On 11/23/2025 at 9:38 AM, DonniePeverley said:

I'll summarise this :

 

WORDS WORDS WORD CASINO WORDS WORDS WORDS WORDS CASINO WORDS WORDS WORDS WORDS CASINIO

 

words words word CASINE words words CASINO 

 

It's just more nonsense about Casinos. Thailand is not a developed nation like Singapore where Casinos will open responsibily and policed properly. They will go the way of Cambodia and decimate cities. That is why the locals were ritet to fight against it.

 

Correct. The Thai people know that the powers that be and relevant authorities cannot be trusted to keep their noses out of the deep casino trough. You only need to look at the former PM(s) and their political vehicle(s) that have been championing legalisation of casinos since forever.

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

The issue here is greed.

I totally agree. Stop ripping off the tourists and many of them will be returning.

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

I'm not going to pay 11,000 baht a night for a hotel at Kata Noi.

 

 

but there's 2 billion Chinese and Indians with the fastest growing economies in the world  which will pay that and more. 😂

4 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

but there's 2 billion Chinese and Indians with the fastest growing economies in the world  which will pay that and more. 😂

 

Indians? Behave

There's no question that tourism needs to be reinvented here, what's happening now just does not seem to be working as the quality of tourists seems to be getting lower and lower, and the spend per tourist seems to be getting lower and lower, which doesn't really do the tourist operators any good. As I said before it's kind of like selling $2 items at a swap meet, it make you a little bit of money but that's about it. 

 

The TAT must admit that it's been a complete failure, and new ideas need to be established, and some of the dozen or so things that needed to be addressed prior to covid and were never even considered, need to be finally be addressed. 

 

Or Thailand will come up to become a tourism backwater, which would certainly benefit most of us expats. 

Clean up the country, clean up the immigration and its maze of visa rules which keep on changing faster than one can follow. Clean up the police, put English as a mandatory subject into primary schools, get Thais to understand that they are neither semi-divine, nor better (or worse for that fact) than any other nationality. Stop tutoring visitors of what they can, must or should do; a holiday maker does not want to be commanded around by "no beach chair Wednesday" as so happened in Phuket, getting fined for throwing some "fish" food into sea water which was sold by the boat boy, the never-ending rip-off by cabbies who don't speak English and, last but not least, the multi-tier pricing policy. 
Create ONE website on Thailand, indexed and sub-paged by province or subject (nature, architecture, temples etc.) in both English and Thai. For a non-Thai reader, most websites are useless; it would also help to put opening hours, access maps and a phone number to a point of interest. 

But yes, before you earn money you have to spend money and the spending is done by the absolutely incompetent Tourism Authority of Thailand burning cash by the (big) bundles whereas the earnings are done somewhere else. 

I think that Thailand has seen its best days of tourism, is on the way downhill and has still not realized, that it is the middle class they want to accommodate. The top earners want a top product and that, regretfully, flew out the window decades ago. The lowest end of the staircase features Indians and Chinese who arrive in droves. Uneducated, loud, trouble making do to the lack of understanding foreign cultures and dos and donts, only bring large numbers (if the pricing is rock bottom). 

So go for quality (in the middle class), clean up your act and get on with it sooner than later; forget the high quality tourism (which goes to Monaco or Switzerland etc.) and study, why some countries make serious money with sustainable tourism (cities like Vienna, Paris, Lisbon etc.) and others struggle due to brainless incompetence and greed. 

I ran a business here in Thailand for 10 years before I sold it and retired, with 95% of it based on the Tourist trade wanting to experience and record CULTURAL events. Not ZipLining, not Bungee jumping, beer tubing in Pai, not even making your own rug or mug.

 

The tourists came for the temples. They came for trekking, homestays with Hill Tribes, Kantoke dinners, and exploring fresh markets. They didn't search out Co-working cafes.

They came for culture.
Not any more.  Now it's Grand Canyon Water Park, and off-road ATV riding.

 

We used to see Hill Tribe people in costume every day. In the markets, in the Malls, walking in town. Especially the Akha and Lisu folks. If I see one costume a week here in town these days, it's a lot!
What has become of Thailand's rich culture?
Does Thailand even know what it wants for future tourist draw?

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

I think that the OP is about Kevin Clayton wanting the company he works for (Galaxy Entertainment Group) to be allowed to build a casino resort.

 

Sounds about right. 😆 

Having thought about this long and hard.....

 

1. Restrict alcohol sales to 5pm-8pm, but keep shifting the hours.

 

2. Ban all forms of smoking except inside air conditioned restaurants.

 

3. Eradicate red light districts and prostitution.

 

4. Ban street food or at least contain it in out of the way, sanitised food malls.

 

5. Clear large sections of quaint, antiquated Bangkok to make way for theme parks.

 

6. Build massive casinos Las Vegas style

 

If TAT see this they'll know they are onto a winner

 

Let more cheap Indians and shady folks from Ukraine and Russia in...that has worked out soooooo well for Pattaya, Phuket, Samui and BKK.

On 11/22/2025 at 9:50 AM, KireB said:

Maybe Thailand could start by cleaning up the country. The amount of plastic on the beaches is growing every year. Why would you fly for 12 hours to see a wasteland.

And stop charging for using the bathrooms.

On 11/22/2025 at 4:19 PM, atpeace said:

I think you have the above numbers wrong.  More Western tourist are coming to Thailand than ever before. In the first part of 2025 UK was up 17% and the USA 9%. 

 

Agree with you on less would be better.  As in less,  I mean substantially less.  Thailand has been too succesful for decades and it can be frustrating visiting some of my old favs that are swamped with tourists.

 

 

Not this year, inflation is hitting hard in the West, more Israelis yes, but not Western tourists.

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

I agree the Sex trade is one big part. 
 

There’s another that struck me recently…the weather. Coming here as a family with two young kids is no joke when it rains everyday and you are cooped up in a hotel room and you can’t spend time on the beach. Is a disaster of a holiday. Changing weather patterns appear to have extended the wet season and make for a very short high season of dry and sunny weather.

 

i have no scientific evidence for this, but I have been rained on every day for the last month, so I’ll believe my own eyes on this one.

There is no prostitution in Thailand....OK!

27 minutes ago, Taboo2 said:

And stop charging for using the bathrooms.

 

Where are they doing that ?

On 11/22/2025 at 2:36 PM, davb said:

 

Is the sex trade a big part of this? Eliminate that, and what happens to tourism? I think it plummets because of the reasons everyone lists above.

Interesting to know what percentage of tourism would decline if prostitution was completely abolished, 40%? , 50%? 

Mention Thailand in the Western world and it’s not long before people start talking about it being the sex capital of the world. I come to Thailand twice a year, I am courteous and civil, but I still feel as if I’m just being tolerated.

Problem is a lot of Thai businesses only think of today making money 💰 🤑 

Ie Tourists get ripped off have a bad experience 

and think I won't be returning  here again 

Hence Vietnam and other countries benefit giving a quality service to Tourists 

how about teaching the locals how to drive for starters.  its dangerous for pedestrians. 

On 11/22/2025 at 9:16 AM, Hummin said:

 

They have a lot to learn from Spain, and so far just need to clean up their visa rules, and be stricter about alchohol and drugs, so they can start getting the quality tourists they always have been talking about 😉 

 

Tourists who spends money and who also invests in apartments. How many million appartment was unsold around in Thailand again? 1,64 million units are unsold where most of them in Bangkok 750 000. 

 

 

 

Spain, quality of tourists?

 

Spain is for the cheap, beer swigging, tattooed, fish and chip eating buffoons, I went there once for two weeks and it was like a nightmare, low class yobs.

 

I sat on a plane once going to Germany to work. Next to me sat a Spanish guy and after half an hour of chatting he asked me if I was really from England, I asked why? He said all the Brits he had seen in Spain were rough, rude, swore in every sentence and spent all day boozing. 

 

I told him people like me do not go to Spain, but the yobs do as it is so cheap and nearby, hence you think we are all like that.

 

On 11/22/2025 at 10:01 AM, spidermike007 said:

Thailand is no longer attracting very many Western tourists for a dozen very good reasons. Right now it is predominantly Malaysian, Indian, Arab, a few Chinese, and Russian. One could argue that these are relatively low quality tourists, in terms of the amounts of money that they spend. Sure you have a few wealthy Russians and some wealthy Chinese, but most are lower to middle income and don't spend alot. 

 

Thailand suffers from an impossible level of smugness and arrogance, and a persistent belief that they are truly the center of the universe and the best thing in the world. They don't have a clue. Sometimes it feels like the fact that the nation was never colonized was a leading factor in this hubris and inability to see the world for what it is. The severe inability to adapt, improve, and reform, has hurt their prospects. 

 

It's all good. Far less tourism would make Thailand far more comfortable for the tourists who come, and for us expats, and would likely lead to better attitudes amongst people in tourism. They simply would need to be creative in figuring out ways to make up for the lost billions in revenue. 

 

 

This process will not be reversed until the authorities wake up and make some sacrifices such as lowering luxury taxes, lowering wine taxes, cleaning up the air, making the highways safer, allowing more private air travel, helicopter travel, high-speed trains and alternatives to the totally choked and extremely hazardous highways. 

 

And now they have invited in the Bratva, by opening up the country to all Russians. Quantity over quality only works if you are selling $2 items at a swap meet. Dumb and dumber. 

 

i can say the same thing about the U.S.

2 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Butlins in Bangkok?

Up-scale inclusive resort... something for all the family.

Not just beer bars and Go-Go joints

You wont recognize Rawai in a couple years, The Russians have bought the place, 

25 minutes ago, Jack Hammer said:

Interesting to know what percentage of tourism would decline if prostitution was completely abolished, 40%? , 50%? 

Mention Thailand in the Western world and it’s not long before people start talking about it being the sex capital of the world. I come to Thailand twice a year, I am courteous and civil, but I still feel as if I’m just being tolerated.

 

It depends who you mix with, I had a Thai restaurant in Chelmsford, England for 22 years, I never worked in it but I did eat there, the tens of thousands of families and couples who came in over the years never mentioned the seedy side as they chose to go to 95% of Thailand which is not seedy, they mentioned the food, culture etc.

 

If I had mixed with the few in comparison who mess with bar girls and even worse the ones who have married one and only mix in similar circles I too would have the same option as they do, I am not dim enough to do that.

 

Take Phuket for example where I live, restaurants and hotels vastly outnumber the relatively few girly bars which have mostly been replaced with restaurants and shops, it all depends what people choose to visit, the relatively small seedy side or the rest of what Thailand has to offer. 

 

A persons view of Thailand is based on where they choose to spend their time and is a reflection on them not Thailand.

 

By comparison I worked in Amsterdam for a few months, I did not judge the whole of Holland based on the small sex tourist industry in Amsterdam. 

 

Same in Germany and many other places where prostitution is legal. 

 

 

14 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

Spain, quality of tourists?

 

Spain is for the cheap, beer swigging, tattooed, fish and chip eating buffoons, I went there once for two weeks and it was like a nightmare, low class yobs.

 

I sat on a plane once going to Germany to work. Next to me sat a Spanish guy and after half an hour of chatting he asked me if I was really from England, I asked why? He said all the Brits he had seen in Spain were rough, rude, swore in every sentence and spent all day boozing. 

 

I told him people like me do not go to Spain, but the yobs do as it is so cheap and nearby, hence you think we are all like that.

 

 

As I said, Spain have alot to learn from Spain, how they got F over with cheap tourists for 40 years now

Chinese government enabler stooge wants to spread the gambling disease deeper into Thailand. The country has enough social ills without adding large scale casinos to them. Great cover for Chinese saboteurs and spies to get Thais into debt and to exploit them.

1 hour ago, Taboo2 said:

Not this year, inflation is hitting hard in the West, more Israelis yes, but not Western tourists.

Read my post again.  It was in regards to this year.  Tourists are up this year substantially from the west and not only that they are spending more per tourist. 

 

You are correct about the Israelis but I have no opinion if this is a good or bad thing.  Have had zero interaction with Israelis and not the type to hate on a nation's inhabitants.  Did watch some actual videos of before and after Gaza videos and it sure seems they went much too far.  I get their anger but the extent of the destruction of Gaza.

6 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Up-scale inclusive resort... something for all the family.

Not just beer bars and Go-Go joints

I've done a few of them all inclusive resorts in Jamaica and the Caribbean , I dont see them happening in Thailand, My daughter like them with two young kids, the last one she went to was in Morocco, all 4 of them was cheaper than a flight to Thailand, 

7 minutes ago, Hummin said:

 

As I said, Spain have alot to learn from Spain, how they got F over with cheap tourists for 40 years now

Spain's tourism industry is not growing. In case you missed it, tourism was down this summer. Local people in hot destinations don't like the  visitors either. Alot of Europeans are souring on the hostility of Spain now. At least no one will attack you at a restaurant in Thailand just for being a tourist.

I would think that what is to get immigration rules based on clear objectives, instead of silly requirements designed to produce more and more papers in the immigration process.  And to get someone in every IO to be responsible to make decisions, based on whether the individual showing up at an immigration point would contribute to the main objectives. Now the system is designed for clerks who look blindly at paper works, no objective in mind.

So eliminate the refusal of individual at an immigration point, who has documentation of 15 years of an income way above the requirements, but in one instance, one piece of paper is missing... Clerks at work. Literally blindfolded, and feeling all powerful to make a decision, based on papers, not on objectives.

 

An officer at a bank in my country, quick look at a banking history and credit history, can make a quick decision. An officer that person is. Clerks have a purpose, but they do not wear a uniform that would indicate a decisional power.

2 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Spain's tourism industry is not growing. In case you missed it, tourism was down this summer. Local people in hot destinations don't like the  visitors either. Alot of Europeans are souring on the hostility of Spain now. At least no one will attack you at a restaurant in Thailand just for being a tourist.

So many reasons to love what Thailand offers to tourists.  Far from perfect and probably targets the lower income crowd which is fine.  Nothing wrong with having less money than most and still enjoy yourself in Thailand.  Saw an older couple on touring bikes in the middle of nowhere Thailand.  I bet they are having a good time and spending less here than they would be back home in their normal life.

He may be right but who would listen to someone agitating for a casino in Thailand?  Shows what kind of tourism he wants to promote.  If you have ever been in casinos in Macau, Monte Carlo, Genting or Las Vegas and seen the seedy characters that are attracted to this mindless form of losing money, you know what I mean.  Macau is the worst and would probably be the model for Thailand.