Thailand strives to elevate tourism industry striken hard by pandemic

[FunkyDunky58]

So the TAT wants to attract people that will hide away in some exclusive 5 star resort and stay away from the rest of Thailand. That will benefit the rich resort owners but none of the other millions that make a living off tourism. Great plan.

 

[inThailand]

4 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Doesn't just happen to tourist I've lived here for 25 years and twice recently I've had someone try and rip me off, one was a pharmacy

Me too.

Its come full circle. 

In the early days treated better than Thais. It was embarrassing. 

Then tolerated. 

Now hated and despised.

And now everyone charges a falang price, or at least tries.

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, FunkyDunky58 said:

So the TAT wants to attract people that will hide away in some exclusive 5 star resort and stay away from the rest of Thailand. That will benefit the rich resort owners but none of the other millions that make a living off tourism. Great plan.

 

I think Im right in saying this plan was put together by the hotel association, if so then they will take all the glory 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's tourism industry is now struggling to survive and trying to shift from mass tourism to attracting more quality visitors.

 

To attract "quality" ( IMO what they really want are rich tourists, never mind if they are quality or not ) LOS would have to be a "quality" destination, and it's not, never has been, and IMO never will. Any of us been in LOS longer than a month will know the reason(s), so I don't need to list them, but the C word figures high on any list.

LOS did very nicely on the low end demographic, but abandoned that in a fruitless quest for the elusive "quality" ATM. However, instead of actually improving the tourist experience they went for the mass Chinese ( and Indian ) market, which is hardly reaching for the stars, IMO.

I don't know what will emerge from the ruins, but if what they are inflicting on Pattaya is any example they are doomed to failure, IMO.

Sad, really, as LOS was brilliant in the 90s, before greed took over. I don't think we'll ever see the sanuk Thailand return, and that's a tragedy, IMO.

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, inThailand said:

Me too.

Its come full circle. 

In the early days treated better than Thais. It was embarrassing. 

Then tolerated. 

Now hated and despised.

And now everyone charges a falang price, or at least tries.

More than 3x the price in a pharmacy, the woman lost big face I told her to speak Thai coz your English is <deleted> then I just walked out, one thing where I live there is a pharmacy every 500 meters.

[Andycoops]

Same old clap trap, what does quality mean?

The country was geared to handle 40m tourists, so now do they only want 4m, if so, say so but there will be alot of suffering and adjustments to follow.

[fredscats]

Everybody is wrong. Yes few half truths (well full ones too) needs full page spreads from TAT in western newspapers,"millions heading back to wonderful Thailand"

[starky]

They would better striving hard to getting their population vaccinated and stop worrying about money for a change.

[Scrotobike]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

It means a person the do not care for sex, do not drink or take other substances classified as drugs. Very well behaved and take all the <deleted> anyone wishes to load or unleash on them. At last the person must also have a load of money that he/she only spends on tourist attractions, hotels, food and high value consumer products. As you clearly can see and understand, such person does not exist. Just another scenario built with the new and updated Phuket Sandbox for PC version 13.11. Also available for Mac and smartphones for the ones who wishes to enter the perfection of virtual living.

From this I read - this mythical unicorn does not drink or like sex and is very rich, which they will spend in Thailand instead of other higher quality places where the fellow rich people go to. Not many of those - if any. Ah I know one - the Pope!

[BangkokReady]

57 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

It will never be a quality tourist destination it does not have that reputation worldwide.

Bizarre, isn't it?  Thailand has a reputation for being cheap, corrupt, full of easy prostitution, no health and safety, pollution, human slavery, exploitation of tourists, etc..  A lot of wonderful things as well and it's the crazy that a lot of people like, but really not the kind of place that attracts top-tier tourism.

[inThailand]

4 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

More than 3x the price in a pharmacy, the woman lost big face I told her to speak Thai coz your English is <deleted> then I just walked out, one thing where I live there is a pharmacy every 500 meters.

Similar story. Went to get a medicine from a pharmacy I bought from before. Don't sell any more. Sold me another generic for 110% more. Went again yesterday, different pharmacist got the old medicine.

I am starting to buy more online to avoid this BS. 

[morrobay]

Every one of the above posts is right on. I just wonder how these delusional people are going to react when they get the shock that is coming their way like a freight train.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

Same old clap trap, what does quality mean?

The country was geared to handle 40m tourists, so now do they only want 4m, if so, say so but there will be alot of suffering and adjustments to follow.

40 million or whatever it was, was destroying the environment ( they had to close Maya Bay as it was so badly destroyed ). 4 million would be a good number to allow the environment to recover, and then increase as long as safeguards were put in to stop a repeat.

In the meantime they should IMO concentrate on the domestic tourist market.

[starky]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

there were for sure hidden gems in Thailand most of which have been ruined through poor planning, greed and corruption, many places need serious infrastructure improvements - a lot of them are long past recovery and need flattening and starting over.

 

walk (or try to without breaking a leg) around Pattaya and take a long hard look at the place, run down buildings - no footpaths and any that exist are a health risk, rubbish everywhere, the place is an eye sore, yes some lovely hotels inside but step outside and you are in the 3rd world country that Thailand is, earning huge tourist money for decades quickly stuffed into greedy pockets instead of spending on improving the place - what a waste. 

Surely your not implying that Pattaya could be considered as a high end tourist destination ????????????????

[ChipButty]

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

40 million or whatever it was, was destroying the environment ( they had to close Maya Bay as it was so badly destroyed ). 4 million would be a good number to allow the environment to recover, and then increase as long as safeguards were put in to stop a repeat.

In the meantime they should IMO concentrate on the domestic tourist market.

Must be beautiful around Maya bay now the marine life will be stunning now

[thaibeachlovers]

8 minutes ago, Scrotobike said:

From this I read - this mythical unicorn does not drink or like sex and is very rich, which they will spend in Thailand instead of other higher quality places where the fellow rich people go to. Not many of those - if any. Ah I know one - the Pope!

Really rich people go to places like Dubai and the Maldives, not places like Thailand that thinks it's OK to leave uncovered holes in the road, and doesn't think things like pavements are necessary, as people can walk in the traffic, can't they?

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Really rich people go to places like Dubai and the Maldives, not places like Thailand that thinks it's OK to leave uncovered holes in the road, and doesn't think things like pavements are necessary, as people can walk in the traffic, can't they?

Dont forget the polution

[thaibeachlovers]

8 minutes ago, starky said:

Surely your not implying that Pattaya could be considered as a high end tourist destination ????????????????

Pattaya's civic leaders think it is, but that's because they can't see reality for the baht in their eyes.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, ChipButty said:

Dont forget the polution

I hadn't, but if I were to write down everything wrong with LOS as a tourist destination I'd still be writing an hour later.

[riverhigh]

"Focusing on high-end tourism has always been an ambitious target for Thailand"

 

 

Albert Einstein's famous line: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  In this case we can substitute the word "Insanity" with the word  "stupidity". 

[smedly]

49 minutes ago, drenddy said:

Open the country for vaccinated tourists, PCR 48 hrs before and on arrival, then establish more ASQ, as more will get positive tests, but at lower prices(or impose insurance companies to cover new cases or close contacts, even as asymptomatic), then go <deleted> yourself with this never ending disrespectful attitude towards tourists.

it is not hard to understand what they did in Phucket, it is also not hard to understand the people that are making use of the sandbox - it's maginally better than ASQ

 

but lets look at it from a tourist point of view 

 

- the only people in Phuket that have to do expensive multiple PCR tests are the fully vaccinated so called tourists - why not the whole population of Phuket ?  - money grab is the the only logical conclusion

 

- Fully vaccinated foreigners being forced to stay in expensive hotels while the general population have no such restrictions - money grab

 

- fully vaccinated foreigners not allowed to leave the Island when Thais can leave and travel when they want vaccinated or not - money grab

 

- restriction restrictions restrictions on fully vaccinated tourists - why ? - money grab

 

If they think this is the model for the rest of Thailand opening up they need their heads examined 

 

Placing all these restrictions and red tape on fully vaccinated genuine tourists is just complete nonsense - I do not know of anyone who will step foot in Thailand as a tourist while all these restrictions are in place - why should they.

 

Fully vaccinated tourists should be allowed to come without restriction, ok one PCR test before boarding a plane but all this other #### is just ridiculous.

 

Then there is the problem were everything is shut down in Thailand especially in the major resorts towns and cities, the only people that should restricted are unvaccinated Thais and that right there is the problem, they messed up big time on vaccines.

 

In 3 weeks time I will be fully vaccinated with Pfizer (along with many other farangs) and yet I will still be unable to resume normal activities.

 

There could be an option for some currently closed businesses to open up if they can put in place a fully vaccinated certification for both staff and customers, then the cops can spend their time making sure of compliance instead of spending time rounding up a few farang sitting on the footpath chatting - it is doable with a little effort and also include fully vaccinated foreign tourists to come with restrictions lifted, bin the money gouging sandbox and allow fully vaccinated tourists to get on with it without all the stupid red tape.

[nobodysfriend]

26 minutes ago, morrobay said:

Every one of the above posts is right on. I just wonder how these delusional people are going to react when they get the shock that is coming their way like a freight train.

Many Thai people are lacking foresight .

The 100 thb they can make profit by selling at overpriced ( farang ) prices , will be spend the same day on food or else ... , they survived another day , tomorrow is of no immediate importance ... That the overcharged farang will go and buy elsewhere in the future , does not really matter to them .

IQ = low .

 

[Xonax]

2 hours ago, sezze said:

Quality tourists , what does that mean ? We all heard it before , but nobody ever mentioned what a quality tourist actually is . Attracting very wealthy people ? Thailand is not a very good destination , since the quality offered is very low vs other rich destinations . Also , if they want only the rich to come , what are they gonna do with all the hotels and tourism based industry , since it is a small group you want to come .

In my private dictionary, you can read, that a Quality Tourist is a Rich tourist, who happily pays twice the market value.

[thurien]

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

I've been reading this same rubbish for years, it NEVER works, ever.

What makes them think it will be any different now?

 

they simply take the future outlook "almost nobody will come", turn it around and make it their slogan "only the truly rich, valuable tourists are about good enough for us!"

[mikebell]

They might fare better if they concentrated on retirees.  Allow them to own their own homes; build businesses; have access to first class medical care. Eradicate rapacious police/Immigration officers/agents; packs of wild dogs; rubbish dumpers; alcohol-free days.

[fredscats]

22 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

40 million or whatever it was, was destroying the environment ( they had to close Maya Bay as it was so badly destroyed ). 4 million would be a good number to allow the environment to recover, and then increase as long as safeguards were put in to stop a repeat.

In the meantime they should IMO concentrate on the domestic tourist market.

Never happen ,more they can pack in the better,4 million?  nah  400 million  now your talking

[smedly]

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Really rich people go to places like Dubai and the Maldives, not places like Thailand that thinks it's OK to leave uncovered holes in the road, and doesn't think things like pavements are necessary, as people can walk in the traffic, can't they?

you know my point earlier about infrastructure - those of us who have been here a long time just get used to seeing the dreadful smelly poluted dirty mess but everybody should take a walk around the place and take a long hard look - it really is shameful.

 

I watched a holiday series a few months ago mostly visiting places in Europe and OMG what a difference - absolutely everything was pristine spotless - pavements were flat and pristine - buildings were pristine and all freshly clean and painted and spotless - cities in the west have proper building controls and standards that apply to everything and if an owner doesn't meet them the building will be removed or the owner taken to court - standards exist and are strictly enforced - in pattaya we have corruption were money dissapears into an officials pocket resulting in substandard work and constant wasted budgets 

[soalbundy]

Beggars becoming choosers.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, smedly said:

you know my point earlier about infrastructure - those of us who have been here a long time just get used to seeing the dreadful smelly poluted dirty mess but everybody should take a walk around the place and take a long hard look - it really is shameful.

 

I watched a holiday series a few months ago mostly visiting places in Europe and OMG what a difference - absolutely everything was pristine spotless - pavements were flat and pristine - buildings were pristine and all freshly clean and painted and spotless - cities in the west have proper building controls and standards that apply to everything and if an owner doesn't meet them the building will be removed or the owner taken to court - standards exist and are strictly enforced - in pattaya we have corruption were money dissapears into an officials pocket resulting in substandard work and constant wasted budgets 

I agree with that, but I welcomed that Pattaya was a dump because it kept families and western women away, which meant it continued as Fun City.

Seems they are going to ruin it anyway though.

Pity. I loved Pattaya back in the 90s before they went crazy and started thinking they could make a silk purse out of a pig's ear.

[Samuiwind]

Thailand should focus on the source of income that is stabilising the economies in many tourist destinations. Retirees! They certainly already outnumber sandbox tourists and “quality” tourists, by a long shot.