Thailand’s Tourism Authority to focus on attracting potential tourists from European countries to Koh Samui after ‘Test&Go’ cancellation

[spidermike007]

6 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Ah, but this is a Samui thread.

No problem buying a beer here - everywhere and anywhere.

The magic of Samui  ????

Not only magic, but a very healthy sense of defiance, in the face of science denial, and official insanity. Beer and wine do not cause covid. Inconsistent policy, lower quality vaccines, and selective shutdowns, that favor cronies, does cause the spread of covid. 

[alex8912]

1 hour ago, Troy Tempest said:

Most tourists fly Long Haul and pay for decent hotels as part of the holiday.

 

The extra cost of flying with Bangkok Airways to Samui is a "Drop in The Ocean".....

 

Or is that "Free" with Malaysian Airways and Lion Air???

 

1 hour ago, Troy Tempest said:

Most tourists fly Long Haul and pay for decent hotels as part of the holiday.

 

The extra cost of flying with Bangkok Airways to Samui is a "Drop in The Ocean".....

 

Or is that "Free" with Malaysian Airways and Lion Air???

You are waaaay off with that ridiculous assumption. I as well as millions ( yes millions in the past ) would take a weeks vacation to Phuket after arriving via Bangkok and usually staying in BKK and elsewhere for awhile, every single year I traveled here. Which from 2000 to 2019 was every single winter. I took the expensive flight and hotel trip to Koh Samui once. Samui is not a drop in the bucket ( what the heck term is drop in the ocean anyways ????) for any traveler!!! 
Even my one trip had a horrible experience getting back to BKK. Flight was extremely delayed, customer service at airport was horrible, there were really no other choices and your trapped at that small airport!! Phuket has tons of cheap air fare choices and airlines and a much wider selection of hotels. Koh Samui is not visited by more people ( I mean A LOT more people ) because of the ridiculous prices for air fare and lack of choices. 

[RandiRona]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

And the pool was more than 5 feet deep! (It was a practice pool for diving lessons.)

OK RR, you can remove your tongue - no offence taken.

 

You guys are uptight tough audience ehh !!

[alex8912]

1 hour ago, shackleton said:

Yes the wife and myself are thinking of going to Koh Samui 

Probably fly down from Bangkok 

See how the place has  changed must 10 years when we last there 

Flew Bangkok Airways one way then a  ferry to Surat Thani 

Overnight coach back  to Bangkok  

Did you know how cheap a one way ticket from Surat Thani to BKK was before getting on a very long death trap overnight bus to BKK was?  And you even paid the big bucks to fly to Samui?  Really? Seems crazy. I would def change your plans for the next trip. 

[RafPinto]

It seems that the Chinese are back again.
Yesterday, I saw 5 of them sitting in my Condo lobby.
I will investigate if it's Airbnb.

[HappyExpat57]

Is it just me or do we see articles rotated several times a week saying

"Thailand’s Tourism Authority to focus on attracting potential tourists from <fill in country> to <fill in Thai desination>?"

[Troy Tempest]

38 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

 

You are waaaay off with that ridiculous assumption. I as well as millions ( yes millions in the past ) would take a weeks vacation to Phuket after arriving via Bangkok and usually staying in BKK and elsewhere for awhile, every single year I traveled here. Which from 2000 to 2019 was every single winter. I took the expensive flight and hotel trip to Koh Samui once. Samui is not a drop in the bucket ( what the heck term is drop in the ocean anyways ????) for any traveler!!! 
Even my one trip had a horrible experience getting back to BKK. Flight was extremely delayed, customer service at airport was horrible, there were really no other choices and your trapped at that small airport!! Phuket has tons of cheap air fare choices and airlines and a much wider selection of hotels. Koh Samui is not visited by more people ( I mean A LOT more people ) because of the ridiculous prices for air fare and lack of choices. 

OOPS!....Upset a Back-Packer?...Sorry Mate!

 

If you think Samui and Bangkok Airways are are "Rip" stay at home!....In Monaco?

 

Or St. Moritz in Winter?

 

Have you seen the price of Fish & Chips on Blackpool Seafront these days??? 

 

Only HISO's go to Blackpool now!

[SymS]

3 hours ago, Jack West Jr said:

But foremost : clean up the country .

That one will be tricky because it requires education, a change in culture, and I don't think that many people are disgusted by rubbish.
I know because I clean the streets around my house once a month or every two months, and it keeps coming back, and I live in an area with few people. Stray dogs may be an issue too, as they will tear up the garbage bags.

 

I've seen some initiatives about garbage collection and recycling, but there are too few to make a difference. I'm learning Thai with primary school books from 30 years ago, and I was impressed when I saw one lesson about keeping the country clean, etc... in the first year book. But I'm now at the fifth year and that was the only lesson about cleanliness, against about 10 saying "drugs are bad".

 

Is there actually a charity that promotes cleaning up the country, preferably with activities?

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, SymS said:

Is there actually a charity that promotes cleaning up the country, preferably with activities?

On Samui, there are local groups and hotels that organise volunteer 'clean up' events.

Six Senses hotel is near where I live and they have regular clean up days along the whole road to where their resort is. They cut back the vegetation and clear up the rubbish.

Local Tessabaan workers (in yellow shirts) are also out on the roads regularly - tidying up and collecting rubbish.

[PoorSucker]

5 hours ago, cheapcanuck said:

It buy me a lot of the 60-80 baht beers I will be drinking the time I'm enjoying my vacation on the island.

Be aware that you can't buy beer on the ferry anymore. 

[PoorSucker]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

can't buy a beer,

On Samui even 7-11 sell beer between 2-5pm

[PoorSucker]

3 hours ago, shackleton said:

Overnight coach back  to Bangkok

Go with AirAsia from SRT or NST

[richardhead]

I Love Koh Samui.  I live in Both Koh Samui and Bangkok and travel between the two areas several times a month.  While the direct flight from BKK to USM (SAMUI) is more expensive than flying to Phuket (because Bangkok Air OWNS the airport and it is their monopoly), its a wonderful place to live for retirement.  Being Thailand’s 2nd biggest island, it has lots of infrastructure.  It’s alway easy to spot the tourists around town.  While they’re like ant invading a new space, they are a required evil in order to bring new money into a badly depressed area.  The Thai show owners, hotels, restaurants and everyone else need a new infusion of income.  Complaining about costs is NOT what’s stopping tourist from visiting.  It’s the obstacles that the Gov’t has in place just to get into the country.  DUMP EVERYTHING, EVERY RESTRICTION, EVERY INSURANCE REQUIREMENT, THAI PASS, DOCUMENTATION, ETC.  2 lines.  Vaccinated and UNVaccinated, and go back to the PRE-COVID days when the complaints were the long lines at immigration !!! 

 

The major problem is that TAT has absolutely NO IDEA on how to accomplish anything that they put forth in the grand plans.  It’s like asking a group of children how they would rebuilt Thailand’s Socioeconomic society?  They would say “USE ICE CREAM! WE LOVE ICE CREAM”!  

 

Problem solved, right?

[PoorSucker]

2 minutes ago, richardhead said:

the complaints were the long lines at immigration

After moving to Pattaya, the new immigration office on Samui seems like heaven. 

Fortunately I deal with the EEC one stop office in Chonburi, only been to Jomtien immigration once. 

[Harveyboy]

forget all this rubbish ..talk talk talk it means nothing unless all entry restrictions are lifted ..stop the greed ...

[Harveyboy]

33 minutes ago, richardhead said:

I Love Koh Samui.  I live in Both Koh Samui and Bangkok and travel between the two areas several times a month.  While the direct flight from BKK to USM (SAMUI) is more expensive than flying to Phuket (because Bangkok Air OWNS the airport and it is their monopoly), its a wonderful place to live for retirement.  Being Thailand’s 2nd biggest island, it has lots of infrastructure.  It’s alway easy to spot the tourists around town.  While they’re like ant invading a new space, they are a required evil in order to bring new money into a badly depressed area.  The Thai show owners, hotels, restaurants and everyone else need a new infusion of income.  Complaining about costs is NOT what’s stopping tourist from visiting.  It’s the obstacles that the Gov’t has in place just to get into the country.  DUMP EVERYTHING, EVERY RESTRICTION, EVERY INSURANCE REQUIREMENT, THAI PASS, DOCUMENTATION, ETC.  2 lines.  Vaccinated and UNVaccinated, and go back to the PRE-COVID days when the complaints were the long lines at immigration !!! 

 

The major problem is that TAT has absolutely NO IDEA on how to accomplish anything that they put forth in the grand plans.  It’s like asking a group of children how they would rebuilt Thailand’s Socioeconomic society?  They would say “USE ICE CREAM! WE LOVE ICE CREAM”!  

 

Problem solved, right?

yes good idea ..fir those that oppose vax 1 line at the airport and 1 line for vaxed like me hopefully sail thru.. 

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Open the borders and let them come and do what they want.

Yes indeed, as here in Cambodia! (air borders)

[Harveyboy]

45 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

On Samui, there are local groups and hotels that organise volunteer 'clean up' events.

Six Senses hotel is near where I live and they have regular clean up days along the whole road to where their resort is. They cut back the vegetation and clear up the rubbish.

Local Tessabaan workers (in yellow shirts) are also out on the roads regularly - tidying up and collecting rubbish.

yes great that people like this take time to clean this place up...but until we educate thsis on the throwing of anything anywhere its like peeing into the wind ..

[Caldera]

Here's an idea:

 

The complicated eVisa process puts off many European visitors who want to stay longer than 30 days. Why not change visa exempt entries to 90 days, which would make both obtaining 60-day tourist visas and 30-day extensions obsolete. Think of it as a form of compensation for having to apply for a Thailand Pass for the time being. 

[natway09]

Just reduce the restrictions for people to travel to Thailand, they might come back

Had 2 years to "clean the cesspit up" but apart from a few smart private enterprises who have spent the time diligently nothing has changed, including the CP Group's non interest in spending one Baht in cleaning up around their stores (or franchised ) to clean up plastic & rubbish that they have created.

Maybe send a delegation to Ho Chi to see how they ensure rubbish is collected

[vinci]

you are still require to have $10k-20k insurance thingy, who's going to buy insurance just to vacation to Thailand or any other country for that matter, i mean how does it work, before you come to Thailand you must buy insurance from where? buy in your own country or buy from the thai?

[blazes]

11 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Why not change visa exempt entries to 90 days, which would make both obtaining 60-day tourist visas and 30-day extensions obsolete.

Not a bad idea, I am sure we all agree.  But don't forget that all the different visa bull$hite foreigners have to go through is the way a backward country creates employment for its vast masses.  Pi$$-poor pay, but better than having unemployed swanning around downtown doing sweet FA.

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, cheapcanuck said:

The only reason for the difference in price is Koh Samui's airport is controlled by one single airline which gouges tourists on ticket prices and does not allow other airlines to use the airport.

The real reason is that the airport on Samui has been build and maintained for private funds without supporting government money, so there are only the users that can pay for it. Everyone can use the airport - and several airlines does - but the of course need to pay the fees.

 

Using the Surat Thani-option to a public funded airport with bus and ferry transfer is a great option for those, that wish a cheaper transport fare, and has time to spend in a bus and on an 1½ hour ferry-ride. In old times it was the 12-hours sleeper-train to Surat Thani that was way to Samui, and that is also still available and used by many travelling on a budget.

 

With up to 25+ flights a day at present post Covid-time and periods with fully booked ferries, it doesn't seem like it's the airport fee that stops the tourism, there are actually quite a number of tourists on the island at the moment...????

[khunPer]

To all those that don't fancy Koh Samui, the answer is extremely simple: No one forces you to come here and spend your money on over-charged airfares, taxi-rides and hotels...

– and all those happy people that comes here does it voluntary...????????

[dirtybirty]

4 hours ago, shackleton said:

Yes the wife and myself are thinking of going to Koh Samui 

Probably fly down from Bangkok 

See how the place has  changed must 10 years when we last there 

Flew Bangkok Airways one way then a  ferry to Surat Thani 

Overnight coach back  to Bangkok  

don't bother been ruined by greed both local and foreign. <deleted>ty looking and most prop illegal developments on the hillsides.  used to love samui now an overpriced <deleted> hole.ps  be prepared to pay 500 baht + for 5 min taxi fair.  they never learn, oh a a seriously corrupt police force 

[NeoDinosaw]

6 hours ago, Tarteso said:

What happens to the Indians? ????

Cowboys shot them all in the well-known soi !

[SoilSpoil]

Has anyone actually been on Samui? You can drive around the island without seeing the ocean. Every inch of beach front is taken by resorts. Better go to Phuket, Ko Chang, Khao Lak, etc..., if you bother to come to Thailand.

 

 

 

[SoilSpoil]

28 minutes ago, khunPer said:

To all those that don't fancy Koh Samui, the answer is extremely simple: No one forces you to come here and spend your money on over-charged airfares, taxi-rides and hotels...

– and all those happy people that comes here does it voluntary...????????

true, and will never come back again.....

[Fairynuff]

Not Saudis? Not Indians? Not Chinese? Not Russians?

[crazykopite]

Samui is decimated without business owners returning and opening up the shutters on many of the shops people are not going to bother coming