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

[malibukid]

40 minutes ago, moogradod said:

Yes, thanks - I mentioned that one already. Its just a little bit far by car (and ferry then). However they have the best Pizzeria on the island I know in Thailand. This motivates.

name please?

[bkk6060]

 

It is a broken windows issue.

It is generally an uneducated society with little English.  Even at some of the high end resorts, English can be a problem. 

 

Start from scratch Mr. Auntin.  Retool your education system maybe in 20 years the 3rd world thinking and mindset will slowly bleed its way out.

 

[CM Dad]

Get rid of double pricing and treat non Thai visitors and long-term expats with respect.  Treat foreigners with Thai families the same way their Thai spouses are treated when living abroad.  Clean up all the garbage and enforce traffic laws.  I have lived here, worked here, and paid taxes here for more than thirty years, but I doubt I will ever see any of the improvements I mentioned during my lifetime.    

[martin81]

This is just talk from Anutin. He does not control prices at hotels, restaurants and private hospitals.

They are privately owned businesses and set their own prices.

 

Last year I staid both at tourist palces and not tourist palces over most of Thailand and even at Phuket Pating I could get a good hotel room with breakfast for 500 to 800 baht. Which is very cheap compared to most of the world.

 

Prices are low at many hotels as there are still too few tourists and also too few local Thais travelling around.

[malibukid]

17 minutes ago, dadadede said:

then improve road, infrastructures and service quality cause they all fall in the 'cheap' category.

you cannot become premium just increasing the price; people would just not come.

as long as there is corruption this will never happen

[Teddy3943]

If you want more tourists now the ticket prices are sky high due to the energy crisis, don't make other things more expensive. Tourists search the internet and calculate the total costs of their holiday. So closer destinations with lower ticket prices will win the race. 

[Dogmatix]

But the truth is they are desperate to get the Chinese back and they are the ultimate bottom feeder, zero dollar tourists. When they get rich they don't come to Thailand. They go to Europe, USA and Japan.

 

Anyway as if not offering discounts is going to attract more demand for the same product. Sigh.

[Tony125]

If he wants to cater to high end tourists then once again the Gov  trying to keep the poor down as high end tourists will be prevented from buying from street vendors ( remember removing vendors from Pratunam/beaches) . Only high end hotels/restaurants will benefit from the Hi-so tourist spending.   No beach vendors just more money for the hi-so owners of high end places. 

 

[Dont confuse me]

If its not a cheap destination (which it soon won't be with rising fuel prices).

What is the attraction apart from the obvious bar scene? 

[Sametboy2019]

Problem solved. Make everything expensive and Thailand instantly becomes a luxury travel destination 

[Stefanix]

Here is the solution: dual pricing for hotels as well! Just add a „skin color tax“ for non-Thais and a stay in same shabby hotel will feel luxurious because its expensive. Together with the increased air fares a Thailand vacation will be very exclusive and the nature will be protected because only 1 tourist per square km. 

[ukrules]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“We cannot let people come to Thailand and stay because it’s cheap,” said Mr Anutin

The pre-covid decline will begin again.

[ChrisKC]

After two and a half years of lost time not preparing for a return to some kind of tourism numbers, they - the tourists - might have hoped that what "Premium" Thailand had to offer was already in place, not just wished for!

 

Premium prices, yes, and the people to benefit are the the "corporates". Of course these large Businesses do employ the locals but they are underpaid as in one instance I can vouch for having stayed in Koh Samet last week and the waitress, after having being told we only wanted the egg and toast instead of the full American breakfast, asked us nevertheless to order it, separately, so she could take it away later and have it for her own breakfast!

 

And I paid the full B200 as a foreigner to visit Koh Samet as it is National park, whereas my wife paid only B40.

 

I am not Thai but I have lived in Thailand for longer that 25% of the Thai population.

[Tarteso]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Looks like Anutin will kill off the majority of folks who come here for medical tourism.

.. and see Temples. ✌️

[Joseph98765]

So...who the f*** is this guy? 2 days ago he was mixing cement with water and now he wants to change the world?

Leave Thailand as it is...and maybe if you are lucky it will get a piece of the cake with tourist coming back

[mberbae]

Thailand wants to kill the goose that lays the Golden Egg.

Foot Massages @ 1,000 baht will not help bring in tourists.

Nor will noodle dishes at 100 baht.

[moogradod]

30 minutes ago, malibukid said:

name please?

OK, I will not be that selfish not to tell you, although this carries the danger with it that the (small) restaurant might be more overcrowded once and we wont have a seat when we are there.

 

I hope you appreciate it: It is called "Mordi & Fuggi", located at Kai Bae. The Italian owner makes as well the noodles by himself.

 

[EricTh]

People come to Thailand because it's cheap, not because it's premium. Anutin doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

If tourists want to pay premium prices, there are lots of places in the world especially Europe, North America and Australia with far better facilities and quality of staff.

 

 

[toho]

Bangkok Post writes that Anutin wants Thailand to sell itself like Louis Vuitton.

That is quite a statement, even for him.

Good to set goals high, but might be better if Anutin showed some sense of reality and modesty.  I like Thailand, but imho Thailand does not offer the same quality like Louis Vuitton.

The list of challenges is still too long for that, like: traffic accidents, plastic, pavements, dirty beaches, double pricing, lots of papers and other red tape, corruption, Red Bull heir hit and run, politics, soi dogs, wast dumping in public areas, burning waste, exhaust pipe fumes, motorbike noise, jet ski mafia.

Thailand has a lot to offer, absolutely, but they still have to face and solve some challenges before they can lure the rich and famous who frequent places abroad that do fully match their high standards.

[micmichd]

3 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Cheap? It’s certainly not that any more with the increases in energy esp electricity and fuel, all imported products and freight costs, rise in basic staples like chicken and pork (and beer!) This will be reflected in tourist restaurant prices and souvenirs.

 

Flights have rocketed in price, entry and mask requirements as opaque and changeable as ever.

 

As others have pointed out, European destinations are much more pleasant, affordable and short flying times. 

Not for me. Thailand is my only residence, and Europe is not attractive anymore. 

[ikke1959]

How can you make  it a premium travel destination without doing anything about infrastructure, education, security, and safety....

 

Travel by train...... 19th century

travel on the road, traffic jam and crazy drivers everywhere, dangerous minivans etc

travel to a premium place where almost nobody can speak English

travel to places where you are being robbed from necklaces or even a change of being murdered , or as they like to call it suicide. 

Travel to premium destianation with the always  grumpy immigration officers

Premium destination where Mr Anutin doesn't hide that he doesn't like foreigners.

Premium destination were have to be careful what you say about who or what.

Premium destination of getting ripped off by greedy taxis, or double priced entree fees etc.

 

Yes Thailand will be the premium destination soon, and with the poorest people in Asia.. The few tourists who will come will contribute nothing to the common people, but eat and sleep in luxury restaurant, hotels and resorts,

 

Where is the time that the backpackers were welcomed? They sometimes worked here and in the weekends and day offs they spend money they earned here to travel around. The common people had benefit of it . But now..... the Government its has no feeling and no sense to run a country at all.. They should be there for the people instead of their own businesses 

[itsari]

Pot smoking gamblers are requested to visit Thailand 

[renaissanc]

No tourism business is going to pay any attention to him because he's showing inestimable ignorance. Besides, being a super-rich politician Anutin doesn't understand how ordinary people live or how tourism works, and so he should stick to Troughdom activities. 

[Muzzique]

High End Tourists don't want to sit in a bar full of weed smoking back packers. 

Stop training elephants to play football and put them back in the Jungle. Get rid of the floating markets that are man made for tourists and clamp down on scammers.

[bronzedude]

Again, this guy says something at least once a week to get his name in the news cycle. Please stop articles with this guys quotes. They've had no substance in the past and it's likely to continue. I'd rather read about what the common Thai is going through nowadays, but I guess nobody wants to hear about so much negative news.  

[xtrnuno41]

1 hour ago, moogradod said:

So you dont like swimming in the sea, then. Scared of yellyfish  or sharks ? You should visit Boracay (Philippines) once. Then you get the best sunset ever as a free bonus. Phuket was indeed quite nice in the past.

 

Any suggestions for NOW ? Nobody has given me any recommendation of a premium location. Maybe there are none ? Or they just dont want to tell.

Been in Borocay long time ago, but overall not really special. Was way in the back on the beach, American bought hotel, runnend by his wife. That was a good spot. Nice sandy beach and good swimming place, no swimming pool. Close by a restaurant in a CAVE made by the water, very nice.

If you wanted action then you could walk to it, took some while but ok and you were in tourist section. 

Walking back in the evening? No lights, then, when you were going there, but you could take the road and or little transport.

Also once went to Palawan and had a booking on Arricife Island. But then you are on a tiny island and you ll have to do your thing on it. They included scuba diving teaching and some more. But ok nice for a week or you must like the silence and rest.  I did the training and later again another diving tour. Food made by resort, buffet and was good. I crossed the whole island on foot, that big.

 

In Thailand i loved Krabi. Resort right on the beach. Also some bungalows, really on the beach. Costed more, but wasnt interested for that price. Guess they were thinking farang price. But nice swimming in ocean.

Little village close by, so visited the market.

Koh Lipe? Been there, some like Borocay, was in front of the island to the left and just for couple of days. Though the beach was soft sanded , as Borocay isnt.

Nice for a couple of days, but then it stops. Did some snorkling together with manyyyy Thai.

 

So that i already had in Thailand for the "cheap" prices and now the want to lift it more up in money? Too bad.

Well they are already doing so, as ive seen the house pricing and land going up and up, thanks to FOREIGN housing companies.

[rudi49jr]

Thailand doesn’t seem to understand that it doesn’t have to be either/or. A country can cater to all kinds of tourists, those who are wealthy and those who have less money, those who seek luxury accommodation and those who seek cheap(er) or more affordable accommodation. I’m betting the latter are a much larger group that would bring in much more money.

[ThailandRyan]

53 minutes ago, Joseph98765 said:

So...who the f*** is this guy? 2 days ago he was mixing cement with water and now he wants to change the world?

Leave Thailand as it is...and maybe if you are lucky it will get a piece of the cake with tourist coming back

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

[Harveyboy]

these guys meed to go out and about.. Thailand isn't cheap anymore .im in France for a few months flew out Swampy last week shopping food and drinks (mainly Alcohol ha) here cheaper than big C i was expecting the worst but no probs

[Phil1964]

The people in charge of Thailand obviously can't see past the end of their offshore bank accounts funded by all their dirty corrupt, laundered money. Sorry end of their noses, as if they actually bothered to visit decent 'high end' tourist destinations they'd realise that like their psychology and attitudes the Thais and Thailand are stuck in the 1940/50's. 

 

They're just wanting high end tourists so taxi drivers, tour companies, golf caddys etc can rip them off more,with no extra efforts!!