12 hours ago, Ulic said:

Well, after you come once and experience the truth/reality about Thailand, with garbage and litter everywhere, filthy beaches and waters, road carnage and taxi mafia, expensive drinks and beach road thefts, double pricing, jetski and gem shop scams, its no wonder. Even with the poor exchange rates, if the country was at least clean up, people would return. But with the government willing to invest nothing that they can't get a significant backhander from they don't invest in anything that would make tourists return. They are really missing a great opportunity to expand on tourism revenue. After all, if you try a restaurant back home and you have a fantastic experience, great food, reasonable prices, good service, you will probably return again and again. The same could be true for Thailand. 

Whilst walking my dogs on the beach, I've chatted to a few tourists also walking along the beach.

 

They ALL talked pretty much non-stop about the garbage on the beach - which I don't even notice anymore (I only notice the frequent dead puffer fish/morays etc. etc.) ☹️.  I found myself coming up with excuses as to how it's washed in from the sea etc. - but nonetheless, they are right.

 

To look on the bright side, it's mostly a 'locals' beach', and a few days ago 20 odd locals turned up to clean a section of the beach.  They did a great job (as I discovered the next morning), and even put a bin on the beach for rubbish ????.

 

I mention this as I think many of the Thai people are also getting fed up with the rubbish.

15 hours ago, Khaeng Mak said:

And so.  What are the next generation of Luk Kruengs going to look like.  And if, as I suspect, they are ugly little critters. Who is going to fill all the future celebrity spots?

Persian women look good, some in fact absolutely gorgeous (The most beautiful woman I've ever met was an Iranian wife of a UAE billionaire, lovely gal with an easygoing personality to top it all off), so there is hope. I guess the arabs lose the hairy sandstorm protection coat when mixing with indos for a few generations.

 

A random sample: http://beauty-around.com/en/tops/item/976-most-beautiful-iranian-women . Emirates has these sorts in it's staff.

 

Edited March 12, 20197 yr by DrTuner

6 hours ago, SuperTed said:

Who uses tour operators anymore?

A lot of older people from Europe. They also still read paper magazines and do other fascinating last millenia things like watch news from the TV. It's endearing.

 

EDIT: And some of them do have $ for 5 star holidays, ie. bona fide quality tourists. They are not coming here.

Edited March 12, 20197 yr by DrTuner