Phuket tourism boss concerned that the 'feelings' of locals may be provoked by foreigners

[NorthernRyland]

This really stings because one of my biggest problems in Thailand is that Thai people don't follow simple rules and break the law constantly.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Side note: To all members here, that directly start to talk about law breaking Thai people. As usual, that is just the regular smoke screen you need to hide behind as you can face up to reading about something that scratches on you thin skin.

No, I just want them to actually care about the laws instead of focusing on high profile things that have little impact on anyones lives. The problem  is Thai people have no respect for laws and rules.

[Skeptic7]

The natives are getting restless❗🤣

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, ukrules said:

Local outrage - what nonsense, now national action?

 

What is a crackdown on foreigners? Are they going to hassle us in the malls? 🤣

Some definitely need extra lessons in appropriate behaviour, even on social media (asiannow included)🙏

[Confuscious]

41 minutes ago, bob smith said:

shades of The Night Of The Broken Glass...

 

if you know, then good, you are awake.

 

The writing is on the wall.

 

Time to get out.

 

bob.

Shades of the "Crystal night" 60 years ago.

[Presnock]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

It's just a small minority that are behaving badly, most of us respect the law better than Thai people.

AMEN to that!

[sikishrory]

"an economy increasingly reliant on foreign tourism"

 

No it is completely reliant. 

I remember covid they basically sat around cracking nuts all day, eating rice handouts not knowing what to do with themselves.

What other industry does Phuket have? I certainly haven't seen anything other than domestic tourism.

[Presnock]

3 hours ago, harleyclarkey said:

Great to teach him a lesson.

For Europe to crack down on Thais working illegally. They are everywhere.

In the UK I see on documentaries that they arrest Thais, and others, every day. 

Well recent media programs here in Bangkok have reported that the Thai govt is coordinating with Japan to non-criminalize 150K illegal Thai workers there while in S. Korea they are coordinating with the govt there to de-criminalize the 170K Thai workers in Korea.  Not sure how many other countries have the same problem.  I see no problem with the local govt checking businesses, for illegal workers no matter what nationality and for punishing criminal activity otherwise.  I try to avoid doing anything even remotely seeming to be illegal.  On this forum, they have reported this past week that since Oct of last year they have cancelled the visas of 68 foreigners - that seems to be a very small number to me.  Maybe as the 180-day stay and possible tax problems, that number may increase but I sure won't be included in that category.

[ignore it]

Feelings

Nothing more than feelings

Trying to forget my feelings of love (for tourist money)

[2baht]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

It's just a small minority that are behaving badly, most of us respect the law better than Thai people.

Ok, you're in! Next!

[Presnock]

6 minutes ago, Presnock said:

Well recent media programs here in Bangkok have reported that the Thai govt is coordinating with Japan to non-criminalize 150K illegal Thai workers there while in S. Korea they are coordinating with the govt there to de-criminalize the 170K Thai workers in Korea.  Not sure how many other countries have the same problem.  I see no problem with the local govt checking businesses, for illegal workers no matter what nationality and for punishing criminal activity otherwise.  I try to avoid doing anything even remotely seeming to be illegal.  On this forum, they have reported this past week that since Oct of last year they have cancelled the visas of 68 foreigners - that seems to be a very small number to me.  Maybe as the 180-day stay and possible tax problems, that number may increase but I sure won't be included in that category.

Yeah, added to all the other comments about locals and criminal acty, on the Swiss kicker stories, recall the news items about the beach areas taken over by the rich folks renting - according to the news items on this forum, a Thai land development company took over all those beaches to help rent out the villas for big bucks - the Swiss guy said that the stairs upon which the dr was sitting was on his property and then we learned that some of the beaches were blocked by the housing developments owned by the Thai locals.  Now it seems the lower ranking citizens there want their beaches back as they are supposedly public lands according to the news.

[ChipButty]

17 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

"an economy increasingly reliant on foreign tourism"

 

No it is completely reliant. 

I remember covid they basically sat around cracking nuts all day, eating rice handouts not knowing what to do with themselves.

What other industry does Phuket have? I certainly haven't seen anything other than domestic tourism.

Phuket was in a coma, I reminded some Thais of that the other week, ok we go back to covid when you had nothing, many had to go back to sticky rice land.

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Nationwide, recent high-profile attacks by foreigners and labour law abuses are coinciding with an economy increasingly reliant on foreign tourism.

An economic national policy to focus soley on foreign Tourism to jump start the Thai economy in lieu of Thailand's traditional drivers of GDP in the sectors of export of Goods and Service, and Domestic Spending began in 2014 with military coup leader and PM Prayut whose coup crashed the economy. And thus, that policy continues today as an extension of pseudo military control of the nation.

Albeit PM Thavisin I believe has recognized the fallacy of that approach as Tourism is a low-value subset of any economic GDP sectors. Some economists even view primary focus on Tourism can diminish overall GDP growth due low wages predominant in Tourism. Focus on Tourism may do well for small undeveloped nations (ie., Maldives, The Vatican) that lack natural resources, manufacturing and technology but not for developing nations like Thailand. In the US in 2022 Tourism accounted for only 8% of GDP! 

Thavisin also knows that increasing GDP growth through high-value exports (ie., FTA's) and domestic consumer spending takes time (months to years), especially given today's intolerable high household debt that has run unrestrained during PM Prayut's regime versus Tourism that can be immediately exploited for political purposes to boost the PTP (and thus military leadership) creditability.

 

[ThaiFelix]

2 hours ago, RobU said:

Possible diversion tactic. When I see political outrage like this in the news, in any country not just Thailand. I look for what appear to be minor news items which are 'overlooked' in the feeding frenzy. These 'minor' items often have greater impact or are more outrageous but are deliberately played down. 

Taksin and the economy!

[HuaHinNew]

Re: Thailand’s government is beginning to crack down on the activities of long-stay foreigners in the kingdom. It comes with the country’s economy in a slow state of decline. For instance, government receipts in the most recent period were down 11% on last year.

 

Now, the real reason behind the PM and RD enforcement of tax laws for 2024 onwards.

 

The Government is scrambling for more money.

 

Thailand making sure it can milk every possible Baht out of all long-stay foreigners.

 

For the PM and RD, the gift that just keeps on giving!

[PomPolo]

Land of crackdowns

[kingstonkid]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

Local outrage - what nonsense, now national action?

 

What is a crackdown on foreigners? Are they going to hassle us in the malls? 🤣

This is what happens when you target party tourism.  When the beaches and hotels have very little for families and are more geared to young party types.

 

The difference between Pats and Phuket is simple.

 

Pattaya caters to the old guy that wants to go to the bar have a few get his ashes hauled and go home.

 

Phuket is the hip party place where the young people party all night.

 

Phuket had a great chance to reinvent itself and decided that it liked the greed, raunchy lifestyle and high-spending party lifestyle clients.

 

Too bad, actually  (looking at a different post God may have tried to send a message but it was not received)

[ikke1959]

in fact everything can be solved. Tourists are tourists and most tourist come for a few weeks. they are no problem. the problems occur with the long term visas.. many kinds of visa, but why not get rid of them. just make a long stay visa that you can apply for

a. if you retire  from 58 up and with an income or an amount of money in a bankaccoumt just as it is now, but with proof where you are living from.

 

b. same as a for marriage visa. same as now, but with proof of the money where you are living from.

c. for work with an job contract and all the paperwork needed for a workpermit. 

now the  Russians come on a long term visa for example but nobody knows where they are living from. of course they need money and will work as they have to eat too. With so many jobs that Thais don't like to do., the difficulty to open your own business it is no wonder that people who want to work can work. No need for Thais to feel offended, as the most only go for big money

[Sydebolle]

Well, the few isolated incidents among the tens of millions of tourists are in absolutely no comparison to what is happening to Thais by Thais, in absolute numbers as well as in percentage. 

But I might suggest to simply close Thailand to all non-Thais, do not let anyone in anymore.

 

No issue with immigration, alien crime, no minister to be compelled to call them "dirty farang". All those girls below 18, impregnated by meanwhile runaway boy friends, can remain in the village harvesting rice, dance the mohram, watch the temple festivals leekaeh as there are no gogo bars and houses of ill repute anymore. The semi-divine are among themselves and everyone is happy.

Keep the bashing on non-Thais coming, fan more into racism and xenophobia - just to keep everything under control. 

If common sense would prevail and everyone would be treated according to the (good) Thai law, this place would be a much cleaner place, less crooks would be creeping around those most complicated and mind-boggling rules and regulations by the immigration, money could be parked into any bank account, irrespective of work permit, one year visa as nobody would be given overdraft facilities. 
Use some of the tremendous piles of kick-backs with the army, navy, air force and literally all other government agencies to upgrade your education system and Thailand would slowly inch towards the 21st century. 

Pathetic farçe, all those hot air statements by the "bosses" - sick and tired of 'em! 

[paul1804]

Certainly there have been a few unsavoury incidents carried out by foreigners but you can't have your cake and eat it at the same time, there will always be incidents with so many foreigners visiting the Kingdom. The offenders should be punished accordingly based on the facts of the crime.

Meanwhile many shootings, bashings, rapes, extortion and the involvement in various scams by thais including the RTP & Monks which often goes unpunished. If you have a society that permits its law makers to consistently break the very laws they are supposed to uphold then this is the result. 

[bwanajohn]

I will bee surprised if in 50 years there is not a new ethnic population group in Thailand of Russian origin..much like the Chinese and Indians.

[Muzzique]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

attacks by foreigners and labour law abuses....  foreign tourism...  taking flight from war and bad weather at home... government receipts in the most recent period were down 11% on last year

 

What a disingenuous argument.. You  can't pull a roll of facts together that simply have the word 'Foreigner' attached then link them together in a nonsensical justification of something that is nothing to do with most of the subjects.

 

The fact is, Thailand lets criminals and undesirables in, then moans that all foreigners are to blame for everything. It's the idiots they let in, not all the foreigners to blame here. 

 

The immigration control is what is at fault. They let these morons enter and then extend their visas.

 

In a metaphorical way, simply ticking a box saying 'I am not a criminal' is not much of a vetting process

 

Fault where fault lies please.

 

[AlexPattaya]

Thai and Non Thai Nationals must be treated equally under the Thai Law ! There is no other way ! Selective Persecution can not be allowed in Any Country! All crimes committed by any Thai and Non Thai Nationals must be dealt with to the fullest extent of the Thai Law!

[Cabradelmar]

The outrage is the lack of any real  punishment (of all people - foreign and Thai alike) found guilty of criminal activity. Fines and a simple wai, with suspended sentences (and not enough deportations where applicable) does not cut it anymore. They don't need to crack down or hurt down anyone. They need to deal effectively with the hoards of criminals that have right in front of them everyday. 

[Taboo2]

You see what happens when you abuse your welcome here in Thailand.  Soon, all of us will realize that no amount of tourist or expat money will suffice.  Leave these people alone, respect the authorities, deal with the system and life will be fine.  But, if you drive thru a traffic stop, fight cops, kick pregrnant women, then expect to be treated in a manner that will piss you off.

 

No one in Thailand is begging you to come here to live.  It is your choice.  So, act accordingly or go home.

[Taboo2]

3 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

No, I just want them to actually care about the laws instead of focusing on high profile things that have little impact on anyones lives. The problem  is Thai people have no respect for laws and rules.

Not your country!  Leave the Thais alone.  They  have been doing just fine without us here trying to tell them how to live.  They know how to handle their business.  If you  do not like it, then leave!  Who is forcing you to stay here if you do not like that that Thais break the rules?  

[Taboo2]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Phuket was in a coma, I reminded some Thais of that the other week, ok we go back to covid when you had nothing, many had to go back to sticky rice land.

And?  Their country and they can do whatever they want.  Expats need to learn how to live here or leave!  Not your country.

[Taboo2]

41 minutes ago, AlexPattaya said:

Thai and Non Thai Nationals must be treated equally under the Thai Law ! There is no other way ! Selective Persecution can not be allowed in Any Country! All crimes committed by any Thai and Non Thai Nationals must be dealt with to the fullest extent of the Thai Law!

This is Thailand and not some Western country!  Like it or leave!  Deal with it or leave.  The Thais do not need anyone telling them how to run their country.

[Taboo2]

49 minutes ago, bwanajohn said:

I will bee surprised if in 50 years there is not a new ethnic population group in Thailand of Russian origin..much like the Chinese and Indians.

Keep dreaming.  The Thais have done a great job keeping those folks out...and they have the best immigration laws on the planet,.  There is a reason why the UK has lost it's soul and France is finished.  But Hungary, Thailand, China, Russia and Vietnam will all prosper and never lose their identity.

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Side note: To all members here, that directly start to talk about law breaking Thai people. As usual, that is just the regular smoke screen you need to hide behind as you can face up to reading about something that scratches on you thin skin.

 

The country is run by convicted criminals mate.