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

[itsari]

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

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

Where have you been ? His wealth is made from the construction industry . 

Cheap labor and cement involved there 

[Harveyboy]

this guy is in cuckoo land Thailand is not the country it used to be a lot better and cheaper place's out there ...put up your prices Close down your tourism.. Simple as that.

[Toby1947]

The man just looks thick to me

[micmichd]

22 minutes ago, xtrnuno41 said:

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.

The companies may be foreign, but the people who work there and run are probably Thai. 

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm… I can guarantee an expensive Thailand will attract few customers.

[3NUMBAS]

 desperative operators in the TAT dreaming of ever more delusional plans in the evidence of a downturn of numbers

[Freddy42OZ]

5 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Sounds like he wants to charge more, without improving the quality of the product.

 

Hanging electricity cables, Mangey Soi dogs, dirty beaches, smog, taxis with crazy drivers and no seatbelts etc. all offered at a premium price. Good luck with that Anutin.

 

People who come and are staying in the premium places don't see any of that.  They go by luxury van from the airport to their 5 star hotel or resort, they only leave the resort maybe to go on a nice chartered yacht or out to one of the recommended 5 star restaurants and always in the comfort of a nice chauffeur driver van. They don't see, nor do the want to see, the locals (or any budget style tourists), the local beaches (top resorts have either private beaches or pools that are much better than the sea and they definitely aren't going to be using local taxis etc.  

I know this because that is how my family used to travel.  Went to many countries and didn't leave the confines of whatever luxury resort we were staying at.
 

[WildBillHiccup]

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner?

[baz69er]

So let's all go on holiday to Thailand because its expensive!

[Wrwest]

 I have no issue with marketing but ... vocabulary in the target audience language counts. I recommend not using the English word, "cheap" but rather using the English term, "value for your ...  dollar, Euro, Yen (whatever)". A definite attraction for Thailand is emphasizing the benefit of a lower cost of living. I retired here for the major reason that I could have a US level middle class retirement in Thailand which I could not have in the USA. This is, in fact, a Thailand advantage in global competition. It is a major consideration for many of the retirees out of the 9 million Americans living outside the USA. You want to promote tourism, including medical tourism? A major selling point is world class service at a substantial cost savings. Or Mr. Anutin, do you propose to promote Thailand tourism by matching Monte Carlo prices.

[xtrnuno41]

7 minutes ago, micmichd said:

The companies may be foreign, but the people who work there and run are probably Thai. 

Have no really a clue on how they are doing it, it could also be internet as a way out.

Foreigners make a website and brokers can use it to bring up their merchandise, of course you have to pay for the use.

In the past for instance you had "FBI", that was a real estate broker run by a Danish guy.

At one point , he apologized, as he had to break up his business after many years, due to changing(?) rules.

However i noticed , he is back in the business and changed name. 

And i assume he was working in the right way in Thailand. So with a ltd Thai company and complying rules in it.

[kcpattaya]

"Cheap" turned out to be a scam.

So, let's try "an expensive" destination.

[MrJ2U]

It's not cheap.

 

It's more overpriced than anything. 

[Iamfalang]

Cheap charlies leave NOW!!!!

 

Wow, I guessed it would take 50-years for 30,000 baht rooms.......wow was I wrong.

 

I want dual pricing on everything.   Falang Beer.....1000000 baht.    If Thai, 5 baht.

 

Oh, not expensive enough Mr. Falang!!!   Room is now 90000000000000 baht per hour, Mr. Falang.

 

Where is Mr. Falang?  Come back!!!!!!  

[thailand49]

This guy foreigner even Thai better go to temple and pray hard that this backward thinking, prejudice, racist never ever get close to being PM for everyones sake!

The only cheap medical that is being provided to draw tourist are inexpensive ten pages physical examines nicely prepared to impress but look deep into these report many categories are redundant results.  Once you are here they try to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge of other test????

Easy stuff cookie cutter procedure but if you are really sick call it a day get a 9M, and call it a day.????

It is like being Minister of Health you not need to be qualified.

[brucegoniners]

This guy is such a tool!

[Bangkok Barry]

This is just another step in the government's plan to destroy the kind of tourism that drew tens of millions to Thailand every year. That previous image doesn't sit well with the puritanical government and so it is being systematically obliterated. They have now told the world that cheap deals and discounts are discouraged, so people will simply go where those deals are still available and all visitors are welcome. Especially in these economic hard times. He could not have made his comments at a worse time - but he's so rich it would not have occurred to him that others are looking for and need the deals that he is discouraging.

And if the government thinks the masses will be replaced by the rich, then he's delusional. What Thailand has to offer compared to luxury resorts around the world is like comparing non-league to Premier League football.

[tonypattaya]

Going "upmarket" doesn't mean increasing prices. It sometimes means reducing them, especially in the case of wines which are priced to put off wine drinkers coming to Thailand.

Wines and champagnes in Thailand, as a result of import duty, are the most expensive anywhere in the world. 

[sambum]

Once again Anutin hits the headlines!:- 

"Mr Anutin told representatives from many of the country’s leading hoteliers, businesses and private hospitals that they should no longer offer big discounts as a means to attract foreign tourists.

“We cannot let people come to Thailand and stay because it’s cheap,” said Mr Anutin who was speaking at the Thailand Moving Together, which was held at Suvarnabhumi airport. 

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

(The prime reason for many businesses going under, and I have seen it first hand many times!)

 

[WHansen]

Much ado about nothing.

Even a mathmatically challenged hotel/hospital manager will know a high occupancy from discounted rooms/treatment is better than a low occupancy from full rate rooms or services.

[Tropposurfer]

This BS won't fly. Not that loonies like these folks running the show listen to anything but the sound of the sea in their own heads.

My gut says people will go to other places that are cheaper have just as nice beaches etc. and the tourist numbers coming here will (over time) drop a lot. 

The hypothesis that there is some 'golden calf' tourist demographic that will not only match but outperform the mass of folks who come here and spend what they spend is BS.   

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The days of Thailand being regarded as a cheap holiday destination for foreign tourists appears to be coming to an end.

Presumably the days of Thailand being a holiday destination will end also...

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Speaking on Monday (July 4) at an event aimed at promoting tourism in Thailand, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the country should aim to become a “premium travel destination”.

A fantastic idea, you just need to turn it into a premium travel destination first!

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr Anutin told representatives from many of the country’s leading hoteliers, businesses and private hospitals that they should no longer offer big discounts as a means to attract foreign tourists.

Stop attracting foreign tourists... hmmm... I'm not sure if that's quite the way to manage tourism in Thailand.

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“We cannot let people come to Thailand and stay because it’s cheap,” said Mr Anutin who was speaking at the Thailand Moving Together, which was held at Suvarnabhumi airport.

The indoctrination that must occur in Thai schools is truly top-notch.  For someone to actually say this takes some high-level delusion.  Of course, if people want the privilege of being allowed to enter Thailand, they should be made to pay huge sums of cash.  Which they obviously will.

[4MyEgo]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“We cannot let people come to Thailand and stay because it’s cheap,” said Mr Anutin who was speaking at the Thailand Moving Together, which was held at Suvarnabhumi airport.

So was lecturing leading hoteliers, businesses and private hospitals who have suffered major losses over the past two plus years thanks to his governments inept ability to turn things around for them, and this is the way to pay them back, i.e. shift the blame onto the tourists, charge them more to make up for your losses.

 

I am sure he lost nothing and is making a killing on his gunja plantations.

 

Someone seriously needs to remove this clown, I can only feel for these organisations that were present at airport when this guy opened his mouth.

[the green light]

I do not understand how a country will want to change its image from cheap to expensive image without improve amenities.

 

For years ,Thailand was thought to be a place to retire , and a place for the middle class people to enjoy a reasonable low expensive vacation.

 

Foreigners were willing to disregards, garbage on the street,  overflowing street gutters .If it rains, the street drains are goggled. Let us not mention a non existing and poor  train and transportation system, traffic jams everywhere, rats running around bangkok streets in the nights....and many more- CHEAP is  the answer, visitors can look the other way and excuse Thailand for their poor system

 

Thailand can't expect to raise price just to make it look expensive without additional amenities. They need to consider what are  travel destinations available in the market .

 

With the world economy being in bad shape and inflation all around, traveller are looking for cheap vacation.. Thailand should feels lucky to be in the cheap category.

 

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

6 hours ago, ivor bigun said:

Was talking to a friend who is staying at a hotel in Pattaya and he said from next week he was told all the people staying there will be Indian ,i know we joke about it but lets face it they spend very little and you rarely see them in the bars etc.

Thailand is never going to be a high end tourist destination.

I do believe that they are often seen in the bars with one coke and four straws shared between then , I read it "once" on these forums

[robertson468]

Getting high class Tourists will take decades and certainly will not happen overnight just because he says so.  Also "respect" needs to be earned and Thailand is not quite there yet with all the infrastructure issues that need to be addressed.  Of course Hotels and the like are offering discounts, that's called business.

Sadly this Gentleman, who is known for being xenophobic, also has a reputation for engaging mouth before brain.

[scorecard]

5 hours ago, phetphet said:

Typical  billionaire without any money  worries.  I think he must have been sampling what he has been legalising.

 

If hotels are too expensive, no one will come. Many have already gone out of business or are up for sale due to the pandemic. . 

People have no money after what has been, and is happening in the world today. Dream on.

 

 

It's very simple; when the LOS is officially rated and recognized/well acepted as a first world country then the TAT can get serious about trying to attract very big spenders etc.

 

But right now the LOS is clearly not a first world country. Some would say 2nd world, I suggest it's still a 3rd world country with a long way to go to get near 1st world ranking.

 

 

[the green light]

let us not forget  Thailand can't offer amenities for  the disabled people on wheelchairs.  Most BTS station do not have a working lift on either side of the road.

Rich people are not young but middle age  or old with disability. That is whatthey look  when they travel

 

The other main reason is communication..Thai education system is poor and many students are not proficient in English .It includes the taxi and Tuk Tuk drivers, salesperson in department store or food court and transportation service. Let us also include the foot policeman .

 

Older rich tourists have no patience to deal with local destination people who can't speak english

 

The government should not worry about attracting rich tourists but find ways to improve thai image to be a better competitive travel destination

 

[BangkokReady]

16 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

shift the blame onto the tourists, charge them more to make up for your losses

It's pretty "on message" in Thailand to blame the foreigner.

[KaputtAlreadyNa]

6 hours ago, Shuya said:

Fits very well with Indians and Chinese as target group number 1

Chinese who come here are rich, I'm not sure about Indians. Not all Caucasian are rich.

Warmest