Immigration chief: Don't scare the tourists away by being too strict - we need them and their money

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

Immigration chief Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang has told his subordinates not to be too strict on tourists and scare them away from coming to Thailand. 

 

He has asked for his men and women to show some humanity.

 

And he has stated plainly that Thailand needs the tourists' money. 

 

Lt-Gen Sompong - also known as Big Oud - was on a visit to his team in Mae Hong Son in northern Thailand. He took some life-saving presents including Mama noodles but it was his words that will reverberate around the tourism sector. 

 

His statements seemed to be a softening of the "bad guys out" rhetoric replacing it with a "please come back to Thailand we need you" message, observes Thaivisa. 

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

He told his minions not to be overzealous. 

 

Yes, he said, follow the government's directives and abide by the law and due process. 

 

But don't be too strict and scare away the tourists and other foreign visitors. 

 

He pointed out that immigration have a job to do as police but immigration officers should not be a hindrance and should show professionalism with humanity and compassion. 

 

The tourists bring in a lot of money, he noted, much of which is important for the grass roots economy. 

 

Source: Siam Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-12-09

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

The tourists bring in a lot of money, he noted, much of which is important for the grass roots economy. 

What and expats living here do nothing for the economy , maybe you should look at ways of helping us instead of making it harder .

My goodness, what is this? An ounce of common sense? How the hell did that get into the country?

I agree 100%. Now tell my neighbours, officials and such. They wonder why i scare them back and its putely because of the amount of cash ive splashed out here over the decades. I dont want special treatment but would like my family not have to be raided checking for drugs and guns or have tourist police out to check all because my inbred neighbours feel inferior and have to act like children and lie to authorities in the hopes of being booted out of the country because my neighbours think they are going to get our farming machinery, land and such. 

Crazy but true! And no i dont have guns or drugs but thats what ive had to deal with this past year. Insane!

Whats worse you can have video evidence and make countless police reports of fake police reports made and even the police believe us but no action is taken and this is why it doesnt change. It's embarassing to Thailand. If i was in a better financial situation i would hav3 left already. One things for sure though and that is my family stopped coming many times a year years ago because they dont feel safe.

wow, finally a sensible instruction/comment from an Immigration chief.  Bet they don't take any notice. 

But TAT are saying tourist numbers are up. More tourists spending less money or less tourists. A case of the left side of the mouth has no idea of what the right side is saying.

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

His statements seemed to be a softening of the "bad guys out" rhetoric replacing it with a "please come back to Thailand we need you" message, observes Thaivisa.

So, Bad Guys In...providing you bring lots of cash.

51 minutes ago, webfact said:

He told his minions not to be overzealous. 

Yes, he said, follow the government's directives and abide by the law and due process. 

But don't be too strict and scare away the tourists and other foreign visitors. 

I'm sure that means in plain Engrish:

We won't change the regulations and apply them consistently. We'll leave the regulations as they are, then when tourism picks up and have enough victims, we can start making money out of them again.

 

It's all to late,all the tourist have heard and are going elsewhere. Also saving a lot of money. 

Ease up on the long stay residents, we spend a lot of money here to.

26 minutes ago, webfact said:

The tourists bring in a lot of money, he noted, much of which is important for the grass roots economy. 

 

And fittingly, that is the bottom line!

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Perhaps he meant produce less vinyl posters, or smaller ones?

 

Shouldn't that be "fewer"?

 

I wonder what happens to all the posters after they've been used (just once, can they be printed on the back too?), some of our local shops / food outlets have recycled advertising posters as blinds, not seen an immigration/police one yet.

 

 

 

Reeking of desperation. Things must be incredibly dire, too much to cover up for maybe even ????

17 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

I agree 100%. Now tell my neighbours, officials and such. They wonder why i scare them back and its putely because of the amount of cash ive splashed out here over the decades. I dont want special treatment but would like my family not have to be raided checking for drugs and guns or have tourist police out to check all because my inbred neighbours feel inferior and have to act like children and lie to authorities in the hopes of being booted out of the country because my neighbours think they are going to get our farming machinery, land and such. 

Crazy but true! And no i dont have guns or drugs but thats what ive had to deal with this past year. Insane!

Whats worse you can have video evidence and make countless police reports of fake police reports made and even the police believe us but no action is taken and this is why it doesnt change. It's embarassing to Thailand. If i was in a better financial situation i would hav3 left already. One things for sure though and that is my family stopped coming many times a year years ago because they dont feel safe.

Wrong thread, this thread is about immigration and tourists.

Police corruption/ineptitude is going on in another thread at this time

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

7 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Perhaps he meant produce less vinyl posters, or smaller ones?

 

Shouldn't that be "fewer"?

 

I wonder what happens to all the posters after they've been used (just once, can they be printed on the back too?), some of our local shops / food outlets have recycled advertising posters as blinds, not seen an immigration/police one yet.

 

Solly, I learned my Engrish at Big C. 'Express checkout - 10 items or less'.

2 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Solly, I learned my Engrish at Big C. 'Express checkout - 10 items or less'.

 

 

From here https://www.espressoenglish.net/countable-and-uncountable-nouns-why-10-items-or-less-is-grammatically-incorrect/

Did he make it clear there is no 180 day law now????

30 minutes ago, keith101 said:

What and expats living here do nothing for the economy , maybe you should look at ways of helping us instead of making it harder .

For heavens sake stop turning it into a "what about me".  

They dont want tourist or long stay expats.

They only want YOUR MONEY!!!????

29 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

I agree 100%. Now tell my neighbours, officials and such. They wonder why i scare them back and its putely because of the amount of cash ive splashed out here over the decades. I dont want special treatment but would like my family not have to be raided checking for drugs and guns or have tourist police out to check all because my inbred neighbours feel inferior and have to act like children and lie to authorities in the hopes of being booted out of the country because my neighbours think they are going to get our farming machinery, land and such. 

Crazy but true! And no i dont have guns or drugs but thats what ive had to deal with this past year. Insane!

Whats worse you can have video evidence and make countless police reports of fake police reports made and even the police believe us but no action is taken and this is why it doesnt change. It's embarassing to Thailand. If i was in a better financial situation i would hav3 left already. One things for sure though and that is my family stopped coming many times a year years ago because they dont feel safe.

You need a go fund me page so you can leave.

5 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

 

From here https://www.espressoenglish.net/countable-and-uncountable-nouns-why-10-items-or-less-is-grammatically-incorrect/

Perhaps I should try forwarding the article to the Big C management - unless your you're on the case already?

Yes it is too late.  Tourists are going elsewhere.  This a product of the above mentioned behavior over a course of years.

Yes, be nicer and make life easier for them. When they come back and things are good and running smoothly, get complacent and start treating them like criminals again. 

 

Rinse and repeat. 

28 minutes ago, kelboy said:

It's all to late,all the tourist have heard and are going elsewhere. Also saving a lot of money. 

there's still well over 35 million coming here annually.

41 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

My goodness, what is this? An ounce of common sense? How the hell did that get into the country?

It entered on a 90-day tourist visa.  

25 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

And fittingly, that is the bottom line!

which is no different to any other country globally that has high numbers of tourists.

Mr. little big man thought he could have the money without the tourists. Guess it don't work that way....huh

10 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Perhaps I should try forwarding the article to the Big C management - unless your you're on the case already?

 

The campaign worked in the UK https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2659948/Tesco-to-ditch-ten-items-or-less-sign-after-good-grammar-campaign.html sort of, only in new stores.

 

I suppose we really ought to get back on topic.

 

10 minutes ago, The Farang said:

Yes it is too late.  Tourists are going elsewhere.  This a product of the above mentioned behavior over a course of years.

a very few tourists are going elsewhere.

5 minutes ago, SmartyMarty said:

 

 

Ease up how? I'm a long stay resident and have had no problems of difficulty. I renew my visa every year, do my 90 day reporting (easy as), don't need to do TM30 if I travel within Thailand (as told by CNX Immigration), never have a problem with the RTP who are always helpful and polite. What's the problem?

You are living in a dream world, RTP are always helpful.... Absolute b++Locks.

Twice i have had encounters with them , both times cost me millions of baht due to their lies.

In a coma, my wife was threatened with my deportation, that was a BIG problem.