Thailand extends visa fee waivers to boost tourism as growth slows

[emptypockets]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 

Much less pour you a sip, in a nice wine glass, and ask you how it is? God forbid that you ask them a question about the wine. Would you recommend the 2012 over the 2014? How was that vintage in Tuscany? They look at you like you are from Mars. Ok, can I speak to the person here who is in charge of wine? Huh? What? Can you repeat the question? Say again? Sorry, nobody here knows nothing about wine. But, you have a hundred bottles on the list, ranging from 1,000 baht to 8,000 baht a bottle. And nobody knows anything?

 

It is no wonder wealthy tourists come here once, and near return. They walk away and say I just do not want to be surrounded by village people who are culturally illiterate.

Not all tourists are winos.

The whole premise of your (oh, so predictable) Thai bash is flawed.

If I was a wine connoisseur I would already know the answers to the questions and wouldn't need to ask them in the first place. I would impress my dinner partners with my wide and varying knowledge of the subject matter.

I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to embarrass someone who is only trying to earn a living by being obnoxious.

But that's just me.

If the market is that large surely there is a business opportunity for you. You could, apparently, make a lot of money if you opened a high class restaurant catering to the rich and famous. You could babble on about wine to your hearts content and make money at the same time.

Worth thinking about.

Edited August 21, 2019 by emptypockets

[Peterbilt]

3 hours ago, Yinn said:

Oh, you the tourist expert right.

How your country with tourist with the clever idea? More than stupid thai right?

can you send me the chart please. I interesting to look. And compare.

Thankyou for your help.

 

 

I just fed my crystal ball with all the information about the measurents the government will use to further stimulate tourism. And the crystal ball came up with a very bright perspective for the tourism in Thailand:

I think I just qualified myself for a leading position in the tourism ministry or the TAT, right? ????

[spidermike007]

8 hours ago, losworld said:

Yes that may help in Bangkok but let's face it the real high end spenders won't waste much time in polluted and crowded Bangkok when they can relax in Beverly Hills or Nice or Singapore.  Someone who is loaded won't care too much about a few hundred dollars here or there.  But the sad fact is that Thailand has lost the mid and mid to upper tourists in droves as well as backpackers.  I used to run a Tourism Department for a government in the West and here is what Thailand should be doing:

 

1) lower the baht

2) loosen Visa restrictions

3) recreate the welcome and smile image not talking too much about busting unfavorable westerners

4) clean up the road carnage and offer regulated and safe travel options within the country

5) PICK UP THE GARBAGE AND CLEAN THE BLOODY BEACHES.  The amount of pollution here may not bother the Chinese or Russians but it is a huge turn off for westerners.

6) Fix the dog problem.

7) Try to maintain an elected government and skip the coups.

 

But in reality what will likely happen:

1) continued increase in Chinese and Indian tourists with many simply overstaying and starting businesses or taking Thai jobs

2) continued breakdown of infrastructure with bus busting roads and high rise construction

3) more money laundering resulting in empty units

4) continued pollution for lack of enforcement with cars, buses, motorbikes, factories and littering.

5) loosened visa restrictions for Chinese resulting in more pressure on infrastructure

6) continued bashing of westerners

7) possible Casino openings in places like Pattaya transforming it into a Sihanoukville setting

 

Could be wrong but I doubt it.... in ten years the only havens may be parts of ph, malaysia and indonesia.... the rest look screwed....

 

 

I could not possibly agree more with your summary. Well done. Spot on. 

[Nong Khai Man]

On 8/20/2019 at 4:41 PM, Peterbilt said:

• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Georgia
• Malta
• Romania
• Bhutan
• China
• India
• Kazakhstan
• Saudi Arabia
• Taiwan
• Uzbekistan
• Mexico
• Ethiopia
• Fiji
• Papua New Guinea
• Vanuatu
• Nauru

Source:

https://www.thai.lt/thailand-travel/thailand-visas/thailand-visa-on-arrival

ALL Quality Tourists Then ????

[Nong Khai Man]

16 hours ago, legend49 said:

Yes I am so <deleted> off that my friends in Mali didnt get a free visa.

Or Nigerians ??

[the guest]

They must be getting desperate.

[CharlieH]

Off topic and responses removed.

[MrBobHouse]

On 8/21/2019 at 8:50 AM, outsider said:

"Especially since the rest of the world are climbing and clamouring over each other just to get into Thailand."

 

 

???????????? I really hope that's sarcasm.

[outsider]

1 hour ago, MrBobHouse said:

 

???????????? I really hope that's sarcasm.

 

Are you kidding??? What sarcasm??? It's FACT! Just wait for TAT's report on how tourist numbers shot through the roof and is passing by Mars as we read the news.

 

Actually, you're right, it's just me being a sarcastic numpty... LOL

Edited August 22, 2019 by outsider