Why would a wealthier tourist come to Thailand? In most places, it's dirty, the smell of sewage is constant, the traffic is life-threatening, and the people are no longer friendly. In fact, many Thais dislike foreigners ("farang"). You get scammed everywhere, and the quality of services and service is declining. Yes, of course, there are beautiful places in Thailand that you can enjoy without mass tourism, so that's not the issue. As long as the folks in Bangkok drain the state treasury and don't seriously invest in their own country, the quality of tourism, and consequently the quality of the country, continues to deteriorate.

10 hours ago, Woke to Sounds of Horking said:

In Turdeau's Kanada they certainly are! Dissent will not be tolerated. The PC police are now going to charge you with provoking non-inclusiveness!

 Born as Men/Males use the Mens rest  room .

Born as Women/Females use the Ladies rest room.

That's what it is ,No Males going in the Ladies Restroom.  No Females going in theMens rest room.

There are Two different rest rooms for a reason, To Protect Our children from Problem Indecent Acts.

I won't let my daugther going by herslf going into the Ladies room if  I know there's A Man inside No matter what Anyone says.

There are two Sexes  It doesn't matter what some people Think what they are, they might say I feel like a Flower today. tomorrow I may  feel like a dog, that's completely nuts.I be a Horse today. 

Get rel stick to the factsMale/Female Not Wannabes.     

What does it mean to wannabe someone?

1. : a person who wants or aspires to be someone or something else or who tries to look or act like someone else. 2. : something (such as a company, city, or product) intended to rival another of its kind that has been successful. especially : one for which hopes have failed or are likely to fail.Nov 20, 2566 BE

The people who work for the government have to look like they are doing something. Coming up with an idea that they pull out of a hat looks like they are doing their job. No matter how stupid it sounds. I have 2 neighbors that work at some government jobs. Every morning they dress up in their uniforms and go off to work. About 1 to 2 hours later( 10 o'clock) they are back and setting on their porches eating in their shorts and tea shirts for the rest of the day. 

19 hours ago, Banana7 said:

They'll discover Thailand has major basic safety, health and corruption issues. A

 

Always has, never deterred tourism. Canada and the USA have the same issues in a different form. Now one thing I like about Thai corruption is at least it's honest corruption, not dressed up as virtuous. 

 

19 hours ago, Banana7 said:

Canadians and Americans have beautiful alternatives to Thailand, like the Caribbean islands, Central America and South America, without many of these issues.

 

 

They've been there. They don't have that exotic Thai quality that attracts tourists to Thailand.

16 hours ago, Canadian Snowbird said:

Someone at TAT better clue in the Immigration people that they need to streamline and simplify the visa process if they seriously want to encourage more long haul tourists (...)

 

I doubt that people at the TAT have a clue themselves. Thais are always surprised to hear what long holidays we Westerners have, or what savings. I'm convinced they really think that most tourists can only come to Thailand, and afford holidays lasting 2 to 4 weeks. At the same time, they seem to think that tourists fly halfway around the world for a week-long temple tour of Thailand... No wonder that, post-Covid (with higher ticket prices), they mostly just attract short-time tourists from nearby countries (Malaysia, India, China, etc.), while others don't bother thanks to short VFE terms, and more and more requirements when applying for a visa overseas.

14 hours ago, Dan747 said:

I personally do not see lower airline costs from the USA to BKK. It would be nice for an American carrier like United Airlines to reopen their route from NRT to BKK and make money do to the high costs that Asian carriers are charging. Just saying.

I booked round trip from CNX to LAX on EVA, 1 stop in Taipei a week ago, leaving Jan 22, return April 28th for $1,200 USD.  Normally a $1,500+ fare in years past not even counting for inflation.  How cheap do you want pay to fly to the other side of the planet?

16 minutes ago, DrPhibes said:

I booked round trip from CNX to LAX on EVA, 1 stop in Taipei a week ago, leaving Jan 22, return April 28th for $1,200 USD.  Normally a $1,500+ fare in years past not even counting for inflation.  How cheap do you want pay to fly to the other side of the planet?

 

If that's Economy, it seems a bit steep.  Economy "in years past" was under a thousand.

21 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Oh please!!  Give me a break. Canadians can't even do that. 

 

Well, not being Canadian, I have an advantage ^_^

what Thailand is searching for is classy visitors from any country; but good luck with that - classy people go to classy places (unless they want to do unclassy things, which Thailand would then be at the top of their vacation list).  otherwise, you'll find us in Indonesia and Polynesia 

7 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

I booked round trip from CNX to LAX on EVA, 1 stop in Taipei a week ago, leaving Jan 22, return April 28th for $1,200 USD.  Normally a $1,500+ fare in years past not even counting for inflation.  How cheap do you want pay to fly to the other side of the planet?

Did you book directly with Eva? 

The problem with all of this is the travel time.

 

Basically it's going to take 24 hours in the air. Even when there was a direct TG flight from LAX to BKK which I used to take it was 18 hours.

 

So 2 days of your vacation from North America is spent in a damn airplane

 

So you need to be pretty motivated to travel that far when a similar or better beach vacation in Mexico, Hawaii or the Caribbean is less than 10 hours away, and in timezone at the worst 5 hours 

On 12/28/2023 at 2:27 PM, daveAustin said:

They don’t, it’s Chinese yanks and mounties they’re after. 😂

seems mounties are way hot with Chino Party Bouys

more ice time

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

The problem with all of this is the travel time.

 

Basically it's going to take 24 hours in the air. Even when there was a direct TG flight from LAX to BKK which I used to take it was 18 hours.

 

So 2 days of your vacation from North America is spent in a damn airplane

 

So you need to be pretty motivated to travel that far when a similar or better beach vacation in Mexico, Hawaii or the Caribbean is less than 10 hours away, and in timezone at the worst 5 hours 

 

If I'm in SoCal, with the money from the airfares alone I can book a week at the Hotel Del Coranado, and drive there in less time than I would spend getting through LAX. 

 

I used to love that BKK-LAX nonstop, Was it TG-001 & 2 or something? 

 

 

On 12/28/2023 at 6:15 AM, Pouatchee said:

would be nice if the airfares were to drop. maybe even direct flights to canada. damn expensive and takes forever... havent been back in 20 years... 

wonder how much has changed in my hometown

Direct flights? You must mean nonstop. Not same.

I prefer to spend an hour in a business class lounge at Incheon or Tokyo

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_flight

7 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

Direct flights? You must mean nonstop. Not same.

I prefer to spend an hour in a business class lounge at Incheon or Tokyo

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_flight

One hour in the lounge costs you four hours by the time it's all said and done. And always a chance of getting stuck every time you stop. 

 

 

36 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

One hour in the lounge costs you four hours by the time it's all said and done. And always a chance of getting stuck every time you stop. 

 

 

All true. I hope the AC service is delivering sufficient economic yields to justify continuation of the service

Unlike North America to Singapore flights where Business is expected to be full on a daily basis with mostly full fare pax. NA to Thailand is mostly a leisure market compared to it

 

14 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

All true. I hope the AC service is delivering sufficient economic yields to justify continuation of the service

Unlike North America to Singapore flights where Business is expected to be class full  on a daily basis with mostly full fare pax

 

NA to Thailand is mostly a leisure market compared

 

But I think NA to Tokyo is a strong business route as is Tokyo too BKK

 

 

3 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

If I'm in SoCal, with the money from the airfares alone I can book a week at the Hotel Del Coranado, and drive there in less time than I would spend getting through LAX. 

 

I used to love that BKK-LAX nonstop, Was it TG-001 & 2 or something? 

 

 

It was TG794 BKK-LAX TG795 LAX-BKK

 

5 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

If I'm in SoCal, with the money from the airfares alone I can book a week at the Hotel Del Coranado, and drive there in less time than I would spend getting through LAX. 

 

I used to love that BKK-LAX nonstop, Was it TG-001 & 2 or something? 

Yep, from PHL, MEM, DTW, I could be in S. FL or Caribbean Is, or Yucatan.. in less time than it takes to clear USA air space from PHL, then it's another 12-18 hr to BKK.   Planes arriving from E coast coming in late, so always had to overnight (slept at DMK mostly) and took next AM flight to Udon Thani, when I was commuting, or to Phuket, the 2X I was actually on holiday.  Another 8 hrs before being where I wanted to be.

 

I got the BKK-NYC TG flight one time, what a treat.   Even though I had to catch another to PHL, it was worth it.  Surprised, sort of, that didn't last very long, and shows how little interest there was for New Yorkers to go to TH.

 

Between TG & UA, just a couple trips, got just enough miles for a free flight in USA, and a nice stay at Sheraton BKK Suk.   Although had to pay the 7% tax at Sheraton, which cost about the same as my usual hotel stay in BKK   

 

Great pool area at the Sheraton.  Hotel probably dated now, with all the newer ones.

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

If I'm in SoCal, with the money from the airfares alone I can book a week at the Hotel Del Coranado, and drive there in less time than I would spend getting through LAX. 

 

I used to love that BKK-LAX nonstop, Was it TG-001 & 2 or something? 

 

 

Always wanted to stay Hotel Del Coranado, right now rooms go for around 20,000 baht a night. One thing about the SoCal ocean is it's just always so cold. 

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

One hour in the lounge costs you four hours by the time it's all said and done. And always a chance of getting stuck every time you stop. 

 

Not to mention paying an extra (up to) $100 an hour for business class.  Which is fine if you need it, but I still recall my youth shoveling dog poop out of Mrs. Junker's yard for under $2 an hour.  Paying 50x that for a more comfortable seat just doesn't compute in my tiny brain.

 

BTW, it may have been mentioned before, but I think they like Yanks because we're notorious for tipping...  I 'spect Canucks do, too.

 

 

On 12/29/2023 at 4:16 AM, alex8912 said:

So you can tell if someone is from the USA or Canada by their speech??  Or their look? Honestly your post is sooo full of it DUDE!!  Then of course you saw them again. They also had gold chains!!??  You are really full of it DUDE. We all know where you are from as well. 

 

Not always but these 2 just happened to mention where they were from when they were trying to coax a couple of bar girls out of the bar without paying the bar fine.

 

The use of the word DUDE and similar others are a dead giveaway though! 😘

 

Nothing against Yanks or Canadians and got quite a few decent friends from both countries.  Just making a point to the OP that it's not just the Brits walking around shirtless.

 

You sound like you need some anger management counselling? 

Come to Thailand for Songkran?  I can think of two reasons not to come to Thailand.  Songkran and the month of April.  It's just too hot that time of year.  

Spread the word  of the Month long Songkran Festival ?  It's  enough to  put anyone off going to Thailand ....

7 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Direct flights? You must mean nonstop. Not same.

I prefer to spend an hour in a business class lounge at Incheon or Tokyo

 

regardless, some of us can't afford to spend an hour in a business class lounge. for me, it is economy all the way. no choice

Flights have doubled in price in Canada to bkk.

TAT no clue.  A few tips if want more USA and Canuks.

 

1.  Allow 90 days visa exempt on arrival.  Contrary to what TAT seems to think there are large numbers of retired semi affluent western travelers who do not want to spend 24 hours traveling to Thailand to stay a few weeks.  Court those people.

 

2.  Allow one extension of another 90 days online

 

3.  Meet with airlines and encourage more flights

 

4.  Promote Thailand as perfect snow bird location in US and Canadian markets.  Thailand is a very attractive seasonal retirement place with cheap condos, food, massages, health/dental care, transport and weather with hundreds of choices from massive cities like Bangkok to beaches galore as well as spectacular mountain retreats.

 

5.  Promoting extended song kran is stupid beyond stupid.  Not many will fly halfway around the world and jump through visa hoops to come to Thailand in the some of the absolute hottest most smoke filled weather and stupidity that surround song kran which at best is for the younger market but for most gets old very quickly.

 

6.  Stop the anti backpacker crap:   long stay backpackers pour serious $$ into the budget market segment of hotels, restaurants etc which puts more $$ into some of Thailand's poorer folks who run/own the places that many backpackers hang out.

 

7.  Hire some professionals to advise TAT as to how to have a coherent plan instead of typical knee jerk reactions that change with the wind.  Listen to the pros and follow the advice they give as they likely know more about what long haul usa and canuks want than a Thai bureaucrat.

34 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

 

regardless, some of us can't afford to spend an hour in a business class lounge. for me, it is economy all the way. no choice

Get a premium credit card for $5-600 per year. Look for one with Lounge access included. 

On 12/28/2023 at 1:43 PM, Bobthegimp said:

Trudeau would take Boystown by storm.  He'd be up on stage, slapping the faces of the fellas in gyno row with his schlong and tossing loonies out to the crowd. 

huh, quite the fantasy you have going on there.  Says more about you than the PM.