Thailand wants to lose its reputation for being ‘cheap’, aims to become premium travel destination

[Stargeezr]

Well, Dang, there goes my vacation in Thailand this coming Winter. Well there is always

Belize, or Mexico, Hawaii if I want to spend only a week in a tropical country.

Glad there are other choices.

[Dukeleto]

17 hours ago, overherebc said:

I can't remember if this beach is in Thailand or The Algarve.

Too clean to be Thailand.

 

[Dukeleto]

Fortunately for Thailand the hotel industry understands what Thailand is and what it offers. They are not going to bump up prices and have no guests. They have just been through 2 years of that! Unless the government is going to subsidise them for having their hotels empty, which they could not do during the pandemic, then it’s just anal air flailing around in the wind! Now that is something they are good at.

[mania]

Quote

 

“Hold your ground. Sell premium. The more expensive, the more customers,” he said.

“Otherwise Louis Vuitton wouldn’t have any sales.”

 

This Anutin must love the taste of his feet as he always has his foot in his mouth ????

 

Dear Mr Anutin please try to realize Thailand is nothing close to a LV outlet except for copies

 

Thailand is closer to a McDonald's, so if you must make a comparison

 imagine McDonald's trying to sell their burgers for $10-$20 each you think that would pull more customers do you?

 

Ok back to your previous employment of chucking concrete ????

[Rhys]

... did he visit the right venue?

[BadSpottedDog]

Thailand's niche is to see a beautiful country without the exorbitant price tag. The super rich don't normally come here because many (not all) of the "resorts" are not up to Western standards. Those people have the money to go anywhere on the planet, so why not choose Fiji or the Maldives over Thailand? 

Thailand is shooting itself in the foot yet again with this plan.

[FalangJaiDee]

Considering that that Thailand has a vicious xenophobia, treats """"toursits""" and foreigners like intruders and monetary prey, the least they can do is offset that negative part of the experience with cheap prices and a plethora of cuties. Its deeply, culturally, and historically ingrained so its not going away anytime soon. 

I've had moto taxi drivers snap at me "NO I'LL JUST WALK!" when i refuse to pay them double the price. Its such a repulsive and feral level of greed.

[AustinRacing]

Not unusual for me anymore. Thais have difficulty comprehending multidisciplinary tasks. High end tourism requires upgrading many things which they are yet to look into before making plans and announcements.  I saw this mentality at work when I started 5 years ago. They prepare presentations on what they wish to achieve with timelines attached. At first I would scrutinize the plans for their flaws but now I just sit quiet and watch their plans come undone with their timelines shifting at every meeting. Ironically nobody seems to hold accountable those who came up with the plan and timelines. In my experience in the west if you propose a plan and promise to deliver and fxxx up there are consequences. 

[Sydebolle]

The tourism minister giving all sorts of health advice and suggestions. The health minister, if not making money on airport extensions and rejecting claims on a less-than-perfect-yet-heavily-delayed construction of the parliament building by his family's company, giving advice on tourism. 

Thailand does not have to lose the reputation of being cheap = that happened quite some time ago. A recent through Northern Thailand can be summarized with considerably poorer service of higher costs. What some hotels do these days is nothing short of proper rip-off. What some restaurants serve is absolute carp. So no need to worry, the tag on "cheap" has moved from pricing to service! 

[Rhys]

..Hub of G stuff.

 

[ThailandRyan]

2 hours ago, Dukeleto said:

Too clean to be Thailand.

 

Depends on where you are in Thailand.

[robert888d]

I notice that nearly all Thai people in Pattaya have never stopped wearing masks all the time. I don't where one when I am outside walking around but wear one when I go inside a shop like 7/11 etc. Surely tourists won't be expected to wear a mask, if they are lying on the beach trying to get a tan?Thailand seem to change the bloody rules about things every few days.

[moogradod]

40 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

The tourism minister giving all sorts of health advice and suggestions. The health minister, if not making money on airport extensions and rejecting claims on a less-than-perfect-yet-heavily-delayed construction of the parliament building by his family's company, giving advice on tourism.

Exactly what I thought yesterday. I do not know any country where such ignorance of a ministers assigned responsibility is ignored in such a way without a big outcry. A case for a call to resign in the civilized countries I know.

 

Let alone that it might be at least questionable if the ministers do even have competence in their own field of original responsibility. How more confusing can it ever get ? Amazing so to say.

[Henryford]

Premium travel destination ha ha, come and get your joints here. Skid row Thailand.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

18 hours ago, moogradod said:

Indeed Singapore seems not to be a good comparison or does anybody know someone who has been on a 4 week holiday there ? I have visited Singapore several times (mostly due to stopovers of flights) but the longest period I stayed ever was 3 days.

Worked in Singapore for a year. At first its great, very safe, good food, excellent restaurants, very clean etc.

However it gets boring very quickly. Singapore is small, you can drive from one end to the other in around 45 minutes.

[moogradod]

9 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Worked in Singapore for a year. At first its great, very safe, good food, excellent restaurants, very clean etc.

However it gets boring very quickly. Singapore is small, you can drive from one end to the other in around 45 minutes.

It started to decline when they confined the street food stalls to specific areas. That was the end of fun. I have enjoyed staying at the Raffles for a few nights while sipping some of the Singapore Slings (although Peter Roths version in the Kronenhalle in Zurich was better than the original). But for the sake of history. I remember the "Elizabethan Grill Room" as well. Thats what I call style. I love the style - like the Centara Grand in Hua Hin or the old wing of the Mandarin Oriental. Kuala Lumpur has some of these buildings, too. Love it deeply.

[chuang]

Goodbye Cheap Charlies...

[ivor bigun]

1 hour ago, robert888d said:

I notice that nearly all Thai people in Pattaya have never stopped wearing masks all the time. I don't where one when I am outside walking around but wear one when I go inside a shop like 7/11 etc. Surely tourists won't be expected to wear a mask, if they are lying on the beach trying to get a tan?Thailand seem to change the bloody rules about things every few days.

I must say the wife and i have not worn masks outside for 2 years ,unless we are in a place with many people around ,and always indoors .

[teelac777]

So does every other developing ASEAN country....

I don't think the people in the region with such lofty aspirations actually go anywhere.

If they did they'd soon see that the French, Spanish, and Italian rivieras, Cancun, Bermuda, Tahiti, Hawaii, etc etc get the high rollers because they're worth the money.

 

[garyk]

Just saying what the hotel, travel industry and private hospitals wants to hear. Same with all politicians. Puts money in his pocket.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 7/5/2022 at 12:06 PM, MRToMRT said:

If he ever does become PM in a power share, 90% of the farangs here are knackered.

Say goodbye to cheap annual visa extensions.

 

I reckon 60%+ of the expat population will be culled within a few months. 

[garyk]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It is cheap for me, that's all I care about.

I have a car, a scooter and a GF 23 years younger than me here.I would not be able to have any of those in Australia.

I don't understand the point of your post, if Thailand wants to lose its cheap reputation the COL has to be compared with other countries. One can't do it in a vacuum.

You just described 99.9 percent of the people here. Exactly right.

[Mr Meeseeks]

Watch the video when he is announcing this, he is in his little brown civil servant's uniform, it reminded me of this...

 

[3NUMBAS]

turkeys cheap as they have mega    inflation

[Cake Monster]

Anutin is out of Isolation then, and beating his Gums big time to make up for his enforced absence from the Goon Show Stage.

[roo860]

8 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Depends on where you are in Thailand.

Are you a Special Forces operative?

[mvdf]

I'm leaving if they make it just as clinically immaculate as Singapore.

[Joseph98765]

On 7/5/2022 at 4:40 PM, ThailandRyan said:

He is the Minister of health. Where have you been hiding for 8 years.

I know who is he.... it was a rhetorical question

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

turkeys cheap as they have mega    inflation

 

I seem to remember the Economist had what was called the burger index. The comparative cost of a McDonald's burger in each country. Apparently the true cost of living in a country was reflected by the burger index.

According to the burger index, Turkey is comparatively cheap. Switzerland is the most expensive.

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, roo860 said:

Are you a Special Forces operative?

Say what? I can neither concur or deny any speculative posts.