PM Prayut speaks out! No more ripping off of tourists - it's bad for Thailand's wonderful image

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

The Prime minister of Thailand has spoken out about locals ripping off tourists - and he has demanded that his country folk stop it and started behaving like it says in the guidebooks. 

 

Naew Na said that a senior government aide Weerachon Sukhonthapathipak told the media that Prayut Chan-ocha had heard about a group of Australians in Phuket. 

 

And he was livid!

 

The Aussies had been charged 3,000 baht to go from the airport to their hotel in a minivan. The tourists went to the police. 

 

The PM was furious about this stain on Thailand's image and asked operators to be the eyes and ears so that it doesn't happen again. 

 

Naew Na spoke of Thailand in glowing terms and it was not sure if this was their opinion or that of the spokesman or the prime minister or all three. 

 

They said that the whole kingdom was famed for being a wonderful place to visit with so many attractions and such kind and welcoming people. Everyone should be great hosts to boost tourism, they said. 

 

The PM had instructed the authorities to stop the practice of fleecing visitors, they added, without giving further detail. 

 

Last week many stories painted a grim picture of low season in places like Phuket and Pattaya. 

 

Many have said that rip-offs are driving tourists away to pastures new. 

 

Source: Naew Na

 

 

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No more ripping off tourists, I mean the ones we let in. But it is ok to beat up the Expats and monitor them for their own good! Just joking.

How about the dual priced National parks and most other tourist attractions that charge tourists 2 -10 times the "Thai price" ?

All my friends in the West already know Thailands reputation...

In the meantime the government is in the process of getting rid of corruption so that its people can eat and be less desperate so as not to fleece tourists anymore, something that has been going on for decades. 

 

The plan called, "No more coluption in Thailand, we love toolists" is expected to be implemented tomorrow and therefore tourists should see an immediate effect. 

By saying that the PM admit that there's a problem wher's by Thai people rip off tourists and expats, and it's even sadder that he has to tell his people to stop doing that, Now if only he will try to fix the difficulties and the incomberness the immigration people putting good people and expats thru he'd be remembered as the PM who did well...

The problem as I see it is that the average working person here sees those at the top grafting a dirty great fortune away for themselves, so see being dishonest as the way to move forward. Those concerned with the country's reputation, should consider their own actions, and the stain that they produce, as only when corruption is cleaned up from the very top, can you expect those at the bottom to even consider doing likewise. In the meantime, greed is going to see this sort of thing happen again and again, by those who care nothing for the reputation of the place, but only about their own pockets.

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

They said that the whole kingdom was famed for being a wonderful place to visit with so many attractions and such kind and welcoming people. Everyone should be great hosts to boost tourism, they said. 

Except for the Dual pricing, Immigration, Police scams, Taxi scams, polluted beaches, polluted rivers, corrupt Government, ....

Mr P.M. you really have no idea what has happened to your once beautiful country do you.....

10 minutes ago, Youlike said:

All my friends in the West already know Thailands reputation...

So do mine, and they won't be coming back, unfortunately for me, oh well, just going to have to join up with them in the neighbouring countries, like Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to see what all the buzz is about.

Are they going to adjust dual pricing practices, such as in national parks, or entertainment venues?

6 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

The problem as I see it is that the average working person here sees those at the top grafting a dirty great fortune away for themselves, so see being dishonest as the way to move forward. Those concerned with the country's reputation, should consider their own actions, and the stain that they produce, as only when corruption is cleaned up from the very top, can you expect those at the bottom to even consider doing likewise. In the meantime, greed is going to see this sort of thing happen again and again, by those who care nothing for the reputation of the place, but only about their own pockets.

Well said! For people at the bottom who cannot make a living within their own system , tourism is often one of the only ways left to get an income. Greed then kicks in , which is just a reflection of the rest of the system.

Someone who stole an entire country has no right to tell the citizens that dishonesty is not acceptable.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

No more ripping off of tourists - it's bad for Thailand's wonderful image

Unfortunately, it is the one of the few things they are competent and consistent with!

Lead by example! Thais pay 20 Baht at National Parks/foreigners 200 Baht.

6 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Someone who stole an entire country has no right to tell the citizens that dishonesty is not acceptable.

'Someone who stole an entire country' - yes: TWICE OVER!

29 minutes ago, johng said:

How about the dual priced National parks and most other tourist attractions that charge tourists 2 -10 times the "Thai price" ?

Just don't go, it's your money so it's upto you how you spend it. Same with vendors, if you suspect they're overcharging then just spend your money elsewhere. Some real short sighted business practices here where people would rather take you for everything then can initially rather than chasing repeat custom. 

Love that SMIRK on his face as he said it. Did he have his fingers crossed behind his back too.....

Yes we need an expert ripper on the job now we got one????

The man is priceless, absolutely priceless, no more ripping off tourists, thats the governments job.

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Prime minister of Thailand has spoken out about locals ripping off tourists -

You lead by example by ripping off the nation. 

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

They said that the whole kingdom was famed for being a wonderful place to visit with so many attractions and such kind and welcoming people.

First, where are the wonderful places to visit?  Most are nothing outstanding.  For example, where are locations where the quality of the water and beaches are excellent?  There are places in the world where there are virtually no scams, like the jet ski scams in Thailand.  Also, tourists/visitors do not have to report their residential address as we do in Thailand.  Places where police do not ask for urine samples to be provided on the street, where people can live in peace and not be harassed regarding their visa status, and have to show their passports on demand, not having to pay exorbitant prices for extensions of visas, not having to provide documentation of income - i.e. bank accounts, etc. and the list goes on, ad infinitum. Do the Thais who go out of the country go through these hassles?  No.  Do they try to try to help us overcome these problems when they return to Thailand?  No.  Is it any wonder that so many ex-pats are leaving Thailand?  No.  I left a year ago and have no regrets in doing so.  In Canada, I have good health care - three joint replacements (two hips, one knee), and other medical procedures, all free.  In Thailand, as an ex-pat, pay, pay, pay.  No pay, no service.  Could go on but why bother?  Do not bother to reply because all know that what I say is true and the government does not care about us, except that we are additions to the tourist numbers that the tourist authorities love to spout out about to show the world how great Thailand is as a tourist attraction -beaches, cheap food, entertainment centre of the world, i.e. sex., and other nonsensical things such as the hub of everything.  How many hubs can any vehicle/place use or support at any one time?  Very few but Thailand espouses their country can be the hub of everything.

'nuf sed.

Horse,barn door etc.

49 minutes ago, webfact said:

The PM was furious about this stain on Thailand's image and asked operators to be the eyes and ears so that it doesn't happen again

So what's Prayuth's solution?He asks the people ripping off the tourists to keep an eye out for people ripping off tourists!Yeah sure thing boss!

47 minutes ago, johng said:

How about the dual priced National parks and most other tourist attractions that charge tourists 2 -10 times the "Thai price" ?

Even if we pay taxes to maintain those parks

3 minutes ago, wotsdermatter said:

three joint replacements

Yeah I heard that Canada Legalised weed but I didn't know about the joint replacement thing!

14 minutes ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

Just don't go, it's your money so it's upto you how you spend it. Same with vendors, if you suspect they're overcharging then just spend your money elsewhere. Some real short sighted business practices here where people would rather take you for everything then can initially rather than chasing repeat custom. 

I agree with you. I do not patronize places that I know have dual pricing, but I make an exception with the National Parks, because I do enjoy going to them. They are generally beautiful and clean. But everytime I go to a National Park I give them a piece of my mind about it. Of course they just look at me like I'm from another planet.

Please send all the TVF posts on this thread to the newly democratically elected PM to show our farang gratitude to all of his interventions????

I understand and accept the government's dual pricing at national parks and tourist attractions, but it is nevertheless unquestionable that this policy sets an undesirable tone about the acceptability of dual pricing by vendors. Were the government to abolish that policy it would send a powerful signal regarding the unacceptability of dual pricing, and would likely have a very salulatory effect on tourism as well.

2 minutes ago, Boatfreak said:

Even if we pay taxes to maintain those parks

Even if you don't work and are a tourist  everyone pays 7% VAT..that money goes to the "government" too

He forgot to mentioned that immigration has ripped of a lot of long term visa holders with TM30.