Travel Rising Prices, Broken Systems Dim Thailand’s Tourist Charm

[Hawki1970]

What planet are they from. My understanding is every country around the world the costs of living travel amd partying is rising, why do the checkskates think Thailand should be different, 

[jas007]

On 5/3/2025 at 9:50 AM, BangkokReady said:

This all must be quite difficult for some Thai people to come to terms with.  That Thailand mainly attracts backpackers, as it's a kind of cheap/safe/easy way to enjoy a taste of SEA.  In trying to make themselves a little more upmarket and attract those "high quality tourists", it seems like they may have put off the one group that actually wants to visit.

 

It's been a pretty challenging few years for Thailand.  First, thanks to covid, having to accept how much they need foreigners to survive, and now, having to admit that they cannot really attract the high class tourists that they covet, along with other countries taking their market share as soon as the prices change.  A lot to take in.

I'm not sure why it has to be an either/or proposition.  

 

Backpackers are backpackers and "high quality" tourists are "high quality" tourists.  They inhabit different worlds, to be sure, but isn't there room for everyone? 

 

For example, in Bangkok, many backpackers seem to gravitate to Khao Song Road. There's plenty of budget accommodation in the area and everyone has fun.  The "high quality" tourists are at the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental or some similar establishment.   And I'm sure they have a good time as well.

 

So, what's the problem?  Everyone is happy.  

[BangkokReady]

2 hours ago, jas007 said:

I'm not sure why it has to be an either/or proposition.  

 

Backpackers are backpackers and "high quality" tourists are "high quality" tourists.  They inhabit different worlds, to be sure, but isn't there room for everyone? 

 

For example, in Bangkok, many backpackers seem to gravitate to Khao Song Road. There's plenty of budget accommodation in the area and everyone has fun.  The "high quality" tourists are at the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental or some similar establishment.   And I'm sure they have a good time as well.

 

So, what's the problem?  Everyone is happy.  

 

I think the problem is twofold.  1, Thailand doesn't really have enough to attract the "high quality tourists" in great numbers.  2, they seem to have been trying to drive away backpackers for years.  That's their choice, of course, but it seems to be one that is somewhat counterproductive.

[jas007]

14 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

I think the problem is twofold.  1, Thailand doesn't really have enough to attract the "high quality tourists" in great numbers.  2, they seem to have been trying to drive away backpackers for years.  That's their choice, of course, but it seems to be one that is somewhat counterproductive.

I sort of agree.

 

Thailand has everything for the high quality tourist, but there aren't enough of them and people have other options. That kind of tourist can go anywhere in the world. Money isn't an obstacle.  

 

As for backpackers?  Driving away backpackers really is counterproductive.  Driving away those people doesn't automatically generate high quality tourists.  In fact, the backpackers are part of Thailand's "charm."  

 

 

[BangkokReady]

55 minutes ago, jas007 said:

I sort of agree.

 

Thailand has everything for the high quality tourist, but there aren't enough of them and people have other options. That kind of tourist can go anywhere in the world. Money isn't an obstacle.  

 

As for backpackers?  Driving away backpackers really is counterproductive.  Driving away those people doesn't automatically generate high quality tourists.  In fact, the backpackers are part of Thailand's "charm."  

 

I think one of the problems is that Thais are always far more concerned with how things look than how they are.  So they want to appear to be a place that attracts "high quality tourists" and not backpackers/budget travellers, even when it is really the opposite that is true.  They then end up kind of shooting themselves in the foot, rather than simply continuing to do what they do well.

[JamesPhuket10]

On 5/6/2025 at 11:22 AM, BangkokReady said:

 

I think one of the problems is that Thais are always far more concerned with how things look than how they are.  So they want to appear to be a place that attracts "high quality tourists" and not backpackers/budget travellers, even when it is really the opposite that is true.  They then end up kind of shooting themselves in the foot, rather than simply continuing to do what they do well.

 

Most Thais are too busy with day to day life, looking after family, work etc to even think about tourists,  most do not see tourists on a day to day basis.

 

Probably 99% of Thais are married to Thais, I think it might be much lower in Issan for example which seem to attract the lower income farangs like flies. 

 

Most tourists are in just a few tourist area and not evenly distributed across the nation.

 

Tourism is 12% of that economy not 80% as many expat farangs imagine.

 

[JimHuaHin]

"Rising Prices, Broken Systems Dim Thailand’s Tourist Charm" - maybe TAT could spend a few billion Baht fixing the "broken systems".

[BangkokReady]

12 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

Most Thais are too busy with day to day life, looking after family, work etc to even think about tourists,  most do not see tourists on a day to day basis.

 

Probably 99% of Thais are married to Thais, I think it might be much lower in Issan for example which seem to attract the lower income farangs like flies. 

 

Most tourists are in just a few tourist area and not evenly distributed across the nation.

 

Obviously we're talking about Thais that are concerned with tourism.

 

You're also missing out the knock-on effects of money coming into the country. Even if you think that most Thais don't have anything to do with tourists, nearly all Thais are affected by money generated by tourism, you just aren't particularly well informed on the topic. (Although this doesn't directly relate to appearances, but you kind of went off track in your whole comment, TBH.)

 

12 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

Tourism is 12% of that economy not 80% as many expat farangs imagine.

 

The important thing is that it makes enough of an impact that Thailand would be a lot worse without it, and Thais should be thinking about maintaining a steady stream of tourists, if they want to maintain their lifestyles.

 

I know you probably don't like this, for your own personal reasons, but it is true.

[JamesPhuket10]

On 5/8/2025 at 10:27 AM, BangkokReady said:

 

Obviously we're talking about Thais that are concerned with tourism.

 

You're also missing out the knock-on effects of money coming into the country. Even if you think that most Thais don't have anything to do with tourists, nearly all Thais are affected by money generated by tourism, you just aren't particularly well informed on the topic. (Although this doesn't directly relate to appearances, but you kind of went off track in your whole comment, TBH.)

 

 

The important thing is that it makes enough of an impact that Thailand would be a lot worse without it, and Thais should be thinking about maintaining a steady stream of tourists, if they want to maintain their lifestyles.

 

I know you probably don't like this, for your own personal reasons, but it is true.

 

Say whatever you want, tourism if still only 12%, the expat input is miniscule.

 

I have no personal reasons, the government should concentrate on the other 88% of the economy which is not based on tourism as that is more stable, tourism is a fickle business and can change at any moment, an earthquake, a tsunami, politics et.

 

 

 

[BangkokReady]

1 minute ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

Say whatever you want, tourism if still only 12%, the expat input is miniscule.

 

I have no personal reasons, the government should concentrate on the other 88% of the economy which is not based on tourism as that is more stable, tourism is a fickle business and can change at any moment, an earthquake, a tsunami, politics et.

 

It's more like 20% and a lot of money comes from foreign tourists.  Without tourism, Thailand would be in big trouble financially.  You're simply demonstrating your economic ignorance, to be honest.

 

Not that this is even what I was originally talking about.  🤦‍♂️

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

It's more like 20% and a lot of money comes from foreign tourists.  Without tourism, Thailand would be in big trouble financially.  You're simply demonstrating your economic ignorance, to be honest.

 

Not that this is even what I was originally talking about.  🤦‍♂️

 

From AI ... that's a lot of jobs ... 

 

In 2022, tourism provided nearly seven million jobs, making it a key source of employment. 

 

[BangkokReady]

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

From AI ... that's a lot of jobs ... 

 

In 2022, tourism provided nearly seven million jobs, making it a key source of employment. 

 

Indeed.  I'm not sure why so many foreigners seem to want to pretend that Thailand doesn't need tourism.  It isn't just the money coming in, but it's where all the supplies come from and where all those employed in tourism send/spend their money.

[JamesPhuket10]

 

37 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

It's more like 20% and a lot of money comes from foreign tourists.  Without tourism, Thailand would be in big trouble financially.  You're simply demonstrating your economic ignorance, to be honest.

 

Not that this is even what I was originally talking about.  🤦‍♂️

Tourism jobs tend to be low-paid and seasonal, so they don’t contribute as much tax revenue as other sectors. That’s why even in the West countries like Spain, with a heavy reliance on tourism, often struggle economically compared to more diversified economies like Germany, which has a strong industrial base and high-tech sectors.

 

It is the same in Thailand when comparing its economy to say Taiwan for instance, they need to move on from tourism. 

 

While tourism can employ a lot of people, it’s not necessarily the best path to long-term economic stability. Manufacturing, technology, and financial services generate more high-paying jobs and tax revenue, creating a more resilient economy in the long run.

 

So for now the best thing for Thailand to do is concentrate on the other 87% of the economy which is not connected to tourism. 

 

This low cost tourism is good for us farangs from wealthy countries with our very high incomes, in the long term Thailand has to move on.

 

Now who is financially ignorant?