1 hour ago, Dave67 said:

I notice the real hazard of waterfalls has not been mentioned 

You put your life on the line just travelling there.

Wasn't that boat owned and operated by Chinese? Only the paperwork was in Thai names.

 

Anywho, Brits keep coming back despite of numerous boycott callings in the past. So will Chinese.

Som nam na. And as soon as numbers go up - if they do - things will be back to normal. The lackasaidal attitude towards safety (in fact towards almost anything), the scamming and the impression that you lot have the god-given right to break any laws you please - these are in your psyches and it will never change.

2 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

And yesterday, or the day before the were boosting an 11% increase in tourist arrivals. 

 

Damn... dunno what to believe anymore, so I 'll just switch into the Jimmy crack corn mode.

The TAT might have plans already hiring a hitman to prevent such negative foreign news in the future.

14 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I'd guess that they don't mean 'increased', but 'started'. When the bad publicity eventually dies down (no pun intended), the 'safety checks' will return to zero.

 

I'm sure if a boat trip company named Shinawatre Sea Cruises was operating anywhere on the coast of Thailand, their safety standards would be checked every day

15 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Not sure about arrivals, but there certainly appears to be a reduction in departures.

Hava a gold star that man !!!!

33 minutes ago, outsider said:

Som nam na. And as soon as numbers go up - if they do - things will be back to normal. The lackasaidal attitude towards safety (in fact towards almost anything), the scamming and the impression that you lot have the god-given right to break any laws you please - these are in your psyches and it will never change.

It's called Thainess

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

It's not just sea water that's a threat - trips to Petchaburi have been suspended awaiting the arrival of more aqualungs.

Or those boats that defy the laws of physics by pushing away floodwater with their propellers

1 hour ago, Katipo said:

His arrogance has cost the country billions. You think after all the disasters, natural and man-made, that have befallen this country, that one boat accident is the reason for the drop? No, it's how it was handled, particularly by one individual at the top.

Prawit Wongsuwang should keep a watch on Thai safety standards

PHUKET:-- A mother watched in horror as her daughter was pulled from the water unconscious while on a snorkelling tour in koh khai off Phuket yesterday (Aug 21), and later died.Another Chinese young girl.Sad to pay for your early death.It seems many people there enjoy taking tourists money but no safe or quality service  given at all in return 

It’s good. Less tourist money and less corruption among the government officials!

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

After the disaster, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan blamed Chinese tour operators for disregarding Thai safety regulations,

Thai safety regulations?

The guy really is not the full ticket.

A screw loose.

An embarrassment.

Edited August 23, 20187 yr by thaiguzzi

safety, scams, boring temples, yada yada... well deerrrrr!

sadly i think the expats are more long term value than thais realized but the damage has been done peraonally. my family, friends and there friends would all come several times a year. Since weve been dealing with racist local corrupt bullying officials and neighbourly issues along with the news of thailand being a one way trip time and time again i dont allow them to come nor do they want to. We go there instead. 

How long can thais pretend for.??? 

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

When you slaughter the guests they are unable to return.

that is along the lines that no complaints were received .. .. 

Sad story, and too much man-bpen-rai of boat operators,
like the one that I asked why there was no hatch over the bow manhole of the boat. "Tourist broke, fix cannot" . 
 

Good they are useless rude pigs 

2 hours ago, BigA said:

I dispute this, there is a huge number of Chines tourists at the night market and malls around Hua Hin such as Bluport.

Huge? There are not huge numbers of *anything* hanging around BluPort.

Well the Farangs  on Thai Visa plus visitors will be over the moon on this news 

less crowds at the immigration at the airports  even though they have their own lanes 

not getting pushed around   at the morning breakfasts or Buffets in the hotels

  Life is good 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand sees drop in Chinese visitors after tourist boat disaster

 

No worries, they will be back, until everything has been rugged under the carpet, forgiven and forgotten by those greedy operators and it will be business as usual.

A boat disaster near Thailand's Phuket Island that killed 47 Chinese last month is significantly cutting arrival numbers from China

 

It's a start.     Thai Immigration should still charge the Chinese 1000 baht per head as they enter the Kingdom.  lol... Makes too much sense.

 

 

3 hours ago, catman20 said:

?

+ 1

TAT could always offer package tours which include swimming lessons and shipwreck surviving skills. 

4 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

And yesterday, or the day before the were boosting an 11% increase in tourist arrivals. 

 

Damn... dunno what to believe anymore, so I 'll just switch into the Jimmy crack corn mode.

and I don't care - 555

Well this is today's story.  I'm sure tomorrow will bring news of increased Chinese tourist numbers and take care in what you report as it might cause confusion amongst people. 

Good!

 

I hope the Chinese realize soon that they are just a convenient cash cow that is being used and nothing more. Let them start going elsewhere. Until Thailand eases up on their dictatorial immigration policies like the 90 day check in/address registration/exit permit I hope all tourism dries up and goes to places with more liberal visa policies. 

I'm seeing large numbers of Chinese here in Hua Hin. They seem to be the adventurous type as they don't have a tour guide with a red flag leading them around. 

?? One minute the Tourism minister say's number will increase largely due to the increase of Chinese Tourists. Was he badly quoted or purely told what to say, Like all politicians you never know when there silent or telling lies? 

Good

Wouldn't know it hanging around my house. The busus keep coming and they are full. The 7-11's are full, the pharmacies are full, the Chinese shops on my soi are still doing trade.

Tourism.  What is the bigger, middle-to-long-term-picture for tourism growth to benefit Thailand?

 

Thailand loves to put all its tourism eggs in one basket and cry when something goes wrong with that one market.    Does anyone remember when Russian tourism was the be-all and end all in Pattaya?  Condos being built like crazy for the boom Russian market and Balalaika music playing from every doorway on Beach Road.  It truly drove me away:  To BKK, the North & Phuket, to be precise!!!!   I never went back to Pattaya again untill I settled in Chonburi North over 10 years later.   Anyway, When the rouble tanked Russian owned condos were on sale everywhere and everyone asking what went wrong. 

Never mind.  Middle Eastern tourism in booming????  Well, with Saudi Arabia possibly trying to buy Tesla and Venezuela is in virtual bankruptcy, we can see very clearly where "Age of Oil" is going -  AND FAST!!!   

Including a lot of Middle East disposable wealth within 10 to 15 years, tops.   Oil is not likely to recover.  The world is swapping to renewables so fast it is mind boggling.  Within a very few years the Middle East (AND Nigeria) will be forced to have other things to spend their dwindling oil export earnings on other than supporting religious terrorism. 

 

AND, Ditto Russia, who I think relies on just two main exports  (1) Oil/gas and (2) Communism/weapons.  Unless it finds something magical, Russia's economy is not likely to grow either.

 

Oh but sorry, I'm wrong about the U.S.A.  Trump is going to save the coal electricity generating industry there!!!   Good luck with that one, Donald!!   Solar/wind is below 50% of gas and dropping every year and Tidal generation is streaking ahead.

 

SO, most of the people benefiting from Chinese tourists are the Chinese tour operators in China.   Most things are paid for in China before they ever get on their Chinese owned planes.  And much of the rest of the money is compulsorily spent with Chinese owned businesses here. (Even that boat company ((YES, THAT  BOAT COMPANY) is apparently Chinese owned as the DPM got into trouble for mentioning.)  What percentage of a budget Chinese tour package actually gets spent to stay or even arrive in Thailand to start with?

 

Well, it gives the local tourism moguls  a chance to start again with a cleaner sheet with money actually going to Thai owned businesses  AND, (don't hold your breath) with the increasing residual local revenue, the ability to pay for better oversight of tourism operators' safety procedures.  Oh, and do try to target regions of the world who will still have a prosperous middle class in 15 years.   And who want to look a waterfalls and Buddhist temples!!!    Good luck with that last one, too!!!!

Edited August 23, 20187 yr by The Deerhunter

5 hours ago, Khun Loong said:

Great to start the day with some good news.

Maybe it will be possible to get a flight from Samui to BKK now without booking 3 weeks in advance.