Tourism Thailand Acts to Boost International Tourist Safety Amid Decline

[spidermike007]

12 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

The real question is how would "improving tourist safety" actually look? What ACTUALLY could be done ACTUALLY? 

It is a near impossible task. Where would they start? Increase police numbers and implement new laws in every tourist area? 

 

Can you imagine what something like that, alone, would take? Years of work and to what end? Would all the boys in brown in your various provinces and locals suddenly change? Would they give up their positions and allow significantly more personell into their region? What about all the brown envelope schemes they currently have going, especially in tourist areas, Pattaya, Phuket and the like etc etc.

 

This alone would be a daunting and near impossible task, not to mention any other measures they might come up with.

 

Tourist safety will be as it is. Decisions by the PM or Parilment need to be carried out, this is the real challenge. Let's be serious, they can barely decide what to do with immigration policy let alone implement "safety" for tourists.

The one thing they could do to improve both tourist safety and public and traffic safety, would be to get the spectacularly lazy Highway Patrol to actually patrol the highways and start pulling people over for reckless driving, things would change overnight. 

 

50,000 baht on the spot fines. You can't pay it we impound your car. Find a minivan, fool. 

[StandardIssue]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The one thing they could do to improve both tourist safety and public and traffic safety, would be to get the spectacularly lazy Highway Patrol to actually patrol the highways and start pulling people over for reckless driving, things would change overnight. 

 

50,000 baht on the spot fines. You can't pay it we impound your car. Find a minivan, fool. 

Good idea, but again, how exactly do "they" do it? Who exactly would enforce the highway patrols prescience? Do "they" actually pay them more? Who would do it? Do the put in place quotas? Why is the highway patrol not patrolling the highways. How do "they" make them un-lazy? IMHO, very difficult to get into or understand the hierarchy of any Thai government org or business. What is really happening behind the scenes? The social order between Thai people is often difficult for westerners to understand.

[soi3eddie]

Safety of international tourists? Thailand doesn't give a rat's arse so long as they get the money first. 

[geisha]

17 hours ago, NemoH said:

Crime is rampant actually … it’s on all the social media sites. Not one day passes without major crime happening in addition to the brawls, counterfeit goods, scams….etc… most of these criminals are from the usual - drunken westerner and the usual Chinese criminals who by pass Thai laws from setting up fake business, fake goods, gambling etc… it’s all reported on social media news but not on main media…

 

It is correct to address crime to attract tourists but Thailand should also understand that the world economy is currently in turmoil and it is not a good rationale for any tourist to consider traveling during this period. Besides Thailand is also facing more competition from Vietnam beach resorts and also neighboring Malaysia and Philippines. Thailand is also getting expensive .. nice restaurants in Thailand are now charging like nice restaurants in Singapore - Eg. wine per glass is 350thb and above for hotels and nice restaurants. 
 

So not one factor decides the tourist numbers… 

Yes , 350 Baht for a glass of gut rot . That’s 10 € . The food in restaurants is also not as good as before, everything tastes cheap quality. 
Zero money invested in needed infrastructure, pavements good enough for wheelchairs and prams , traffic lights that are respected and pedestrian crossings that don’t get you killed . Police that do their job instead of scamming you, clean roads, regulated taxis, and I could go on and on.

Im sure someone will pipe up with “ if you want all that go somewhere else”.

But that attitude gets you nowhere today. Money is short for Europeans and Americans. It’s a long flight to Thailand . If they’re not careful, they will only get zero $ Chinese , grubby Indian men and nasty faced Russians. 
Shame, Thailand has been my home away from home for 40 years . I decided 2 years ago not to come back. I did last year , I’ll see next winter.

 

 

 

 

[Paul Henry]

A good start to increase tourism would be to get realistic with the value of the baht and the piracy of alcohol

pricing.Wine and good spirits are totally unrealistic.For get about the Trump tariffs good house keeping starts at home/

[kevozman1]

22 hours ago, NemoH said:

Crime is rampant actually … it’s on all the social media sites. Not one day passes without major crime happening in addition to the brawls, counterfeit goods, scams….etc… most of these criminals are from the usual - drunken westerner and the usual Chinese criminals who by pass Thai laws from setting up fake business, fake goods, gambling etc… it’s all reported on social media news but not on main media…

 

It is correct to address crime to attract tourists but Thailand should also understand that the world economy is currently in turmoil and it is not a good rationale for any tourist to consider traveling during this period. Besides Thailand is also facing more competition from Vietnam beach resorts and also neighboring Malaysia and Philippines. Thailand is also getting expensive .. nice restaurants in Thailand are now charging like nice restaurants in Singapore - Eg. wine per glass is 350thb and above for hotels and nice restaurants. 
 

So not one factor decides the tourist numbers… 

 

Define a 'major crime'?

[kevozman1]

If they want quality tourists, the obvious steps would be to drop the iron fist on full moon parties, the open flesh trade, protection of foreign tourists from attack and holding culprits accountable (not just a wai for assaulting people and it's all good but a prison sentence), and regulate tourists who are troublemakers with a blacklisting and deportation. However it's unlikely to happen. 

[ChipButty]

They could start by increasing the height of balcony railings to stop drunk farangs falling over, 

[superal]

8 hours ago, geisha said:

Yes , 350 Baht for a glass of gut rot . That’s 10 € . The food in restaurants is also not as good as before, everything tastes cheap quality. 
Zero money invested in needed infrastructure, pavements good enough for wheelchairs and prams , traffic lights that are respected and pedestrian crossings that don’t get you killed . Police that do their job instead of scamming you, clean roads, regulated taxis, and I could go on and on.

Im sure someone will pipe up with “ if you want all that go somewhere else”.

But that attitude gets you nowhere today. Money is short for Europeans and Americans. It’s a long flight to Thailand . If they’re not careful, they will only get zero $ Chinese , grubby Indian men and nasty faced Russians. 
Shame, Thailand has been my home away from home for 40 years . I decided 2 years ago not to come back. I did last year , I’ll see next winter.

 

 

 

 

Totally agree with you especially the majority of Thai pavements are tripping hazards . No provision for the disabled . No public toilets  etc etc . 

Thailand will never improve as long as corruption runs the way of life in Thailand . Allocated funds for projects are pilfered to the extent that work will be to low standards . EG , there are 2 main highways in my area that were built only 5 or 6 years ago . Every year they will have large sections re-surfaced because the initial construction was built below specification .

[LespaulAN]

Thailand's millions of problem are systemic and "cultural". It will take decades and semantic changes if its even possible. 

[connda]

• Stop acting like every tourist is a Thai National Security risk from the second they get off the plane.
• Instead of security guards group beating tourists for disagreements over bills and payment, call the cops and let them do their jobs.
• Rein in the transvestites who also group beat-down tourists.
• If you want tourists to understand Thai custom, then create a TAT video on Thai customs and Thai government expectations regarding tourist behavior, and mandate that the video is played during all inbound flights to Thailand.
• During the mandatory video, explain to the tourist that zebra crossing/cross walk are not like those in their home country and there is no expectation that vehicles will stop, so keep your head on a swivel when crossing a road in a cross walk.
• Included in the video should be a warning that motorcycle driving tourist are required to have a valid home country DL with a motorcycle endorsement and an International Drivers Permit.  Then, stop allowing motorcycle rental shops to rent out motorcycles to tourist who don't have the proper licenses instead of shaking them down at road blocks for money. Collect the fines from the motorcycle shops. (see *Clean up your corruption problem at home which directly affects tourism).
• Every tourist is not a criminal who needs to be watched 24/7.
• Rein in predatory taxi and tuk tuk drivers.
• *Clean up your corruption problem at home which directly affects tourism.
• If a tour boat operator takes divers into a zone where diving and interacting with sea life is forbidden, it's the fault of the tour boat operator.  Charge them with crimes, not ignorant tourist (see *Clean up your corruption problem at home which directly affects tourism).
• Stop throwing tourist into prison for writing reviews on travel sites.  If you can't put up with honest reviews, then turn those sites off at your national firewall. Poor customer service should be pointed out, but if you really really want to lose tourist numbers - remember that the media in those tourist's home country will rake you over the coals for throwing tourist in prison for pointing out poor customer service where it is deserved.
• Remember - every tourist who has a poor experience in Thailand will tell 10 of their friends in their home country on average.
• Stop shaken down foreigners for TM30 fines which are the responsibility of those establishments who rent to foreigners.
• Standardized immigration requirements and practices across the entire country. Immigration laws should correspond to those published in the Royal Gazette and be uniform across all offices by all immigration officers.  Individual offices and officers should not be allowed to make up their own rules.

 

I could go on, but that's a start.  And remember, if you can't provide tourists with a joyful experience as opposed to a bad experience that is avoidable, then other countries can and will.

Remember - if Thailand can't toe-the-line, then

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!

[connda]

6 hours ago, kevozman1 said:

If they want quality tourists, the obvious steps would be to drop the iron fist on full moon parties, the open flesh trade, protection of foreign tourists from attack and holding culprits accountable (not just a wai for assaulting people and it's all good but a prison sentence), and regulate tourists who are troublemakers with a blacklisting and deportation. However it's unlikely to happen. 

People like you should relegate your tourism to Singapore and Dubai, and forget about Thailand.

[connda]

On 5/3/2025 at 7:16 AM, ChrisY1 said:

The TAT sure knows how to stuff a tourist site looking at this dreadful picture! How can this many people and boats be good for any country? Pure greed for tourist dollars!

If I was looking for beaches I'd go to Vietnam.

[connda]

On 5/3/2025 at 10:04 AM, Thingamabob said:

In recent times the Thai govt have focussed on increasing the number of tourists from East Asia while, apparently, discouraging visitors from Western Europe and the USA. As a result tourist locations are now overwhelmed by masses of low spending visitors, while the higher spenders are going to other countries because they no longer feel welcomed/wanted in Thailand.

"Ai Farang!"
--Anutin

[connda]

15 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The one thing they could do to improve both tourist safety and public and traffic safety, would be to get the spectacularly lazy Highway Patrol to actually patrol the highways and start pulling people over for reckless driving, things would change overnight. 

 

50,000 baht on the spot fines. You can't pay it we impound your car. Find a minivan, fool. 

Highway Patrol cars in Thailand = VIP Escort cars in Thailand

[connda]

6 hours ago, Paul Henry said:

A good start to increase tourism would be to get realistic with the value of the baht and the piracy of alcohol

pricing.Wine and good spirits are totally unrealistic.For get about the Trump tariffs good house keeping starts at home/

Their "All bars must close from 2PM to 5PM" don't help tourism at all.  Tourist don't take alcohol breaks from 2PM to 5PM.

[Will B Good]

7 minutes ago, connda said:

Their "All bars must close from 2PM to 5PM" don't help tourism at all.  Tourist don't take alcohol breaks from 2PM to 5PM.

?

It's only sales of alcohol in retail outlets that are restricted 2pm to 5pm......bars are exempt.

[spidermike007]

21 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

Good idea, but again, how exactly do "they" do it? Who exactly would enforce the highway patrols prescience? Do "they" actually pay them more? Who would do it? Do the put in place quotas? Why is the highway patrol not patrolling the highways. How do "they" make them un-lazy? IMHO, very difficult to get into or understand the hierarchy of any Thai government org or business. What is really happening behind the scenes? The social order between Thai people is often difficult for westerners to understand.

 

21 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

Good idea, but again, how exactly do "they" do it? Who exactly would enforce the highway patrols prescience? Do "they" actually pay them more? Who would do it? Do the put in place quotas? Why is the highway patrol not patrolling the highways. How do "they" make them un-lazy? IMHO, very difficult to get into or understand the hierarchy of any Thai government org or business. What is really happening behind the scenes? The social order between Thai people is often difficult for westerners to understand.

I think it's safe to presume that it's a combination of low pay, and stunning indifference to the safety of the public. The highway patrol only appears at a scene after an accident has taken place, and I've never seen them patrolling the highway looking for reckless drivers, so there's no deterrent, there's no preventative action taking place. Would hire pay make a difference, it's possible.