Has Thailand had enough of Western tourists and their ‘entitlement’?

[trainman34014]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

Indian and Chinese tourists are being taken advantage of right now - easy to rip off, that won't last for ever 

You think Indians are easy to rip off ?  You haven't spent much time in India or around Indians here then !

[trainman34014]

55 minutes ago, Nakmuay887 said:

Some of the expats here appear to be lacking in the intelligence department. Myself included in many aspects 

Those that cloud their brains with Alcohol on a constant basis are the worst in my opinion.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, booji said:

The source cited in the article is some posting on Pattaya Unplugged. Great journalism folks!

 

Not one of the South China Morning Post's more noteworthy journalistic achievements....

 

An entire article on Thailand based on TAT statistics and some stupid Pattaya-based blog.

[Brigand]

We have been shunned in the last 5 years because the military killjoys have decided to sell-out to the Chinese at many levels (not just tourists to attract) and the elite are doing China's bidding by getting rid of as many of us as possible as that is China's agenda for Southeast Asia. Also, xenophobic nationalism runs strong in the elite here (who are all Chinese anyhow) and they see our ways, presence and values corrupting their slaves with ideas and noncompliance ...but it's perfectly OK to send all the elite and their kids to the West for education at Harrow/Eton/Yale etc. or to pass through West Point or some FBI counter terrorism facility so that they can keep their unequal society chugging along.

 

Basically, all they want is the "come for 2 weeks crowd" and then get rid after stripping them of their money, good riddance and don't come too often. The keys of Thailand have been handed over to the Chinese. Where do you think all the nasty oppressive new immigration rules are coming from?

 

By the time your average Thai wakes up and realises they have all been sold-out down the river it'll be far too late. Trouble for Thailand is that jumping into bed with the Devil will come at a huge price and these young kids in their late teens have no idea what's coming.

Edited March 4, 2020 by Brigand
Typos

[mngmn]

This western tourist has had enough of Thailand and it's endless scams.

[CraigInBangkok]

1 minute ago, mngmn said:

This western tourist has had enough of Thailand and it's endless scams.

see ya

[Seismic]

1 hour ago, J Town said:

In EVERY case where I've interacted with Thai's, if I am polite to them, they are polite in return. This isn't just a Thai thing, it's a human thing. Duh.

I can honestly say that is not true for me. I have over the years had to 'be polite' to obnoxious, police, immigration, railway staff, and bad drivers without receiving the same in return. I can also say this was not the case 30 or more years ago.

[BobbyL]

I was in Phuket the other weekend. At the airport, hotel, beach resorts and out drinking around Bangla were easily 80% or more white tourists. I was very surprised at seeing so many. 

 

They seem to be keeping the tourism industry single - handedly going right now.  

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, AlienHermit66 said:

Have also heard a lot of complaints from Thai people about entitled, argumentative, demanding, and cheap Israelis - not sure anyone classes them as "Westerners," but I don't...

Was in a hotel last year with around 50 Israeli backpackers who'd just finished their national service.

They were a really nice and friendly bunch, the girls had very small bikinis, the guys were really buff and had loads of weed, and they were happily including me (the only old guy in the place) in their pass the joint sessions.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, zydeco said:

Looked at the original Pattaya blog, and his complaint, when you boil it down, is that people from the UK, US, and Australia seem to expect what they paid for. And they don't like getting cheated. This, he complains, makes them unpopular. He seems to think that visiting Western tourists should just suck it up and be happy with the double pricing, the overcharges, the taxi mafias, etc. We need to be more compliant and servile like the Indians and Chinese and just turn over our wallet and shut up.

 

I think the blogger is stupid. If he thinks Westerners complain about low quality, poor service and being cheated wait till he meets a few Indians! Nearly all the fights with Jet Ski mafias I can remember reading about involved Indian tourists reacting to attempted scams.

 

And virtually every Thai I know isn't well disposed to anyone from the Indian sub-continent.

[Blue Muton]

2 hours ago, djayz said:

Sounds like a well structured, academic survey carried out by a notable research institute. 

Maybe the same esteemed institution that Bush & Blair quoted to try to justify their war in Iraq?

[RichardColeman]

maybe the CHinese and the Indians just set their sights lower

[DoctorG]

Not entitled, but we certainly have expectations.

[DrTuner]

Junta doesn't like people from countries that have democracy, better get tourists from countries with oppressive regimes. Welcome Chinese, from their dear Motherland.

 

Let 'em have it and cook in their own stew. Europe has nice holiday spots of it's own.

[Cake Monster]

I can remember ( and it was not so many Years ago ) , when the Hotels in Pattaya would not allow Clients from Countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh

The people were branded as dirty,smelly and unhygienic, and the Hotels would rather leave rooms empty than book these people.

How times have changed for these Hoteliers, and I hope the Indians Etc remeber the way they were treated, and tell the Thais to sit on it and swivel.

[tonray]

Apparently you're not entitled to have a a taxi use the meter

[Nakmuay887]

41 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I think the blogger is stupid. If he thinks Westerners complain about low quality, poor service and being cheated wait till he meets a few Indians! Nearly all the fights with Jet Ski mafias I can remember reading about involved Indian tourists reacting to attempted scams.

 

And virtually every Thai I know isn't well disposed to anyone from the Indian sub-continent.

Girlfriends mom once told me if you are on the farm and have your gun with you and see a snake and an Indian, you shoot the inadian first. 

 

I've never heard a woman pushing 70 years old say such things in my entire life. I wasn't sure if I should burst out laughing or run the other direction as fast as I could 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Nakmuay887

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Was in a hotel last year with around 50 Israeli backpackers who'd just finished their national service.

They were a really nice and friendly bunch, the girls had very small bikinis, the guys were really buff and had loads of weed, and they were happily including me (the only old guy in the place) in their pass the joint sessions.

If you are considering conversion, bear in mind you will have to be circumsized.

[Lacessit]

The government might like Chinese and Indian tourists. Thai people at the street level like Westerners, they detest Indians and Chinese. Kiniow.

[spidermike007]

Quite the opposite has occurred. Western tourists have had enough of Thailand. Too much racism, xenophobia, dual pricing, scams, ridiculously filthy air, surly immigration, traffic congestion, and a total lack of solutions, from one of the most incompetent governments in the world.

[Jimbo2014]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Compiled by an American living in Pattaya, those reasons were gleaned from “many talks with people from many different backgrounds and cultures

Well there is your answer.  Hes an American.  Response bias ????????????????

[Redline]

The farang moved on

Edited March 4, 2020 by Redline

[soalbundy]

What entitlement? maybe after 14 years here I've gone native but I don't feel entitled.

[toenail]

The reader has to realize this article is just ones opinion and not certainly a valid poll. (and getting opinions from Thais in Pattaya ( the party resort) makes the article more opinionated. I am a Westerner that has lived in five countries around the world which makes me aware of the difference of cultures  and mannerisms. Also, when I first went overseas over 35 years ago I certainly was a “rookie” that thought anything not Western ( such as squat toilets, rolls of toilet paper placed on tables to be used as paper towels, bathroom shower splashing next to the toilet without  a shower divider or various ethnic foods as “strange” or “ crazy” -But a seasoned traveler will understand the differences of infrastructure, mannerisms, or items used in a visiting  country that he/ she is not accustomed to back home. 

Good customer service is the frustrating one found in many countries such as Thailand. For a country that caters to Western tourists you would think the service industry would do a better job in training their employees- but just think, most of the locals have not seen in their daily life what “ customer service” is like in a Western county ( or places such as Japan or Singapore). Lack of good training and/ or good mentors are required for successful employees in the hospitality industry. True, the lack of “face” certainly hinders an establishment or person to better themselves.  I personally think all nationalities are the same when it comes to good customer service.  No one wants to have a  plate of rice on their table then wait another 20 minutes for  their main dish to be delivered or wait at a hotel cashier desk for 20 minutes while the floor maid checks to see the bathroom towels or remote isn’t missing. True, if a traveler is staying in  4-5 star  hotel paying big baht he/ she  expects good service; whereas a more locally run hotel the expectations should be lowered. 

I have lived in Thailand for 15 years and I hear from the “old timers” in the tourist industry ( taxi drivers, hotel staff, travel agents) how they miss the Western traveler because we’re easier to communicate with and give good tips - ha ha. Each nationality has its own mannerism which can contribute to a “stereotype”. Maybe the opinion of this young writer’s article is doing the same.

Edited March 4, 2020 by toenail
spelling

[thaikahuna]

Thais got use to the high season, low season thing and it's spoiled them. There hasn't been a real high season in probably 20 years. The Thais go use to jacking prices up for high season and now it's the norm. There is no high season. It has been and always will be fleece the tourist...regardless of where you are from. The Thais job is to extract every possible baht from your wallet and do so with a smile on their face. Our job as foreigners is to mitigate that loss as much as possible and all while having a smile on our faces.

 

If every westerner and like company were to fold up their respective tents and leave tomorrow, the day after Thailand would be right back where it was 70 years ago. We'd be gone, the Thais would be happy.

[SteveK]

11 minutes ago, toenail said:

most of the locals have not seen in their daily life what “ customer service” is like in a Western county 

I can't help but think that things might have been very different if Thailand had in fact been colonised many years ago.

[sanuk711]

2 hours ago, BobbyL said:

I was in Phuket the other weekend. At the airport, hotel, beach resorts and out drinking around Bangla were easily 80% or more white tourists. I was very surprised at seeing so many. 

 

They seem to be keeping the   tourism   Sex industry single - handedly going right now.  

Yes the Indians/Chinese wont overpay or fall in love quite so easy ..........

.

Maybe you were more respected a few years or so back-----who fault is that? In Thailand who has the most Non Thai Beggars? Your see them with their signs asking Thai's to contribute to their fare home. Remember Mr Big Leg laying on the pavement he even had a go fund me page that many Thais sent small amounts to---until he was banned from Thailand.

 

When a non Thai is arrested for selling drugs-----would that be a Indian or a Chinese?

 

[Lacessit]

8 minutes ago, toenail said:

 The reader has to realize this article is just ones opinion and not certainly a valid poll. I am a Westerner that has lived in five countries around the world which makes me aware of the difference of cultures  and mannerisms. Also, when I first went overseas over 35 years ago I certainly was a “rookie” that thought anything not Western ( such as squat toilets, rolls of toilet paper placed on tables to be used as paper towels, bathroom shower splashing next to the toilet with a shower divider or various ethnic foods as “strange” or “ crazy” -But a seasoned traveler will understand the differences of infrastructure, mannerisms, or items used in a visiting  country that he/ she is not accustomed to back home. 

Good customer service is the frustrating one found in many countries such as Thailand. For a country that caters to Western tourists you would think the service industry would do a better job in training their employees- but just think, most of the locals have not seen in their daily life what “ customer service” is like in a Western county ( or places such as Japan or Singapore). Lack of good training and/ or good mentors are required for successful employees in the hospitality industry. True, the lack of “face” certainly hinders an establishment or person to better themselves.  I personally think all nationalities are the same when it comes to good customer service.  No one wants to have a  plate of rice on their table then wait another 20 minutes for  their main dish to be delivered or wait at a hotel desk for 20 minutes while the floor maid checks to see the bathroom towels or remote isn’t missing. 

You should try customer service in Australia, it's an imposition to interrupt whatever they are doing on their mobile phones. They act like they are doing you a huge favor.

I very rarely get poor customer service in Thailand. I go back to the places where I have had good service, and never go back to the ones where I haven't.

 

 

[ukrules]

4 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Thailand decided to go after the Chinese tourists and that's fair enough. But why did they give up on, seemingly try to dissuade Western tourists from coming? That makes no business sense and now it's coming back to bite them in the <deleted>.

Exactly this, there's plenty of room for all tourists - they made a decision to erode the Euro arrivals.

 

I look forward the the fallout from the governments incompetence. Every day Thais don't like what's going on.

[natway09]

Let me tell ya Smedley, Indian tourists are not pushovers to deal with