Thailand Billionaire Keen to Restart Tourism

[shadowofacloud]

Attracting wealthy tourists is going to be a huge challenge, as Thailand is commonly regarded as a cheap holiday destination. Plus it is polluted, overdeveloped, the customer service is mostly atrocious, little English spoken anywhere etc.

 

But he has a point re: digital professionals. This is a huge trend (of which I am a part of) and it will continue to grow. The virus acted as a catalyst for the transition from office-based time wasting to typically more efficient remote work.

 

I am getting lots of feedback from various parts of the IT sector, even from typically conservative areas, such as banking, where decision makers are starting to see the benefits of widespread remote work (same work quality, efficiency usually better, huge savings on office space).

 

I said that before, multiple times: Thailand should provide an easily accessible digital professional visa/work permit combo, the same way Laos or Cambodia do with regular work permits/visas. If properly promoted, this could attract thousands of remote workers, who would definitely spend more than your usual backpacker, package tour tourist, shabby sexpat etc.

 

Not sure if I would come back, but there are millions of tech bros, for whom working remotely from, say, Samui would be a dream come true.

 

The biggest issue here is the rigid local mentality, rising xenophobia and a complete cluster<deleted> in terms of predictability and clarity of regulations.

Edited May 15, 2020 by shadowofacloud

[fruitman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

and turn the country into a "safe haven" for wealthy visitors. 

What a joke this is, the Thai can't even make a sidewalk without loads of holes, low hanging electric cables, rabies soi dogs, driving motocycles , falling coconuts and so on.....he better invests some billions in that first.

[fruitman]

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Bill Gates loved it, could not forget his visit!

 

 

Last week we went out for a walk on the sidewalk, i heard a loud bang behind us and looked back...there i saw a large glowing fireball dropping down from a huge transformer...it was melted metal i think...so lucky i didn't get that on me head.

[OneeyedJohn]

The virus has gone in our village, or at least the market owner thinks so.

All the taped off frontage and single back entry with a temp checker and bottle of sanitiser has disappeared.

Many traders not wearing masks.

 

I was almost made to feel stupid for wearing mine.

 

Got my spuds, cabbage, ginger and capsicums pretty smartish, and buggered off rather quickly.

[RotBenz8888]

45 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Last week we went out for a walk on the sidewalk, i heard a loud bang behind us and looked back...there i saw a large glowing fireball dropping down from a huge transformer...it was melted metal i think...so lucky i didn't get that on me head.

And they're talking about 100 000usd insurance, for covid19.....

[RotBenz8888]

5 hours ago, AlexRich said:

I don't think many countries can survive for very long under lockdown conditions. Wear masks, wash hands, isolate the most vulnerable ... but otherwise get on with work and life. An effective vaccine might never arrive so the World must learn to live with this virus until it fades out. 

Agreed. The full consequences of the lockdowns will be dreadful, with mental illness, suicides, poverty and even starvation. And i wouldn't be surprised if the already crashed stock market will crash further down pretty soon. The world economy is about to plummet down a black hole. When taking all these factors in consideration, I wonder what will turn out to be worse, the virus or the lockdowns?

[overherebc]

3 hours ago, bodga said:

STRUTH!

Pre virus I was reliably informed by a Thai who had returned from studying in UK that the service from the UK doctor was very poor. When I asked why? I was told she had gone to the doctor with very bad flu ( remember pre virus ) and the doctor had suggested I just stay home, rest, drink lots of fluids etc. He refused to give me any antibiotics or tablets to cure me. Very poor service.

[trainman34014]

5 hours ago, BobbyL said:

Thailand is already well-known for its hospitality, warmth, and friendliness

 

That is true to a certain extent, however in this day and age Thailand is also known for corruption, scams, pollution, xenophobia, dual pricing, high prices for sub - standard services, shocking health and safety standards, bizarre government rules that change at any time etc.

 

His aims are good, but something like this is just not going to happen. 

He lives in a wealthy bubble with all the other 'Elite's' and is not subject to all the ill's you have mentioned; possibly with the exception of Corruption !

[holy cow cm]

This guy and his business backs the military and elites in government and he wants to corner all the markets with his crappy food products. Very very little respect for him, and now looking at his name plaque having what looks like Chinese writing on it, even less now.

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, AlexRich said:

I don't think many countries can survive for very long under lockdown conditions. Wear masks, wash hands, isolate the most vulnerable ... but otherwise get on with work and life. An effective vaccine might never arrive so the World must learn to live with this virus until it fades out. 

It's getting ridiculous to keep this lockdown-charade going, in light of new data.  

 

... which is a translation from this Dutch report:
https://esb.nu/blog/20059695/we-kunnen-nu-gaan-rekenen-aan-corona

 

As this makes clear, only the elderly and infirm are at significant risk at/over "flu" norms.

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by JackThompson

[humbug]

Dhanin wealthy beyond many, is a full member of China communist party, true mobile created by china mobile and huawei, railway construction all with communist china construction companies, online pay through alipay et all, online trade through alibaba, it goes on and on, he is a backdoor investment and control shill for china to control thailand, through trade and bureaucracy, bloomberg had a more detailed article on his private links to the communists going back 50 years

[Curmudgeon1]

6 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

And people on here still believe the reported figures, and don't question why more testing was not done ! 

Ther only thing you can believe is that the hospitals are not overwhelmed, yet thailand was the first country outside of china to be infected. 

[Curmudgeon1]

6 hours ago, colinneil said:

Maybe Dhanin is strapped for a few baht, needs a bit more to stave off hunger.????

As Chairman of CP, all he is interested in, is making more money for CP, nothing else.

That's a pedestrian comment, with no value. 

He is providing some ideas, that the government and bureaucrats are ill equipped to conceive or implement. 

Twice valid comments of transforming quantity to quality tourists, have made good sense. Downsize and upgrade...

Good idea about 30yr bonds, and soft loans. 

Easy to critisize, but if you'r not open to listen to someone who understands by experience vs theory  then you should move aside, or just move????

[Simon Snake]

The white elephant Iconsiam now starting to eat into the new Bentley budget.  Poor old Mr CP.   

[colinneil]

3 minutes ago, Curmudgeon1 said:

That's a pedestrian comment, with no value. 

He is providing some ideas, that the government and bureaucrats are ill equipped to conceive or implement. 

Twice valid comments of transforming quantity to quality tourists, have made good sense. Downsize and upgrade...

Good idea about 30yr bonds, and soft loans. 

Easy to critisize, but if you'r not open to listen to someone who understands by experience vs theory  then you should move aside, or just move????

Whats up mate? Wife not being good to you, so letting of steam on here.????

[Ranshoko]

The lockdown must be hurting his businesses and wealth. He's in dreamland like so many others. Reports are coming in that Wuhan and other Chinese cities have

reintroduced lockdowns. It won't be safe to open the borders for a while yet. I agree now is the time to ease restrictions to see how things pan out. If there's a second wave then they have two options 1. let it rip through the country and the fittest will survive or 2. another lockdown.  

[toenail]

Who believes this rich “expert” about opening up a safe haven for tourists? We all  know part of the Thai behavior is to not follow safety standards. Have Thais decreased their deaths from driving? How about safety standards for new construction projects? Sorry,  this is all words with no action. 

[lostmebike]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"If we can make rich people feel confident that staying in Thailand is safer than their own countries then they will come."

The beaches in Koh Tao are especially safe, right prayut? If you're old and ugly, that garden hoe will surely stay in the tool shed.

[GAZZPA]

6 hours ago, Sharp said:

With all due respect its heading towards Flu % numbers worldwide so its time to 'try' to get back to work!! 

No its not fella. It is killing far more the flu and still spreading. In my country it killed nearly twice as many people in 2 months then flu kills in a year.

[IamNoone88]

Its not just his business interests in Thailand but right across China that would have been hit very hard. Clever to position this as an attraction for the "wealthy" but of course opening the doors to the limited wealthy (who are too smart and would likely not take a risk until there is no evidence of a second wave) really means opening the doors to his core market  ..... the millions of beer swilling, 7-Eleven convenience cheap Charlies that his company so desperately want back into general pandemic circulation. 

[johng]

11 minutes ago, GAZZPA said:

In my country it killed nearly twice as many people in 2 months then flu kills in a year.

Which country would that be ?

 

[Tchooptip]

7 hours ago, colinneil said:

Maybe Dhanin is strapped for a few baht, needs a bit more to stave off hunger.????

As Chairman of CP, all he is interested in, is making more money for CP, nothing else.

"As Chairman of CP, all he is interested in, is making more money for CP, nothing else."

I can assure you my dear Colin had you not said it I would have guessed it ????

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

So it's hitting the big boys pockets... Time for action !!

 

Indeed.

 

The countries that implemented partial lock downs, and it was and is partial and closed their borders to incoming foreigners have by and large been more successful at containing this virus than those who didn't.

 

My relatives in the UK, some staunch Conservative supporters, are highly critical of the Johnson government for not closing the borders, having no checks at the borders and initially being reluctant to enforce proposed lock downs with widespread ignoring of the rules.

 

Here, there was border closure, monitoring of returning citizens, attempts to trace contacts of those infected, partial lock down with less ignoring it, etc. 

 

Given the respective numbers of cases and deaths, the UK seems vastly worse in its approach.

 

So the cautious approach now being taken by the Thai government seems prudent and sensible.

 

 

[drbeach]

Thailand went into lockdown on March 26, NOT March 9. Where are they getting these "facts" from? From what I can recall, one province, Buri Ram, decided to lock down first, which happened around mid-March. In the days that followed, foreigners were finding it harder to enter the Kingdom, until they were banned altogether after March 31. In the last 10 days of the month, strict insurance and testing requirements were in place, but these were essentially a polite way of saying: "you can't come" since almost no one could meet the requirements.

 

The lockdown was initially eased on May 3.

[sammieuk1]

"Thailand is already well-known for its hospitality, warmth, and friendliness."

 

Roll me one of what he is smoking ????

[yellowboat]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

"If we can make rich people feel confident that staying in Thailand is safer than their own countries then they will come."

No matter how money some people have, they are still dumb.  Rich people do not come to Thailand for more than a few days.  Rich people would come to do business if Thailand didn't have barbaric labor laws, lousy domestic economy and wasn't structured to rip you off.  Vietnam is safer, better educated and has hope/fun.  Inbred Thai mega rich are living in the past.   

[robert888d]

He is losing a hell of a lot of his own money and getting worried.

[Cake Monster]

8 hours ago, colinneil said:

Maybe Dhanin is strapped for a few baht, needs a bit more to stave off hunger.????

As Chairman of CP, all he is interested in, is making more money for CP, nothing else.

When a person such as this Dhanin guy make such statements, it is for only one reason.

He is what he is, because he only wants money, and nothing else is important in his life.

He wants the footfall of the Chinese Tourists back to the CP outlets ( whatever they are ) and very quickly so he can have more Money.

Now, if he had said that he was going to give 100 or 200 MIllion Baht of his personal wealth to aid the poor of Thailand during this dire time for them,Then I would have some respect for the man.

[Greg O]

Nice try Mr CP Now will General fuzzy nuts go for it or will Dr wee-wee have to agree....gotta sell that frozen <deleted> to the Rich elite tourists standing in line for their Spa treatments ..boring

[RandomActofKindness]

Well with today’s announcement that Phuket’s airport has been closed indefinitely and the island relying heavily in tourism... I’d like to know how this is going to work?