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

[Nyezhov]

15 hours ago, shy coconut said:

Not sure why you say you can't do the backpacking thing anymore. My daughter 

was doing something similar last year. She wasin Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma

And Thailand. She was in and out of Thailand 3 times in 6 months, 1st time flying in

to start her trip and 2 land crossings. Not a single problem with immigration, no demands

for proof of  money or anything like that.

 

It did cost her a bit extra for the airticket as she had 2 singles to and from the UK

but she is pretty savvy and dug around on the internet for deals including multiple

lay offs. She bought a cheap onward ticket to HCM which she used after her initial

30 days were up.

 

She is far from the business traveller in appearance, waist long dreadlocks and 

comfortable clown pants are her choice. Like you she didn't spend much, but to

say it isn't possible due to the junta, or anti falang sentiment etc, is incorrect.

My kid does that too, in and out constantly, and although she isnt dreadlocked, she is very clearly a raggedyass. Never a problem going in and out as a real  tourist and she spends a ton of money

[rkidlad]

11 hours ago, saakura said:

I think that genuine tourists are always welcome, whether they are Westerners or Chinese or Arabs. What they seem to deeply dislike in the last several years are the cheap sexpats, older frugal western retirees living in villages, english teachers whose sole qualification is being a white skinned caucasian with dodgy credentials, digital nomads ekeing out a living etc

I was a genuine tourist back in 2005 (a backpacker). I entered Thailand in February and I left in March. Entered again just before Song Kran and left just after to go Malaysia. Came back to Thailand in May to meet a friend for a few days and we flew to and stayed in Hong Kong for just 2 nights. Where did we fly to then? Yes, that's right - Thailand again. In the space of just 4 months I'd entered Thailand 4 times using visa on arrival. No one at immigration said a word. No one cared. And is the case with backpackers, you meet people you met before in other countries. And they were coming in and out of Thailand as they pleased, too.

 

There were loads of backpackers back then. All did the same thing. Saved up a load of money and wanted to travel around SE Asia for several months. Not to sound like an old man 'cause I'm still in my mid-thirties, but they were the good old days. 

[SteveK]

2 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

I was a genuine tourist back in 2005 (a backpacker).

Same here - in and out about a dozen times probably between 2007-2009, never a word from anyone.

[saengd]

26 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

So you've just proved other posters' point that the tourist numbers are fudged. 

Define tourist.

[rkidlad]

Just now, saengd said:

Define tourist.

Is that a question or a statement?

 

A tourist is a person who visits Thailand for the purposes of tourism.

 

 

[saengd]

8 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Is that a question or a statement?

 

A tourist is a person who visits Thailand for the purposes of tourism.

 

Funny....you can't use the word tourist in your answer, nor any derivative thereof.

 

How about, a person who visits another place for pleasure.

Edited March 5, 2020 by saengd

[Logosone]

This is an idiot article by one of the many low quality bar stool journalists from the US, there is another one in the Bangkok Post, who like to vent their anti-European bias. The Chinese then took this article to have a go at Westerners, it's all a bit pathetic and total nonsense.

 

Yes, some Thai are fed up with people complaining they can't speak English and probably resent the excesses of tourism. However, every single tourist will be welcome, because they know very well that tourism is their bread and butter.

 

It's a non-story.

[SteveK]

4 minutes ago, saengd said:

Funny....you can't use the word tourist in your answer, nor any derivative thereof.

A tourist is defined in English as someone who travels for pleasure or personal interest.

Edited March 5, 2020 by SteveK

[rkidlad]

2 minutes ago, saengd said:

Funny....you can't use the word tourist in your answer, nor any derivative thereof.

Definitions of words are funny for you?

 

Have a look at a book called 'The Dictionary'. I think you'll get a right laugh out of it. 

[saengd]

9 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Definitions of words are funny for you?

 

Have a look at a book called 'The Dictionary'. I think you'll get a right laugh out of it. 

The idea of a definition is to use a description other than the name of a thing.

 

As edited and said earlier, a person who visits another place for pleasure.

 

Late Edit: bye Rick, back onto ignore you go.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by saengd

[rkidlad]

23 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

My kid does that too, in and out constantly, and although she isnt dreadlocked, she is very clearly a raggedyass. Never a problem going in and out as a real  tourist and she spends a ton of money

Sorry, can you just clarify this post? Are you saying that your daughter, a genuine tourist, travels in and out of Thailand constantly and never has a problem? 

[rkidlad]

Just now, saengd said:

The idea of a definition is to use a description other than the name of a thing.

 

As edited and said earlier, a person who visits another place for pleasure.

 

 

You asked 'me' to define tourism. You didn't ask for the dictionary definition. 

[Wongkitlo]

11 hours ago, DannyCarlton said:

Yep a regular in the Mucky Duck.

Mercedes or Toyota?

[soi3eddie]

22 hours ago, Ventenio said:

This is all pre-corona.  

 

Can you imagine if it was a Brit, American, etc... who brought the Corona.  We would be finished. 

 

But now........we are in demand, again.... except we have a brain, so supply is lower than a bottomless pit.  

 

 

You are correct when you say "except we have a brain". Most westerners tend to think but most asians tend to follow. Follow the herd, keep up with the tour guide's flag, on the bus, off the bus, gem store, overcrowded island, crappy restauarant. Everything done for them. Westerners are prepared to research and ask questions. Maybe that's why so many are avoiding Thailand... 

[roo860]

1 hour ago, jingjai9 said:

I think one thing to consider when discussing western tourists in Thailand is that trouble between Thais and western tourists often arises from the westerner's assumptions about customer service. Westerners use their experience with customer service in the west as a yardstick to judge Thai merchants. It is not the same. 

 

I am not at all sure if the customer comes first in Thailand or if the customer is always right. One case in point is that I shop each week at Tesco and my shopping experience is often negative because I cannot navigate the workers re-stocking shelves in the aisles or cleaning up or even two or three gathered in a group talking while customers are forced to detour their carts around them. It seems as though the customer is in the store for the employees benefit rather than the employees being their for the customer. In some smaller shops I get the impression that because one has the money to open a business they are in essence superior to the customer.  Do others have this experience?

I just run into them with my trolley, bit like the way they drive!

????

[saengd]

5 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

You are correct when you say "except we have a brain". Most westerners tend to think but most asians tend to follow. Follow the herd, keep up with the tour guide's flag, on the bus, off the bus, gem store, overcrowded island, crappy restauarant. Everything done for them. Westerners are prepared to research and ask questions. Maybe that's why so many are avoiding Thailand... 

Maybe that's why there's been such a downturn in mass tours and a massive increase of FIT's.

 

It's also worth mentioning that most Asians are not as travel savvy as their Western counterparts who have been travelling internationally in the mass market since the 1970's. The number of Chinese holding passports is still in the single digits, the number of Thai's travelling overseas has surged in the past two years but it is still a very low percentage of the population. So it's really not about having a brain as you put it, it's about first experiencing a country other than their own and now that many have, FIT's have become mainstream.

 

And any of you guys that over 60 will remember the old line of, if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium. That was about mass tourism in the West during the 1970's, Americans mostly who took a package tour and visited six countries in ten days. Brits did the same, all inclusive package tours to Costa Del Fish and Chips, all had tour guides to tell them where to eat, what to do, show them the attractions etc etc. Bottom line is Asians are just way behind the West when it comes to international travel, a little understanding wouldn't hurt here.

 

[Sonhia]

Apart from illigal prositution which is allowed to continue by the very law enforcers who are supposed to stop it, what else does toyland have to offer?

 

Elephants?

Chilli?

Rice?

Sunshine?

 

Or

 

Racism!

Extortion!

Lawlessness!

Pollution!

Filth and dirt!

Packs of wild street dogs!

 

Hummmm....What else???

[soi3eddie]

3 hours ago, SteveK said:

What about the hordes of Lao people who cross the border for a few hours to go to Makro? Or the hordes of Malaysians who cross the border to get drunk and engage with local ladies in Hat Yai then go back the next day? Are these all counted as tourists?

It would appear so. 

[Traubert]

47 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

Apart from illigal prositution which is allowed to continue by the very law enforcers who are supposed to stop it, what else does toyland have to offer?

 

Elephants?

Chilli?

Rice?

Sunshine?

 

Or

 

Racism!

Extortion!

Lawlessness!

Pollution!

Filth and dirt!

Packs of wild street dogs!

 

Hummmm....What else???

Numpties on bar stools spouting perceived wisdom?

[spidermike007]

17 hours ago, Nakmuay887 said:

Immigration office in Mae Sot had nobody inside it yesterday. Zero people. I arrived and walked through my visa extension start to finish in less than 8 minutes. Normally it takes at least two hours. 

 

 

I am hoping this stunning drop in tourism wakes up immigration, and this heinous administration, and teaches them some humility. If that is possible.

[ThaiBunny]

5 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I am hoping this stunning drop in tourism wakes up immigration, and this heinous administration, and teaches them some humility. If that is possible.

How is life on Fantasy Island?

[JAG]

On 3/4/2020 at 11:42 AM, djayz said:

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

Sometimes you can find people perched on barstools who know a surprising number of long words!

 

Not very often I'll grant you - personally I run out of steam after I have used "wheelbarrow" and "marmalade " a couple of times...

[spidermike007]

3 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

How is life on Fantasy Island?

Pretty good actually. I do live a life full of hope, aspiration, and dreams. Without them, I would just lay down and die. I know some of my dreams may seem a bit "out there". Like the dream of the youth ousting the hapless army. But, I do believe it will happen, and I can actually visualize it happening. They can only hold the people down for so long. They have really overstayed their welcome, and with a collapsing economy, the people are going to be very <deleted> off. If there is one thing the average Thai responds to, it is cash. And the denial of such.

[JingerBen]

14 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Pretty good actually. I do live a life full of hope, aspiration, and dreams. Without them, I would just lay down and die. I know some of my dreams may seem a bit "out there". Like the dream of the youth ousting the hapless army. But, I do believe it will happen, and I can actually visualize it happening. They can only hold the people down for so long. They have really overstayed their welcome, and with a collapsing economy, the people are going to be very <deleted> off. If there is one thing the average Thai responds to, it is cash. And the denial of such.

"...overstayed their welcome,"  you say.

Tell me again how many military coups there have been since 1932.

Otherwise you make some good points.

You're one of the better posters, Mike.  You are critical without being nasty and bitter about the country we choose to live in and the people we live among.

[Nyezhov]

5 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Sorry, can you just clarify this post? Are you saying that your daughter, a genuine tourist, travels in and out of Thailand constantly and never has a problem? 

Yeah dude I'd have to look but I know she has at least 4 entries in the past 6 months. 

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I do live a life full of hope, aspiration, and dreams

Could have fooled all of us who have read your endless diatribes about the things you hate...virtually everything...especially Thailand

[DrTuner]

4 hours ago, saengd said:

Maybe that's why there's been such a downturn in mass tours and a massive increase of FIT's.

When China banned the tours due to corona tourism plummeted overnight. Only FITs seem to be the ones up north travelling with their own car. 

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, JingerBen said:

"...overstayed their welcome,"  you say.

Tell me again how many military coups there have been since 1932.

Otherwise you make some good points.

You're one of the better posters, Mike.  You are critical without being nasty and bitter about the country we choose to live in and the people we live among.

Thank you. I appreciate that. I love Thailand and it's people. They have many qualities I admire and enjoy. I know some really lovely people here. Every morning I wake up here is a good day. I have a very good life here. Many of us do. 

 

It is the army, the administration, and immigration that I detest. I am neutral about the cops. They are like wallpaper to me. Fortunately, I rarely ever have to deal with them. When I do, I push back as much as I can. I would never call on them for help, unless I was in a traffic accident where they were required for insurance, or a tragic outcome. 

 

Let us count our blessings. 

Edited March 5, 2020 by spidermike007

[rkidlad]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

Yeah dude I'd have to look but I know she has at least 4 entries in the past 6 months. 

Using what kinda visas?

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

Could have fooled all of us who have read your endless diatribes about the things you hate...virtually everything...especially Thailand

Read my posts again. They are nearly always complaints about the army and the incompetence of the administration. I rarely ever direct any of that toward the Thai people. And besides. Most rational people have complaints. Does that mean we do not love our lives? Get a grip, please.