Thailand Aims to Turn Away From Mass Tourism and Target the Wealthy

[Mung]

8 hours ago, baansgr said:

Although they may spend 5 times the amount of sexpats..it doesn't create 5 times as many jobs which is what's needed most

hey don't do that, you're using logic. That isn't allowed here 

[Surasak]

The charm that once was Thailand, has all been washed away. Strange but true, the tourist are to blame. They arrived with plenty of money to spend, found it was cheaper that expected and the locals took advantage of westerners naivety. The Asian monitory crash didn't help, casting back to then, £1;00  got you ฿7000, plus for while, and could provide a very good holiday. That lasted for approximately 8/9 years. The Thais took advantage of the money almost being throw at them at that time and unfortunately they still think westerners are big spenders. They are in for a very big shock, because those days are now gone, and I feel will never return. The world has changed big time and Thailand will get left behind, mostly because they don't want outside interference, and wont accept offers of help. Thailand will go the way of many other countries which are and have been, run by generals.    

[herwin1234]

1 minute ago, Andrew65 said:

Lots of wealthy people first come to Thailand as backpackers.
Some years ago I read an article by one of the bosses of L'Oreal, first came to Thailand as a backpacker & now lives there.

 

according to all the wise farangs here thats impossible. Thailand, according to them, is too filthy and has nothing to offer to wealthy people. Well, this shows them factually wrong. Many farangs here are uneducated pigs (sorry for being so direct) who simply cannot see beyond beer and hookerd.

Educated and wealthy can, on the other hand, see and value what Thailand has to offer.

[geisha]

The Thai authorities evidently don’t know how rich people spend their holidays. Maybe they should have a look at Monaco, Cannes, st Tropez, Bora Bora, Moustique, Bahamas etc etc. That’s where the well off hang out. Of course, they could always copy these countries and turn Thailand into a dollar haven , but at its present state, Thailand is going from bad to worse.,

[geisha]

2 minutes ago, herwin1234 said:

according to all the wise farangs here thats impossible. Thailand, according to them, is too filthy and has nothing to offer to wealthy people. Well, this shows them factually wrong. Many farangs here are uneducated pigs (sorry for being so direct) who simply cannot see beyond beer and hookerd.

Educated and wealthy can, on the other hand, see and value what Thailand has to offer.

What exactly does Thailand have to offer ?

[klauskunkel]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

target big spenders seeking privacy

Where you go, darring?

[ChouDoufu]

8 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

The Tropical 5 Star Island of Phuket will be the crown jewel for their wealthy visitors and only the 5 star all inclusive Hotels will be in Play.  No room at the trough for those normal hotels, shops or restaurants.  I can see where the money is going. Straight into someone's pockets who has invested in the 5 star resorts... 

 

so this will essentially be chinese zero-dollah package tours for rich folks?

[mlmcleod]

I guess the Thai Tourist Authority will never learn!  Rich tourists have no interest in Thailand.  They prefer Europe and the Riviera.  They expect amenities that Thailand does not normally offer such a clean streets, clean beaches, etc.

 

Every time I tell my friends back home that I retired in Thailand they just say yuck!  Singapore is so much cleaner if you must go to Asia.  They carry on about Paris, London, Rome, Berlin, etc.  The wealthy don't worry about corona virus as they stay amongst there own and not the dirty crowd.

[johnny49r]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Target the Wealthy

Folks with plenty of money pick really cool vacation destinations. Budget minded travelers choose Thailand because it is affordable. 

Business execs come here for business reasons, and medical tourists come for cheap medical procedures. They don't come for the pristine beaches, safe environment, and healthy climate.

 

[ThaidDown]

13 minutes ago, geisha said:

What exactly does Thailand have to offer ?

To some people it must be a lot as they spend day after day on this forum (and others) slagging off the Thai government, everything about Thailand and all Thais yet they still want to  stay here or to get back in to continue living here.

 

 

[Surasak]

5 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

Now ! If I had pots of Money ( which I dont ), the very last place on the Planet that I would vacation would be Thailand.

I can imagine it now.

A Beautiful Sunset ( or it would be if the Sky was not obscured by Toxic Pollution ). Sitting on the Veranda ( with a high degree chance of contracting Dengue Fever from a Mosquito ), sipping a glass of Bubbly ( Ridiculously overpriced ) , and listening to ... Dogs barking and Howling, and breathing in the fragrant fumes from a trash fire in the close vicinity.

All this after a day of sailing the Private Motor Launch around the Gulf among all the raw Sewage and rafts of Trash, and then a relaxing drive back to the House, trying to warn the Driver of each hazard to avoid if possible.

Its tough at the top.

 

Is that a dig at the trade descriptions act?

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, 5633572526 said:

If you couldn’t afford to go before you will not be able to go in the future 

It's not the money that's stopping me.

[tribalfusion001]

18 minutes ago, geisha said:

What exactly does Thailand have to offer ?

Lots of hookers and eager office girls looking for a BF.

[geisha]

6 minutes ago, ThaidDown said:

To some people it must be a lot as they spend day after day on this forum (and others) slagging off the Thai government, everything about Thailand and all Thais yet they still want to  stay here or to get back in to continue living here.

 

 

The post was not about expats living in Thailand. It was about attracting rich tourists to Thailand. So, what does Thailand have to offer to wealthy tourists ? 

[robert888d]

Alas if you look up the top fifteen countries where billionaires go for holiday Thailand is not among them.A lot of work will be required to change Thailand's reputation and attract wealthier clientele. 

[Andrew65]

18 minutes ago, mlmcleod said:

I guess the Thai Tourist Authority will never learn!  Rich tourists have no interest in Thailand.  They prefer Europe and the Riviera.  They expect amenities that Thailand does not normally offer such a clean streets, clean beaches, etc.

 

Every time I tell my friends back home that I retired in Thailand they just say yuck!  Singapore is so much cleaner if you must go to Asia.  They carry on about Paris, London, Rome, Berlin, etc.  The wealthy don't worry about corona virus as they stay amongst there own and not the dirty crowd.

I had a very wealthy (old money), now sadly deceased Swedish friend. I got the impression from him that Thailand didn't really do it for him, for the reasons you mention. He'd long talked about moving to Marbella or somewhere like that. Also, even with his wealth, visas for Thailand were a pain.

Edited June 20, 2020 by Andrew65

[ExpatOne]

That won’t help tourism. There will be some resorts that do well and the rest of the industry (hotels, restaurants, water parks, etc) will have to close down.

[Nanaplaza666]

Target the wealthy so they will stay and eat and drink at places owned by the weathy so the wealthy will get only wealthier and the other 80% of thailand can shut up and stay as poor and dumb as they want them to be . Really these people making up these things really have no shame at all and the first one is dumber then the other , Pra , Anu now this crackerjack . It's the institute of the dumb that just keeps on giving . 

[fxe1200]

8 hours ago, Logosone said:

Mallorca tried this without success. There are just not enough rich people. The plebs are the masses, it's where the real money is. Who do you think finances the millions footballers earn? The plebs. It comes from advertising, ie products bought by the plebs.

 

The plebs have huge financial power but don't know it.

The same with Macao, they virtually kicked the backpackers out, and now the streets are empty in the evening, the hawkers are gone as well as the local colour.

[aussienam]

If they are to target only the elites of society and not the rest of the majority of the world's population who are not wealthy, they are leaving out a huge sector to fill.  The airline industry will definitely collapse as budget tourists and expats make up most of the seats.  Duty free shops, tourist attractions, motels, guest houses, bars, cheaper restaurants, you name it will all go broke and Thai people will lose their livelihoods, go broke, Thai real estate will collapse.  Businesses everywhere will go under.  An economy that relies on something like 15% tourism - where the majority of tourists are the lower to middle income earners.  The top few percent of society are not all going to fill up the hotels instead.  There are hundreds of other countries and very beautiful countries as well that also want to lure high end tourists.  A 'reset' would take decades.  A transition overnight is impossible.  You cannot just discard a huge segment of tourists like that.  

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, geisha said:

The post was not about expats living in Thailand. It was about attracting rich tourists to Thailand. So, what does Thailand have to offer to wealthy tourists ? 

Nothing ..... which is why rich tourists don't come here.

[Trillian]

Your idea of wealthy and their idea of wealthy, might not be the same, it seems to me they want to raise the bar and get rid of the bottom few tiers of impoverished and near penniless travellers - hitch hiking rather than paying even a token bus fare in Thailand doesn't support the notion of wealthy farang tourists, even the Chinese don't do that!

[phetphet]

And Mr. Minister of Tourism. What will you do when the rich don't come?

 

Will it be back to trying to tempt those wonderful Chinese and Indian tourists? Or do you have another nationality as a back up plan?

[BritManToo]

44 minutes ago, herwin1234 said:

Many farangs here are uneducated pigs (sorry for being so direct) who simply cannot see beyond beer and hookerd.

I'm an extremely well educated pig 'Romance Traveller' who can't see beyond beer and hookers.

Please tell me what else Thailand has worth seeing?

Edited June 20, 2020 by BritManToo

[spidermike007]

Way too late for that. About 15 years too late. Earth to Pipat. What planet are you living on? Are you aware of why wealthy tourists AVOID Thailand? Here are just a few things you could do, or suggest, if you were a serious man.

 

1. Get rid of Anutin and submit your own resignation. You are two of the least competent ministers in this hapless administration. You and A need to be replaced with talented people who have real experience in their fields and creative minds. Less xenophobia helps too.

 

2. Lower luxury taxes to 20%. This would help Thailand to attract some wealthy tourists again. Most wealthy people love to spend real money while on vacation. Contrary to what you think, wealthy foreigners are NOT dumb. They do not enjoy paying for stunningly over priced items, and will wait for their next trip to London, Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Nassau, or Dubai to buy a handbag at what it should cost, rather than what you think foolish people will pay. 

 

3. Improve traffic safety. 

 

4. Improve immigration service.

 

5. Get rid of the toxic army. 

 

6. Address corruption. 

 

7. Pay attention to air quality. 

 

8. Stop treating tourists like dogs. This applies to the govt., not the people. 

 

That is just a start. I could go on for days. Do not expect the wealthy tourists to return. They come here once, if they come at all. And they do not return for a dozen good reasons like the lack of top quality service, expertise, shopping, English skills, sommelier service, fairly priced world class wine, high standard  F & B, and the list goes on. 

 

Edited June 20, 2020 by spidermike007

[Bangkok Barry]

Wealthy people have no interest in Thailand. Wealthy people go to places that have excellent infrastructure, efficient and reliable service in every area, where they can feel safe and secure at all times. They go to places where respectable and educated people cater for their every whim. They go to places where drivers don't threaten other drivers (which might be them) with guns and baseball bats because they might have hooted at them for crossing into their path. They go to places where the lights don't fail every time there's a storm. They go to places that are clean, without hanging wires, potholes, litter everywhere. And they go to places that are at the very least as picturesque and often more so than what Thailand has to offer and which provide genuine value.

[Trillian]

I'm not sure Westerners are in a good position to advise countries such as Thailand how to improve, heal thyself physician springs to mind! 

Edited June 20, 2020 by Trillian

[Elkski]

This guy said what I think many hiso wanted to hear.  how do all those 5 star hotel  private  beach complexes survive before.  obviously people with money have been supporting these places.   I had an opportunity to  stay at a few of these resorts in Phuket  during the day only. Details not important.  but the beaches were kept clean,  private docks so guests could  book trips to do anything.  A very relaxing quiet,  clean vacation  can be had.  amd if no pleb tourists that means less traffic and quicker shuttle from the airport.  less wait at restaurants.   maybe snorkeling without 6 boats with 50 loud, reef stepping people each.  I think this guy is serious and I think this idea is attractive to hiso.  Many people are unemployed now so what's the difference going forward hopefully they can slowly find other means of employment.  The major flaw I see is that covid19 does not know how thick ones wallet is and as soon as we have outbreaks at a few of these Resorts then what?

Edited June 20, 2020 by Elkski

[Sundown]

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'm an extremely well educated pig 'Romance Traveller' who can't see beyond beer and hookers.

Please tell me what else Thailand has worth seeing?

You can buy an Aston Martin, a Balenciaga bag or a Gucci belt at +50% price! I guess buying at higher prices is attractive for billionaires in the non-existant brain of these puppets.

[dallen52]

I chose to make Thailand my place to live.

I didn't chose to leave in February for Australia, it was the fires and obviously family members there.

Been trying to get back ever since. 

My thai family has been deprived of work, now unemployed, lied to about government assistance, living on what I can give them. And the food they can grow.

At least allow me to get back into Thailand and be with them again...

We are not married, but 7 years together and a family home.

It appears that my retirement extension is nothing but a tourist visa when it comes to family matters.

 

Sadly disappointing and heartbreaking.