appropriate.

 

I once saw the following definition (forget where) "Tourist: One who travels to see things that are different and then complains when they aren't the same"

 

I travel on a Tourist Visa because that is the law, but I regard myself as a visitor - subtle difference.

 

As for the TM6 - give me a break - there is a block on the card to fill in where you are staying - just write in what you think appropriate - personally, if I'm going to Pattaya, I just write Chonburi, and the post code if i have one - I've never even been asked about it!

 

Hmm, I think you are wrong. It is supply and demand. According to the article, tourism makes up 20% of gdp. That is a sizeable percentage. Now they are projecting an increase to 60 million, without measures to accommodate these people, they will vote with their feet, and it will be save to say that number will not be reached. TIT might work for some people, most people see it for the rubbish that it is. The time that neighboring countries were only visited by adventurers and backpackers are gone, there is competition now.

 

As to the address on tm6, last four years immigration officers are very likely to ask questions about it. Especially if all you enter is Bangkok or Chonburi...

 

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9 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

Hmm, I think you are wrong. It is supply and demand. According to the article, tourism makes up 20% of gdp. That is a sizeable percentage. Now they are projecting an increase to 60 million, without measures to accommodate these people, they will vote with their feet, and it will be save to say that number will not be reached. TIT might work for some people, most people see it for the rubbish that it is. The time that neighboring countries were only visited by adventurers and backpackers are gone, there is competition now.

 

As to the address on tm6, last four years immigration officers are very likely to ask questions about it. Especially if all you enter is Bangkok or Chonburi...

 

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Here I suppose we'll have to agree to differ.

But the figure of 20% may, or may not be accurate - I have not done any research to discover that.

 

I still think that any country should say to tourists "here we are, take us as you find us, love us or leave".  That as I say is just my view.

 

As for the TM 6, I suppose I've been lucky then but I always fill in government forms with as little as possible - had an IO ever asked for more , I would have apologised and filled it in further, or just shown him/her a reserved booking - their call if i wish to enter Thailand.