41 minutes ago, Xonax said:

Just make up your mind and decide which origin of tourists you want to spend their money here. If you invite Chinese and Indians, then Americans and Europeans will stay away, as they do not mix well in larger numbers at the same buffet.

You mean to say pig eat pig at buffet? 

Who cares who stay away. These quality tourust does not own Thailand to decide who will visit or who dont. Main reason to stay away is they dont have enough to spend compared to Asians. 

Why would you go to Thailand for that. You can get Thai massage and Pot in your own country and you don't need to sit in an airplane for 12 hours or more. 

2 hours ago, 30la said:

If you think that with a bit of cannabis medicine and some Thai massage (made by incapable people) they will make me forget the high prices, the cheaters, the dangers from the criminals and on the road, well you're on the wrong way!

I'm most definitely on the wrong way then and I will let you know that it's so much more fun than your way.

3 minutes ago, Thaifriends said:

You mean to say pig eat pig at buffet? 

Who cares who stay away. These quality tourust does not own Thailand to decide who will visit or who dont. Main reason to stay away is they dont have enough to spend compared to Asians. 

Then why are you complaining about Westerners not arriving? 

Pass the legalize recreational drug edict!

Both two expensive for Europeans 

Finally someone wakes up，only Europeans spend money in the beer bar.

3 hours ago, Vernon Wooldridge said:

devalue the Thai Baht do this and the European farangs WILL return in there hundreds of thousands  within months.

Unless you have 'invested'  in a bar or farang restaurant, why would you want this to happen?

Take away the medical bit & I like them both as good ideas

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Pipat recognised that the strength of the baht at 30 to a dollar was not helping tourism. He said 32 to a dollar would be better. 

Try 36. 32 won't do it.

Look at the Immigration Issue for White People its Rubbish Hassled everytime We come in Even Though We Spend A Lot of Money i Can Go Other Places and I AM , To Spend My Earned Money.  Yes Keep the Bad People Out But there Are Other Issues Which You Are Not Addressing And You Dont Get Value For Money in Thailand For a Few Years now Better in Vietnam Beaches or Beaches of Philippines More Value for money There Now.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

the promise of massage and ganja.

 

Ok wait a minute. Americans and Europeans- offer pot and a 'happy ending', all other nations offer visa options that are realistic and affordable? Did I miss something when I fell off the back of that turnip truck?

the only thing to do is lower the baht and get rid of the cheaters that try to rip of the tuorist and the goverment have treat the expats better. Then people from the west come back.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Western tourists such as Europeans and Americans were now seeking to go elsewhere.

Obviously they voted already and found better destinations with less stupid govt.

Also it's hard to get customers back. It's common sense. You have to improve business, means here for Thailand safety on the roads, stop cheating, stop fleecing, stop immigration rules concerning visa and extensions, stop 90-days report, and.......give up to support your Baht.

GANJA is the silver bullet here don't forget to tell the tourists all about it though or it might have them fleeing for the hills?

Anyone seen a Golden Goose lately? Thought not.

Maybe works, assuming those tourists are able to enter Thailand.

He must be going to take over the Public Health ministry as well because the massage shops are now controlled by them and they are getting much stricter now and there are many being closed down which do not meet the new laws and it will not be long until every massage shop who does not have the Ministry of Public Health certification and license will be closed and any person that works in any massage shop who does not have the approved certificate of accreditation will not be working in any licensed massage shop. This has been brought about by several deaths in massage shops recently and they were found to be unqualified workers and the shops were unlicensed 

Suddenly realised the Chinese and Indian don’t spend any money have they ? If they want westerners back sorting  out their ridiculous visa system should be top priority. Just look at the hoops they put travelers through just for a simple tourist visa of any significant length. Bloody nightmare 

These people are scratching now because the signs are so clear, foreginers have enough!

 

Two days ago, I was pysically attacked at the Royal Garden Plaza shopping mall in Pattaya city by a jumped up, egotisic, racist Thai secrutiy guard on first floor near the information desk because I had gone to the first floor to have a browse and was unaware that the mall opens at 11am, it was my first and last visit there.  After the attack I telephoned 191 the Police, who attened the scene and took the racist crazed Thai egotistic to the police station in soi 9 Pattaya for questionings . Subsequently, I reported the attack to the tourist police Pattaya plus filed a formal  online complaint to TAT as well as wriiting letters of complaint to various Thai governing bodies including my Embassy.

 

It is not drugs and massage rourists want, they want egual rights, much more respect, far less extortion, fraud, lawkessness, pollution where do I stop.

 

This certainly is not Paradise!

 

Time to pull heads out of the sand.

 

Get out...

3 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

He must be going to take over the Public Health ministry as well because the massage shops are now controlled by them and they are getting much stricter now and there are many being closed down which do not meet the new laws and it will not be long until every massage shop who does not have the Ministry of Public Health certification and license will b

e closed and any person that works in any massage shop who does not have the approved certificate of accreditation will not be working in any licensed massage shop. This has been brought about by several deaths in massage shops recently and they were found to be unqualified workers and the shops were unlicensed 

This is not a western thinking place I would say false.

If the payment to the locals ( which is common) is sufficient there will be absolutely no problem continuing business as usual.

But it will cost you , be prepared to empty your wallet. 

Smart man , he thinks ,He will have to do better than the medicinal stuff, he will have to Supply some Real stuff Buddha sticks . That will attract some real tourist  business.  ????

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

This is not a western thinking place I would say false.

If the payment to the locals ( which is common) is sufficient there will be absolutely no problem continuing business as usual.

You do not know what you are talking about with this. We had a surprise inspection by 6 Health Ministry officials and they went through everything and there was NO brown envelopes and we received our new government certification last Monday and on the same day as our inspection they also inspected other places near us and 2 were closed who did not meet the requirements of the new laws and there was no money involved there either. We know the other shop owners. Things in the massage industry is changing

50 minutes ago, aspenbkk said:

Look at the Immigration Issue for White People its Rubbish Hassled everytime We come in Even Though We Spend A Lot of Money i Can Go Other Places and I AM , To Spend My Earned Money.  Yes Keep the Bad People Out But there Are Other Issues Which You Are Not Addressing And You Dont Get Value For Money in Thailand For a Few Years now Better in Vietnam Beaches or Beaches of Philippines More Value for money There Now.

i was there in may 2019 for a week i was hassled at immigration and held up  i told the guy i am here for a week then going elsewhere so what he said i dont care RUDE and UNCARING And Passed ME to Another Guy To Process Me He would not Process My Entry And Previous to That i Had A 90 Day Visa and Stayed only for 33 Days . On the Way Out i Asked The Head Of Immigration Why Are People being Hassled And There Was a Limited Response .

This ticket is lost, for good and for quite a while. If you see the clear racism everywhere, where Thais are the superior race and the rest of the planet underlings with TM30s, 90 days stuff etc, the ongoing rip-off at all airports with "government controlled taxi systems", the dual pricing, the overcharging, the general relatively high price level, the sloppy attitude of hospitality workers "up to you" etc. 

Good luck; Thailand was, quite rightly so, called "Amazing Thailand", but this has faded away LONG LONG time ago. The minister has to reinvent the whole business but he cannot turn 70 million arrogant Thais mind. Traffic jams, sewer beaches, ongoing denial of facts (no hookers on Walking Street springs to mind) etc. etc. - go figure, Mr Pipat Ratchakijprakan????  

Well it is at least a half foot in the right direction instead of 2 steps back. 

All tourists want is a safe, enjoyable time, and value for money. 

 

Hopefully medical ganja will open the door to recreational usage being legalized, like it did in Las Vegas. 

 

 

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

"Hello, Treasury, can I help you?"

"Make baht 32."

"Hold please."

Boss said 31baht dai may?

 

31.5 ko laew gan.

 

Toklong. 

 

Rooster

I like this guy. Laugh all you like but for many westerners Thailand's image really is a lawless land where you can relax with a massage and a blunt. One of the main reasons westerners aren't coming is the previous TAT trying to change Thailand's image to a clean, orderly, "family destination".

 

I'm not sure if it'll work (damage's already done), but at least this guy is realistic which is a good start. Also AirBNB being illegal is a huge problem both for hosts and guests. Make it legal, and leave it up to the condos to decide if they allow it or not.

Dream on little dreamer.......

53 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

The minister has to reinvent the whole business but he cannot turn 70 million arrogant Thais mind.

This is the best comment I've seen and it's exactly right.

 

The government, like Thais in general, have shaped their worldview in Thailand with Thai xenophobia.

 

The government can't suddenly command Thais to stop being racist, xenophobic, law abiding, arrogant and competent.

 

Just as I can't command a dog to bake a cake.

 

They have built and earned a bad reputation that will take AT LEAST a full generation to fix -- IF they start today (which they won't).