On 10/17/2025 at 4:50 PM, ikke1959 said:

Always happy to read these stupid comments...probably the same person but with another account

That is a stupid comment, I only have 1 account.

They've been playing this record for a long time - shifting to quality-high-spending visitors. While the country has a good shot at medical tourism, which does seem to attract foreigners, this notion that Thailand can shift its image to one of a place where all the world's VIPs and billionnaires want to come and spend lots of time and money is a fantasy. 

 

Firstly, this group of people can - and do - go wherever they please. The Caribbean, European islands on their yachts, London, Paris, Milan, Rio, the many upmarket places on the West Coast of US and Canada.. they have many choices. Secondly, with the notable exception of rich Chinese and Indians who live nearby, Thailand is far away from the rest of the VIPs and their wealth. And since there isn't much else around Thailand for the rich, why travel all the way here? It's a long boring flight even in first class or on a private jet.

 

Think about it this way.. Why are the Caribbean Islands so popular with the rich and famous, yet the South Pacific islands - even Tahiti, Fiji, etc., are so down market, even poverty-stricken, except for a few cloistered tourist areas? Answer? Distance from the main population centres where the rich VIPs live most of the time. Too far away to bother with.

blah-blah-blah

On 10/17/2025 at 8:15 AM, webfact said:

Thailand shifts from budget packages to luxury, wellness tourism.

 

Will the restaurants ditch the eat as much as you can prawn buffets with caviar and lobster dishes?

What again.

6 hours ago, Johno57 said:

To do this they would need to control the dog population & monkey attàcks and rabies potential, not have horses <deleted>ting all over beaches ( Huahin ) , have adequate food safety laws to combat food poisoning ( eg. Dogs not in restaurants or kitchens , cooking oils changed at least twice a week , hot water to wash dishes etc. ) , recognise pedestrians and road crossings , no dual over pricing for westerners , language difficulties that become irritating , the actual cleaning of public amenities & beach chairs ect.

This is only a small amount of factors that would irritate upper classes , that would tend to never return , and keep holidaying in european countries...

That's a no then 🤔

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Do rich people hire beach chairs?

I dont think they sit on the sand , without an umbrella & beach chair they would melt in the heat...

On 10/17/2025 at 11:04 AM, ikke1959 said:

 

I am always wondering why people ask you ... how much does it cost? or did it cost? how much do you earn? how much do you spend? and question like this instead of being interested in the person.. they all want to have rich and foreign ( which as similar to rich) friends, because they think it will lift them up on the social ladder... unfortunately.

Thais asking how much you earn, what you do, your age etc is usually to ascertain your status and where to place you on the ladder… then what sort of wai you should receive and level of respect given. Status here is more important than in the west. 
 

We’ve heard all this before and it is cringe, but the place does attract big spenders, who stay in 50k a night digs eg. A lot of the issues highlighted don’t really concern the wealthy as they won’t really be mixing like that. They’ll jet here and be whisked past all the tat. 

19 hours ago, Johno57 said:

I dont think they sit on the sand , without an umbrella & beach chair they would melt in the heat...

 

For reference😆

 

Open up the border and stop making us jump through hoops for Visas

A complete lie. They've been targeting wealthy tourists for years.

It's announced once or twice every year

On 10/17/2025 at 11:04 AM, ikke1959 said:

Big spenders are the retirees here in the country, but they are being ignored... 9- days reports, address notifications,

 

Doesn’t sound like ignored to me.

 

 

On 10/17/2025 at 11:04 AM, ikke1959 said:

the people themselves spend their pension

People on pensions are not big spenders.

On 10/17/2025 at 2:15 AM, webfact said:

TAT's focus will be on high-value visitors,

 

Good luck with that!

On 10/18/2025 at 11:29 AM, ronnie50 said:

And since there isn't much else around Thailand for the rich, why travel all the way here? It's a long boring flight even in first class or on a private jet.

 

Good question.