Packages approved to attract big spending foreign tourists to Thailand

[Buriramfelang]

What will they roll out next week when no one takes up this amazing offer????

[JimmyJ]

I'm taking advantage of this great offer.

 

The reason is not because the third night is free.

 

It's because it's "absolutely free".

This is many times superior to just  run of the mill basic "free".

 

 

"1. Pay for two nights in quarantine in Bangkok and your third is absolutely free."

 

Did someone get a promotion for coming up with that?

Edited November 22, 2020 by JimmyJ

[elgenon]

If they mean 200,000,000 divided by 2,000, I spend that. Give me a visa dang it! Are we allowed to count lady rental fees in the amount?

 

Do you have to show the government receipts to prove your spending? Do girls give receipts? 555

[Sydebolle]

November will see, as per an article in one of the daily newspapers, 681 takers of that very special so desperately sought after visa; half of the issued visa holders have not even arrived yet! All the others must go through the daydreams of the government as they have family here or work = 14 days lovely holidays with crappy food locked up in a jail-with-a-window. 681 = six hundred and eighty one!

The present visas available are now again issued without the THB 500'000 local bank balance after embassies realized the stupidity. 

Why are all the planes to the Dominican Republic and Caribbean islands completely fully booked? No quarantine, no 14 days lockdown deals with buy-one-get-one-free, no visa screwing around, just inviting foreigners (not aliens nor dirty farang) to visit them in the European/North American winter.

Everything else is daydreaming, in Thailand with apparently particularly good weed in certain offices - by the ideas and dreams they have in there ........ 

[Londinium]

I’ve rather enjoyed my quarantine (which is just coming to an end). It’s been very peaceful, the food good and the hotel staff and nurses cheery and kind. 

I count myself fortunate to be able to be back to see my condo and loved ones and think the process for getting back and the system at the airport worked very well. Despite many years of visiting here I see myself as a guest even though it’s my home for much of the year.
 

As for the plan to attract high spenders back to Thailand - good luck with that one! However, the govt. must be pretty desperate to help the economy in some way.

[spidermike007]

No, no, no, no, no. They are not going to come. Not in any appreciable numbers, anyway. Why? Are you aware of why wealthy tourists AVOID Thailand? Here are just a few things you be done, or that I would suggest, if this was  serious, and competent administration. As I have stated before:

1. Get rid of Anutin and Pipat. Then Prayuth. You are three of the least competent ministers in this hapless administration. Pipat and Anutin 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. Allow the people to elect at least a semblance of a democratic government. 
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. I think some of these factors have to be taken into account. But, it is a simplistic explanation, and one that has not been formulated with much in the way of introspection, reflection, and contemplation. Nor are the authorities taking much responsibilities for the extreme sabotage to the industry that they have committed.

At a minimum:
the unwillingness to tackle the scams, and corruption in general.
the traffic and public safety issues.
the lack of a competent and effective police force, that foreigners can count on, when they need them.
the environmental issues, and so many other causes, are all having an impact on tourism.
the inept military government, who nobody likes, and most people despise.
haphazard and xenophobic immigration policy, meant to deter tourism, and ex-pats, rather than encourage them.
racist ranting from the government, often directed at tourists and ex-pats and a nonsensical nationalistic agenda, that is pure politics.

The decision to turn away from Western tourism, and focus almost exclusively on Chinese and Indian tourism was a mistake of historically monumental proportions. The TAT is barely making any effort to lure Westerners. And in my opinion they are the big spenders. I read surveys about the average Chinese tourists, being at the top of the list of big spenders. But, this is average. And the big spending Chinese do not come to Thailand for a dozen different reasons. The wife wants to buy a luxury handbag. The same Gucci bag that she likes is $3,500 in Singapore, London, New York, Paris, Hong Kong, or Dubai. In Bangkok that bag sells for $9,000.

At a five star hotel, this same wealthy Chinese couple want a great bottle of wine. They see a very good vintage of of a good red Burgundy, which would sell for about $500 retail, or at a five star hotel in any of the above cities for $1,000 on the list. The same bottle, if it was available (highly unlikely) in Bangkok, would be 100,000 baht, or more. And if it was available would the hotel have a sommelier who was qualified and fluent enough, to explain the wine, and the various vintages available? I have not found that in the past here. I have been to high end restaurants where they knew nothing about the expensive wines on the list! Nothing! The lack of expertise here is a big factor in discouraging wealthy tourists who come here, from returning ever again. They want a good bottle of wine with dinner. That is not too much to ask!

Most wealthy people tend to be smart with their money. They simply will not pay stupid money for stuff. The ultra rich are different. But, no ultra rich people would even consider Thailand as a destination, unless they had work here. The luxury taxes have been discouraging high end tourism here for decades. It is policy that is so dumb, so shortsighted, so non-visionary, and it badly hurts the economy. If wine duty was 100%, you would have a thriving wine industry here, five to ten times the size of the current industry. So the state income would be made up on volume, and hundreds of thousands of jobs would be generated. Instead the protection of a few local wineries continues, due to some politicians passing the anti import wine bill years ago, and accepting the payoffs that came with that braindead decision. Sure, the neighboring countries are benefitting from all of the mistakes Thailand is making. They deserve the gains.

These are simply more examples of brain dead leaders, who have no vision, and are NOT leading the nation forward, are not helping the nation to progress, and are not benefitting the people of Thailand.

Major changes need to be made, if Thailand wants to continue to enjoy the cash cow of tourism. Travelers these days simply have too many choices. Creativity is required. Progress needs to be made. Thailand cannot continue to be one of the least progressive nations on earth, and expect foreigners to tolerate that degree of ignorance. These seeds were planted over a decade ago. The hapless army has accelerated the process dramatically.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

The decision to turn away from Western tourism, and focus almost exclusively on Chinese and Indian tourism was a mistake of historically monumental proportions. The TAT is barely making any effort to lure Westerners. And in my opinion they are the big spenders.

Happily you did post something I could agree with.

 

IMO more specifically with regards to bagpackers. Young people traveling on little money grow up to have good jobs, earn lots and go back to places they enjoyed previously where they now stay in flashpacker places and spend lots of money.

[NoshowJones]

On 11/21/2020 at 9:21 AM, DLock said:

 

Do Thailand even understand what "well-heeled" means?

 

"Pay for two nights in quarantine in Bangkok and your third is absolutely free."

 

It's tiring reading the same uninformed, useless brain farts that these retards come up with on a daily basis.

 

Why not just give "Free small French fries when you order a Big Mac". Same effect. Zero.

Do you see what I mean by saying that the unelected "PM" and his poorly educated soldiers don't have a clue about running a country.

What university graduate is going to join the army unless he is buying himself a high rank, don't you need a university degree in say something to do with finance to be a cabinet member in any countrys government?

I mean like the Thailand equivalent of the UKs Chancellor of the Exchequer. He is an ex soldier, right? Just how qualified is he?

[Laughing Gravy]

21 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

Not in UK they wouldn't ...

I disagree but I don't see continuous outrageous figures being stated on a daily/weekly basis from UK politicians. That doesn't mean the odd time but here in Thailand they are thrown around constantly.

[petermach]

it seems that decision makers are completely disconnected from the reality.

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

Not in UK they wouldn't ...

But soldiers are not politicians, the only thing they have in common is that both of them are liars. The unelected "PM" and his soldiers are only playing at being politicians. They just don't have the education otherwise.

A university graduate joining the army???? 

[ThailandRyan]

On 11/21/2020 at 8:23 AM, rooster59 said:

These include promotions in Alternative State Quarantine facilities along the lines of buy two nights get one free. 

So pay for 10 days in an ASQ and get 4 free.  Does that include food, and the medical staffs time free as well on those 4 days, and could it be that one of the 2 Covid tests was free as well.  Silly packages, especially if they are trying to cut the quarantine to 10 days anyway.  As far as well heeled will they be supplying me with a silk robe and free hi-end slippers to enjoy my stay and then let me take them away with me as a door prize. Who in this world would even think that that was a plausible idea.  How about adding in free breakfasts as well as an in room massage by a masseuse wearing a bikini and under a see through PPE.

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, sead said:

I Like how quickly decisions are made in Thailand. In Europe we need months of meetings to come to a conclusion. Why dont we have these experts in europe........

The unelected "PM" and his soldiers sitting around a table every day to see who can suggest the most hairbrained schemes, and not anyone trained in financials among them. Bunch of clowns. 

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, Robin said:

TAT is still under the delusion that the world is full of rich people who are desperate to visit Thailand, and that they will do and pay anything to achieve this...  As TAT thinks that Thailand is the centre of the world, they cannot conceive that any tourist would consider going anywhere except Thailand.

So long as they cling to this deluded idea, nothing will change their policies

Maybe in 1 year's time, when the actual tourist arrivals are still below their latest prediction of 681, they will begin to wonder if Thailand is still the world's favourite tourist destination, but they it will be too late.

 

How many people have actually died of Covid in Thailand???  

Probably less than die in road accidents in any year.  Yet not even Prayuth is suggesting closing down all road traffic to save Thai lives.

"Probably less than die in road accidents in any year."  You mean in any day.

[soi3eddie]

On 11/21/2020 at 1:23 AM, rooster59 said:

Tourists will be able to book air tickets, hotels and get their visas sorted just by going to the TAT website.

They make it sound so easy and all for just 2,000 tourists per month. Too many different organisations, departments and companies got interests to make this work. Forgot to mention Covid insurance, overseas embassy approval for CoE and Covid test 72 hours before departure. Or do they know something is changing? Doubt it, so pie in the sky for sure.   

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The decision to turn away from Western tourism, and focus almost exclusively on Chinese and Indian tourism was a mistake of historically monumental proportions. The TAT is barely making any effort to lure Westerners. And in my opinion they are the big spenders.

Western tourists ran out of money owing to mismanagement of their economies. GBPeso, for example, tanked and looks to further.

 

 

Big Spending Golden Egg Layer straining for last Golden Egg

 

 

Quality tourists Thailand decided not to encourage further

 

Why did Willie Sutton rob banks? "I rob banks because that's where the money is." Pattaya's economy grew 5 times larger after truly international tourism was encouraged. ???? Hardly a mistake. Nor would Thais wish to turn back the clock to what our Big Spenders regard as the good ol' days.

 

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

And the big spending Chinese do not come to Thailand for a dozen different reasons. The wife wants to buy a luxury handbag. The same Gucci bag that she likes is $3,500 in Singapore, London, New York, Paris, Hong Kong, or Dubai. In Bangkok that bag sells for $9,000.

The wife wants to buy a luxury condo. Whoops.

 

But not knowing any wealthy Chinese yourself, you're merely speculating and indulging in wish projection as usual. Truth is, if they see something they want and it's at hand, they'll buy it, 'cause they easily can. So do hi-so Thais. It's shocking, really.

 

So the higher end shops remain open despite all the sneers from TVF Economists over the decades. Siam Paragon was projected to fail soon as it was announced for exactly the same nonsensical reason as you imagine. What happens when shops really really have no customers? Now we have the irrefutable evidence: they close. So, there's nothing really to stop the Thai economy from resuming its development post-COVID.

 

Sorry. But do continue the fun.

 

[garyk]

30 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Western tourists ran out of money owing to mismanagement of their economies. GBPeso, for example, tanked and looks to further.

 

 

Big Spending Golden Egg Layer straining for last Golden Egg

 

 

Quality tourists Thailand decided not to encourage further

 

Why did Willie Sutton rob banks? "I rob banks because that's where the money is." Pattaya's economy grew 5 times larger after truly international tourism was encouraged. ???? Hardly a mistake. Nor would Thais wish to turn back the clock to what our Big Spenders regard as the good ol' days.

 

The wife wants to buy a luxury condo. Whoops.

 

But not knowing any wealthy Chinese yourself, you're merely speculating and indulging in wish projection as usual. Truth is, if they see something they want and it's at hand, they'll buy it, 'cause they easily can. So do hi-so Thais. It's shocking, really.

 

So the higher end shops remain open despite all the sneers from TVF Economists over the decades. Siam Paragon was projected to fail soon as it was announced for exactly the same nonsensical reason as you imagine. What happens when shops really really have no customers? Now we have the irrefutable evidence: they close. So, there's nothing really to stop the Thai economy from resuming its development post-COVID.

 

Sorry. But do continue the fun.

 

Kinda funny, I am in America and the Thai's that live across from me are the same as the people you show in your pics. I should take some pics and post it. The neighborhood has called the police on them so many times for filth and no up keep on the property it is a joke. 

We would love to ship them back to you Pre paid.

[BigStar]

17 minutes ago, garyk said:

Kinda funny, I am in America and the Thai's that live across from me are the same as the people you show in your pics. I should take some pics and post it. The neighborhood has called the police on them so many times for filth and no up keep on the property it is a joke. 

We would love to ship them back to you Pre paid.

But surely dwarfed by the number of times Thais in the USA have called the police on the American citizens--of which you of course have no knowledge and ignore. Reminds me of this high profile case years ago:

 

Thai Envoy Loses Jewels In Burglary at Her Home

Thieves slipped through a second-story window into the home of Thailand's consul general on Friday night, stealing more than $500,000 worth of jewelry as 15 people prepared for a wedding downstairs, the police said.

     --https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/02/nyregion/metro-news-briefs-new-york-thai-envoy-loses-jewels-in-burglary-at-her-home.html

 

Suggests Thailand's on the right track keeping out the old riff raff--be nice if they could include their own-- and adding on provable income requirements, no? You wonder why posters here think UK and USA Immigration policies should be emulated.

[peter zwart]

Its the "i can not be blamed" strategy. Approve a package that you know it wont bring in any, possible positive tested, people but you can still say that you opened the borders for tourism and in the mean time have the covid situation under control. Uber "i still got my face" wizards.

[BusyB]

4 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I disagree but I don't see continuous outrageous figures being stated on a daily/weekly basis from UK politicians. That doesn't mean the odd time but here in Thailand they are thrown around constantly.

 

You're obviously not familiar with the "world beating" "moonshot" systems surrounding the record Covid-19 deaths then?

Or the installation of complete failures in business life with no medical  experience to run life-saving test and trace systems - chosen because they are married to people in power ...?

 

Anyone who thinks the UK is in any way virtuous or doesn't downright lie with figures or is not utterly corrupt (at the moment at least), obviously hasn't read a copy of Private Eye in their entire lives.

 

Or prefers to look away and ignore ... i.e. to perform an act of ignore-ance.

 

[UB40]

On 11/21/2020 at 8:22 AM, DaLa said:

I don't understand all the negativity.  21 days in a quarantine hotel for the price of 14 seems to be a reasonable deal to me.

Thats a big deal. You're right. I have 3 weeks holidays. So right after quarantine I'm flying back home.

As far as I see that, it's a waste of time and money for a luxury jail vacation

[John Drake]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

At a five star hotel, this same wealthy Chinese couple want a great bottle of wine. They see a very good vintage of of a good red Burgundy, which would sell for about $500 retail, or at a five star hotel in any of the above cities for $1,000 on the list. The same bottle, if it was available (highly unlikely) in Bangkok, would be 100,000 baht, or more. And if it was available would the hotel have a sommelier who was qualified and fluent enough, to explain the wine, and the various vintages available? I have not found that in the past here. I have been to high end restaurants where they knew nothing about the expensive wines on the list! Nothing! The lack of expertise here is a big factor in discouraging wealthy tourists who come here, from returning ever again. They want a good bottle of wine with dinner. That is not too much to ask!

 

Geez, I'd just like to find a can of Coke Zero.

[spidermike007]

4 hours ago, BigStar said:

Western tourists ran out of money owing to mismanagement of their economies. GBPeso, for example, tanked and looks to further.

 

 

Big Spending Golden Egg Layer straining for last Golden Egg

 

 

Quality tourists Thailand decided not to encourage further

 

Why did Willie Sutton rob banks? "I rob banks because that's where the money is." Pattaya's economy grew 5 times larger after truly international tourism was encouraged. ???? Hardly a mistake. Nor would Thais wish to turn back the clock to what our Big Spenders regard as the good ol' days.

 

The wife wants to buy a luxury condo. Whoops.

 

But not knowing any wealthy Chinese yourself, you're merely speculating and indulging in wish projection as usual. Truth is, if they see something they want and it's at hand, they'll buy it, 'cause they easily can. So do hi-so Thais. It's shocking, really.

 

So the higher end shops remain open despite all the sneers from TVF Economists over the decades. Siam Paragon was projected to fail soon as it was announced for exactly the same nonsensical reason as you imagine. What happens when shops really really have no customers? Now we have the irrefutable evidence: they close. So, there's nothing really to stop the Thai economy from resuming its development post-COVID.

 

Sorry. But do continue the fun.

 

Not necessarily the case at all. Not how it works with high end brands. Many of these stores have been losing money since they opened, and are absolutely bleeding now, yet they remain open. Why you ask?

 

Hirschfeld said flagships opened to raise a brand's profile can later be rationalized as good for marketing. The flagship of a new brand to market may only break even or lose a little money, but can have a significant halo effect for the company as its expands into other markets. The brand, if not well-known, makes itself more appealing with a Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue or Rodeo Drive store. The flagship in this instance needs to be viewed in the lens of a long-term strategy.

 

I would guess the same philosophy might apply to boutique in a high end mall, in a capital city. 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bisnow/2017/03/02/luxury-retailers-sometimes-lose-money-to-gain-cachet-at-flagships/?sh=47783e242c7e

 

 

[GeilGeilertzen]

In Thailand you could swop the name sign of any department with a commercial comedy company and continue on but in a new busines.  No one would notice ????

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Not necessarily the case at all. Not how it works with high end brands. Many of these stores have been losing money since they opened, and are absolutely bleeding now, yet they remain open. Why you ask?

 

Hirschfeld said flagships opened to raise a brand's profile can later be rationalized as good for marketing. The flagship of a new brand to market may only break even or lose a little money, but can have a significant halo effect for the company as its expands into other markets. The brand, if not well-known, makes itself more appealing with a Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue or Rodeo Drive store. The flagship in this instance needs to be viewed in the lens of a long-term strategy.

 

I would guess the same philosophy might apply to boutique in a high end mall, in a capital city. 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bisnow/2017/03/02/luxury-retailers-sometimes-lose-money-to-gain-cachet-at-flagships/?sh=47783e242c7e

 

 

Just another convenient speculation based on no evidence. TVF Economists, all farang, typically float this idea, nothing new, so that, like yourself, they don't have to face the horrible truth that Thailand has a middle class, and has tourists (including Asian tourists), with enough money to spend in the malls that farang either don't or won't.

 

You WISH they had been bleeding money but just more nonsense. You see, they haven't been. How much they've profited you may read in, for example, CP's annual financial reports. Read any? Of course not. Hence the development of additional malls has continued and share prices of developers have continued to rise over the last decade, reflecting foreign investment as well. These people really aren't stupid. If you'd invested a million instead of sitting in your same old dirty bathwater chanting the chant, you'd have quintupled your money.

 

A Thai mall doesn't need to make itself more appealing based on a flagship brand. Malls are anchored here by, for example, a Central or a Big C. The point of those for the mall is that they pay for a lot of space. Indeed the "brand" may own the mall. The anchors themselves are there to make money and do. It's just obvious, simple, and common sense, except we don't like that idea.

 

Most of the boutiques only exist in the malls so it's absurd to think they're spending all that money to raise their profiles in the malls just to raise their profiles in the malls. Some exist only in the better malls in wealthier urban areas because that's where the clientele with money are more likely to shop.

 

Now of course many shops are bleeding money now, which doesn't prove your point about anything, but more so those dependent on foreign tourist money. We may see some, if not many, close until we get that back.

Edited November 22, 2020 by BigStar

[ChaiyaTH]

Giving big spending tourists discount on their stay, discount they don’t need or care about as they are big spending tourists.

 

What they wanna hear is no quarantaine at all. No additional packages needed, none would even know about it until arriving.

[kickstart]

On 11/21/2020 at 9:02 AM, Phuketshrew said:

Welcome to the hotel California .....

You can check out any time you like,

But you can never leave.

I hope not.

[A512]

damm it, today only pearls on TV.. i am laughing my *** here.????

 

are the government going to provide security for the big spenders? jeez find somewhere else to retire or have a holiday.

Edited November 22, 2020 by A512

[Laughing Gravy]

12 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

You're obviously not familiar with the "world beating" "moonshot" systems surrounding the record Covid-19 deaths then?

Or the installation of complete failures in business life with no medical  experience to run life-saving test and trace systems - chosen because they are married to people in power ...?

 

Anyone who thinks the UK is in any way virtuous or doesn't downright lie with figures or is not utterly corrupt (at the moment at least), obviously hasn't read a copy of Private Eye in their entire lives.

 

Or prefers to look away and ignore ... i.e. to perform an act of ignore-ance.

 

I see you are a Thai apologist. Read what I said. I said consistently lie. Show me your evidence or jog on by.

[tinca tinca]

23 hours ago, Buriramfelang said:

What will they roll out next week when no one takes up this amazing offer????

that ALL packages now come with large bowls of rice......!!!