The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is working on a plan to restore foreign tourist confidence in Thailand, after assessing the impacts of the Siam Paragon shopping mall shooting on the Thai tourism sector.

 

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said today (Wednesday) that it may take about a week to get a clearer picture of how many foreign tourists cancel or postpone their planned visits to Thailand following the shooting.

 

The first action to be taken, in coordination with relevant state agencies, is to improve safety at all tourist destinations, including shopping malls and restaurants, so visitors can feel safe, she said, adding that they will also mount a publicity campaign to boost the image of the country as a safe place for visitors on short, mid and long-term bases.

 

Thapanee said that relevant agencies must make sure that the injured are properly taken care of, both physically and mentally and expressed condolences, on behalf of the TAT and staff, to the families of the dead and injured.

 

Source: Thai PBS 2023-10-04

 

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3 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

(TAT) is working on a plan to restore foreign tourist confidence in Thailand

555 good luck with that, u have been damaging it for quite some time and it will take much longer to restore, tourists are going somewhere where they are welcomed, at the rate your country is moving into the wrong direction soon it will not only tourists that u will miss but if the "tax scam" will be implemented many expats on retirement will be looking for better and safer pastures as well

8 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

they will also mount a publicity campaign to boost the image of the country as a safe place for visitors on short, mid and long-term bases.

should we understand there would be NO more scams, no more double/triple overcharging on state parks and similar facilities/amenities..... TAT, u can only reap what u have been sowing

The shooting incident will not have a big impact on the tourists. So TAT you have to do a lot more to attrack tourists again. How about stopping scams, double pricing, see wallets instead of tourists, become the land of smiles again, stop chasing tourists for vaping, get rid of the alcohol sales hours and stop blaming tourists for every thing that goes wrong, as Anutin  did several times. 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

The first action to be taken, in coordination with relevant state agencies, is to improve safety at all tourist destinations, including shopping malls and restaurants, so visitors can feel safe, she said, adding that they will also mount a publicity campaign to boost the image of the country as a safe place for visitors on short, mid and long-term bases.

So unmanned beeping metal detectors aren't enough, then?

What confidence ? With corruption all over, cheating taxi drivers, immigration red tape and harassment for retirees, bank hassles just to open a account and all the absurd residence certificate or translations they ask, all the TM20-30-50-90 xxx forms to fill...what confidence left for investors and wealthy retirees to come  ? These people tell back home how the situation is and is deterrs their tourist families and friends from comming.

The only sure way to restore tourist's confidence now is to PAY THEM to come to Thailand, ( i'm known for my brilliant solution)...

simple. Ban media globally from covering any news from Thailand, eg shootings, scams, stuff we are not allowed to mention, etc. Include news about Thailand, eg from New York about stuff we can only read in foreign media.

Good luck with that.

42 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

What confidence ? With corruption all over, cheating taxi drivers, immigration red tape and harassment for retirees, bank hassles just to open a account and all the absurd residence certificate or translations they ask, all the TM20-30-50-90 xxx forms to fill...what confidence left for investors and wealthy retirees to come  ? These people tell back home how the situation is and is deterrs their tourist families and friends from comming.

Ironically all you say is true and has been true for decades but Thai tourism numbers have grown exponentially.  They seem to have zero impact and many I surmise it may be why they come. 

 

Been here 25 years and never been too inconvenienced by the corruption ( I beg cops not to give me a ticket and take a bribe ).  Opened  bank accounts easy years ago and last year.  The TM and 90 day notices take me 30 minutes each year.  Arguably the easiest country to retire for "me" but I'm sure my situation is deferent than most.  Guess I'm lucky.  Sorry it so difficult for you - that kinda suckss

I wonder.......surely not....might we see golf ball detectors issued to every store?

My guess is no one will cancel flights. Why would you?

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The first action to be taken, in coordination with relevant state agencies, is to improve safety at all tourist destinations, including shopping malls and restaurants, so visitors can feel safe, she said, adding that they will also mount a publicity campaign to boost the image of the country as a safe place for visitors on short, mid and long-term bases.

As for this it's simply reactionary and like everything else here it will last a while and then back to normal. As for the shooting, let's hope it's an isolated incedence.

 

 

Like the Chinese extended visa idea. If we extend the visas they'll all come! The reason people don't come back is that it has become a built up, dirty, dangerous dump. Add to that the cheating, scamming tourist operations.

 

When will they get the fact that the natives were blessed with a stunning country yet don't give a toss about destroying it? Littering, pollution, towns and streets looking like junk. If you want to attract anybody anywhere then clean your bloody act up and make it a safe, pleasant place to visit.

 

Thailand is a beautiful country yet it is often a dump because of the abuse of the people that were born here.

20 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

My guess is no one will cancel flights. Why would you?

As for this it's simply reactionary and like everything else here it will last a while and then back to normal. As for the shooting, let's hope it's an isolated incedence.

 

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The first action to be taken, in coordination with relevant state agencies, is to improve safety at all tourist destinations, including shopping malls and restaurants

Expect more bag checks on ordinary citizens etc etc.

Best way to attract more tourists/confidence: government resign, value your visitors.

How about a transparent democratically elected government that would take the issues of corruption and injustice out of the equation so that tourists would feel they were not just cash cows for Thai economics.

15 minutes ago, Denim said:

How about a transparent democratically elected government that would take the issues of corruption and injustice out of the equation so that tourists would feel they were not just cash cows for Thai economics.

I really think this about getting Chinese (the one's with the money) here. Not sure they (the Chinese) care about what's going on here. Never have before.  The bigger thing is the Chinese economy. Narritive is not to say it's not so good. We all know that the narritive must be adhered to so blame it on something else.

what happened to the 300 baht arrival tax to go with the 700 departure one? that sounded like a winner???? They should scrap the ludicrous restrictions on selling booze, some restaurants even adhere to this madness. 

Fake sympathy and more worried about the image of the country. Where was your concern for tourism and the wider affect on those that rely on income from it when you unnecessarily closed the country for two years. And it will happen again as Thailand is one of the countries that has signed up the WHOs draconian pandemic treaty except next time it won't be the Thai government setting the rules. Signing away your sovereignty is a treasonous act.

Hmmmm…. And around in circles we go(again) ?

Sadly there’s so much more than a shooting wrong with Thailand. They don’t get that people get fed up of being scammed , especially in these harder times, and the state of many resorts leave lots to be desired. Baht to the pound too is putting many off as add in the increased costs of air travel ,up over 100% from a few years ago and it’s killing the market. I’ve had a great run from 1998 and heading back in a few weeks but have said to friends this will probably be my last. No loss to many , I get that but it all adds up. And to be honest the thought of bumping into crowds of Chinese fills me with dread. Hopefully there thin on the ground still . 

Edited October 4, 20232 yr by Nigeone

TAT can try what they will to restore confidence

 

Immigration will still deny multi-millionaire tourists entry at for ”coming too many times”

 

Revenue department will show up at airports to confiscate 24 percent of cash brought in exchange fot a paper in Thai how to file for reimbursement during the next tax year if they can prove they were actually tourists????

 

Those who make it to the Kingdom will experience the same scams and greed starting with rude Taxi drivers with rigged meters

 

Nothing ever changes and the organs of govt work at cross purposes

 

 

Edited October 4, 20232 yr by Captain Monday

Double post

Edited October 4, 20232 yr by Captain Monday

Have Thai coup's, flooding, the Erawan bombing, government protest, unsolved tourist murders, drownings, sub standard infrastructure, taxi over pricing, double pricing, disparaging comments, etc. stopped the herds from coming? No.... Bottom line is the only real concern is the amount of money coming in and how fast it is coming in, the rest is irrelevant but makes for never ending feigned stories of concern from the media.

But but a Spanish man said yesterday that Thai Police is Number One in the world after resolved a camera issue ????

8 hours ago, atpeace said:

Ironically all you say is true and has been true for decades but Thai tourism numbers have grown exponentially.  They seem to have zero impact and many I surmise it may be why they come. 

 

Been here 25 years and never been too inconvenienced by the corruption ( I beg cops not to give me a ticket and take a bribe ).  Opened  bank accounts easy years ago and last year.  The TM and 90 day notices take me 30 minutes each year.  Arguably the easiest country to retire for "me" but I'm sure my situation is deferent than most.  Guess I'm lucky.  Sorry it so difficult for you - that kinda suckss

Must be nice to not have to put 800K in a Thai bank and not worry about future taxes..before they changed the rules for westerners I used to do the same. But, even then if you travel and get caught out of your zone then the 90 day and TM are an absolute nightmare. For someone like you that never goes anywhere and never travels then it must be heaven.  I get this mental picture of you sitting on your porch in your rocker thinking you are the luckiest guy alive...

Edited October 4, 20232 yr by Gknrd

10 hours ago, Denim said:

How about a transparent democratically elected government that would take the issues of corruption and injustice out of the equation so that tourists would feel they were not just cash cows for Thai economics.

 All the best and good luck with that????

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is working on a plan to restore foreign tourist confidence in Thailand, after assessing the impacts of the Siam Paragon shopping mall shooting on the Thai tourism sector.

Ordering the airlines in Thailand to drop their fleecing air flight costs by 25-50% would be a good start after putting them up 80-100%

How are you going to stop horizontal departures from here ..stop all arrivals ????  

Most of the legitimate beefs mentioned on this thread can also be directed against other countries. 

 

One thing Thailand should consider is opening up the country in the same way as Mexico, Spain, Greece and other such countries do.   (You've got 6 months in Mexico, no questions asked., no visas, no deadlines -  perfect.)

 

Let's face it, the main reason (these days) for those from cold-winter climates to visit LoS is the WEATHER.  As tourists, as opposed to ex-pats, we will put up, short-term, with all the things that pi$$ us off as expats.

Abandon most of your regulations.   Period.

Treat this as an isolated case - it is, not even in Thailand, a reoccurring problem when a loonie starts shooting in a mall.

Open, transparent press work will focus the media's attention onto other subjects very soon. 

Regardless of the shooting, the days of bulk tourists coming to any country are gone. 
Was in Pattaya last week, and being a golden week for travel for China, Korea and Japan - it was so quiet on Beach Road. Scattered family from Hong Kong and 1-2 China family.. dinner time was quiet. Restaurant n hotel were all local residents.