Thai tourism emphasises its neutrality in the Ukraine war, calls for a review of payment systems

[FritsSikkink]

3 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Sorry, but F neutral. Places like Switzerland, Ireland etc (albeit on a governmental level) did this before, didn't get their hands dirty and sat back with the eventual stability that the fighters brought. Thailand, do not be a wet rag! Don't dance with the devil if just your economy is at stake.

Why should everybody jump into a war because the USA and Western Europe would like NATO to have arms directly on the Russian border? 

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

Why should everybody jump into a war because the USA and Western Europe would like NATO to have arms directly on the Russian border? 

You really believe the US is evil incorporated don't you.

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

We don't use $, we use baht. 

If you're going to correct the dollar symbol then you should do like for like ฿

[toho]

"For me Money = God"  according to a Thai teacher, whom I met in a bus years ago.

This principle is a sign for not having a high morale.

Like the Romans said: "Pecunia non olet": money does not stink.

[FritsSikkink]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

You really believe the US is evil incorporated don't you.

Remember the Cuba crises? The USA threatened with nuclear arms if the Russia didn't remove their base from Cuba.

The USA is 200 years at war non stop, what does that tell you? My country is bad too.

[Pravda]

Thailand should remain neutral. 

 

If some posters don't like it they can follow the same advice they give to Russians. 

 

Go home ????

[Bkk Brian]

8 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Learn about Buddhism and you'll understand.. 

Like this you mean? In a previous post you made.....

 

"As a Thai, I hope they send ALL Russian home immediately. I hope we ban ALL Russian flights, like the US has done. 

We have to send a message to the Russian people."

[FritsSikkink]

This rush to penalize Russia very hard on every front and the economic war on China will backfire, it will drive Russia and China much closer and Visa and Master card will loose a lot of ground to Union Pay for instance.  

[cheapcanuck]

Typical neutral stance from the "flip flop" government.

[Guderian]

I'd like to know what Thailand's position will be if Russia uses a nuke, or attacks civilians with chemical or biological weapons? Will they still sit on the fence to protect their wretched tourism industry? If things really deteriorate, we'll likely end up in a situation where both Russia and the West declare that either you're with us, or you're against us. How will this greedy, gloating little goblin, Yuthasak Supasorn, respond then? There are situations where you can't have your cake and eat it, laddie.

[shackleton]

Well good old Thailand their Tourist bosses holding a International Travel and Tourism Exhibition in Moscow March 15th-17th 

While most countries are pulling out their Businesses 

Just shows they put more importance  on the Tourist ????

Than people dieing in the Ukraine includes both sides 

Enough said ????

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

I'm not a Buddhist. 

No you just want all Russians sent out of Thailand immediately  

[Dialemco]

TAT officials making misguided statements shows how  naive they are. Have a good trip to Moscow If you get there you may find you are stranded without money as a guest of the Russian State. 

[toho]

2 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Remember the Cuba crises? The USA threatened with nuclear arms if the Russia didn't remove their base from Cuba.

The USA is 200 years at war non stop, what does that tell you? My country is bad too.

Yes, you are right. A neutral zone without nuclear arms would be a good one, I agree. Also Russia should maintain a neutral zone in its own country then: no nuclear missiles close to neutral countries. But Ukraine should have the right to join NATO, which is a defensive organisation.  The (big) problem here is, that Russia still wants to dominate like the former USSR. It tries to overthrow neutral countries in Western Europe and wants to replace democratically elected leaders by Russian marionettes. Divide and rule, fake news, murders (novichok), fake elections. Putin and his friends trying to rebuild the USSR again, a small group hungry for power and money, forgetting democracy and their own people.  

[Walker88]

19 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Why should everybody jump into a war because the USA and Western Europe would like NATO to have arms directly on the Russian border? 

Perhaps you missed a history lesson or two, but there is a little thing all of these relatively new NATO members have in common, and it is the thing that motivated them to seek membership.

 

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Poland, the former nations that were Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria.

 

What could it be that prompted them to seek NATO membership?  Hmmmmm ???????

[wwest5829]

3 hours ago, pomchop said:

Wow.  Not a good look for TAT folks to fly off on a junket to Moscow in the guise of a trade show while the rest of the world rightfully is pulling out all the stops to distance themselves from the new Hitler wannabe.

 

Has to be one of the dumbest decisions by a tourism department EVER.

Agreed. Due to current circumstances this trade promotion should have been put, "on hold".

[thaijett]

3 hours ago, pomchop said:

Wow.  Not a good look for TAT folks to fly off on a junket to Moscow in the guise of a trade show while the rest of the world rightfully is pulling out all the stops to distance themselves from the new Hitler wannabe.

 

Has to be one of the dumbest decisions by a tourism department EVER.

If there are flights available,   the Russians should go home when there visas expire, or before!

 

See if Thai authorities have a change of heart if threatened with secondary sanctions,   

 

[wwest5829]

3 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Would Thailand stay neutral if China invaded Taiwan?  How about SEAsia?

Reflecting on this, I believe my outlook would be equal in condemnation if Thailand were invaded by a stronger country because it is not just, all about me.. The Thai tourism folks seem to have a different standard.

[wwest5829]

2 hours ago, FinChin67 said:

Soon it's cheaper to use rouble notes for toilet paper based on exchange rate / toilet paper price. 

 

8 rolls of toilet paper 4,29€ or 0,536€ per roll. One roll has 153 sheets = 0,0035€ per sheet. At the moment one rouble is 0,0066€. Not yet but maybe next week? Shame that it does not have Putin's pic on it.
 

But hey, who cares, Unionpay to the rescue!

Reminds me of my reading, during my studies that Germans, previous to Hitler's rise, found it cheaper to burn German Marks than to buy firewood.

[SiSePuede419]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Officials from the tourism promotion agency’s Moscow office

They must hold an office contest where the losers have to go to the Moscow branch. ????

[SiSePuede419]

15 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

The Thai tourism folks seem to have a different standard.

????????????

[worldexpress]

3 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

Would Thailand stay neutral if China invaded Taiwan?  How about SEAsia?

Yes! I have no doubt they would.

 

They have no sense of morality. It's about 'how to self-preserve and possibly benefit' to them.

[TimBKK]

And leading TAT’s new Russian campaign:

 

[kennw]

2 hours ago, vandeventer said:

The Swiss are not neutral now, and neither should we be. The Ukraine people are suffering everyday from Putin and we are worried about making a few extra dollars. Come on Thailand your better than this.

A TAT visit to Moscow to promote travel to Thailand is a terrible optic, the world will perceive this to be support for Russia. Be prepared for a backlash. No moral country can claim neutrality of opinion. Shame on you TAT.

[JohnHans]

One expects this type of buddy attitude with another autocratic dictatorial regime.
They can go to the trade show and they can also go to hell.

[Pravda]

Oh dear, they blame it on covid ????

 

Us all too powerful Farang with influence in Thailand should be fully prepared when Thailand completely switches to union pay, just like Russia. It's not going to be Russians that will be "stranded".

 

 

 

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/visa-mastercard-prepare-to-raise-credit-card-fees-11646743166

[0james0]

36 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

The USA is 200 years at war non stop, what does that tell you? My country is bad too.

Okay right, USA is bad and evil. Imagine what the world would be like without the US involvement in world affairs. I suppose you'd be under the oppression of a Chinese, German or Russian dictator and would not have the opportunity to freely express your concerns here without risking execution. 

 

Sure the US has made bad calls and probably will again. Though by far, the US has lifted most of the world out of poverty and has been the leader in advance technologies and not the to mention basic human rights. 

 

So to the ignorant USA haters...you simply have no idea. 

[Genericnic]

As we say in the American South, you only find two things in the middle of the road ...  yellow stripes and dead armadillos.

 

David

[worldexpress]

5 hours ago, Victornoir said:

Thailand is right to affirm its neutrality and seek ways around it. This country took no part in the measures and intimidation that led to this war and should not take sides or suffer the consequences.

 

I think the same for Europe but I am in the extreme minority and anyway it is too late now.

It's not about taking sides but rather standing up to what is right. If ethics and morals wasn't part of your cultural value system, you won't understand. General Chinese and Russian behaviors we witness in Thailand demonstrate that.

[ThailandRyan]

55 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Thailand should remain neutral. 

 

If some posters don't like it they can follow the same advice they give to Russians. 

 

Go home ????

Oh no, it's been some time since the old " If you don't like it go home" was used. But hey if that's all you have then I guess maybe it's not so bad here, or we shall see what a semi neutral nation brings to its citizens.