Promoting Thai

[HarryHacker]

Sorry, but I just can't see Pattaya as anything but a karmically evil place. Maybe good for a halloween ride.

I share your feeling, but it happens to be Bangkok not Patters.

Brit is always good for a laugh on a Friday morning.

Edit, to add suitable smile!

Edited July 11, 2008 by HarryHacker

[Shotime]

Sorry, but I just can't see Pattaya as anything but a karmically evil place. Maybe good for a halloween ride.

I share your feeling, but it happens to be Bangkok not Patters.

We're just comparing shit holes. That's a matter of personal choice. I used to like P_____a. I used to go many times during the weekdays to play golf every day and have sex (once in awhile). I made a lot of friends at the bar I played out of. I wish I could go back, but I just can't stand that part of that city anymore.

Back on topic. Make P_____a a quick horror ride or The Haunted House, and make Bangkok........ Can't think. Nedd another cigarette and another coffee.

[dominique355]

For a tourist, Thailand is still a great destination. I don't need to list all the attractions this country has to offer to tourists.

Tourists don't get involved in politics, and have rarely anything to do with the police, so these two weak points of the country won't bother them

But what most tourist do encounter is the poor respect for the environment Thailand has. Anything from garbage anywhere on beaches, along the streets, behind houses, virtually no waste water treatment in the whole country, stinking Diesel buses and pick-up trucks, and more and more dirty water in the oceans, even (if not especially) around the tourist spots etc.

So here is where TAT should focus its attention: Improve the situation, which will help not only tourism but the country as a whole.

[Shotime]

For a tourist, Thailand is still a great destination. I don't need to list all the attractions this country has to offer to tourists.

Tourists don't get involved in politics, and have rarely anything to do with the police, so these two weak points of the country won't bother them

But what most tourist do encounter is the poor respect for the environment Thailand has. Anything from garbage anywhere on beaches, along the streets, behind houses, virtually no waste water treatment in the whole country, stinking Diesel buses and pick-up trucks, and more and more dirty water in the oceans, even (if not especially) around the tourist spots etc.

So here is where TAT should focus its attention: Improve the situation, which will help not only tourism but the country as a whole.

What up wit' t'at? The country as a whole, has many holes. Aside from the ones you mentioned. They really should do something about the aggressive vendors at the tourist spots, and if the tax's drivers are going to try to get as much money as they can, and make you feel like you're being ridiculed at the same time, they have a long way to go. Give the poor people a job cleaning the streets. They do in other places. Give the people a little back.

Edited July 11, 2008 by Shotime

[bkkjames]

IMO, TAT should an entity that is separate from the GOVT of the day. I don't know how u go about it, who should make up it, and how to make them accountable.

The problem with bodies such as these is that they can only think from year to year, election to election.

As we have seen, too many spur of the moment programmes (lacking a long-term vision) have come and gone. No need to list them all here.

There appears to be no road-map beyond tomorrow. Everything is piece-mail in it's planning and execution. What can I do now that will help my tourist numbers look better - they should be thinking 10 years from now and planning accordingly - infrastructure, sustainability etc.

[teacup]

As we have seen, too many spur of the moment programmes (lacking a long-term vision) have come and gone. No need to list them all here.

There appears to be no road-map beyond tomorrow. Everything is piece-mail in it's planning and execution.

piece-meal, you mean

Any how...

What long range planning,

We don’t need any long range planning! That is just some <deleted>-<deleted> western ideology.

We’re thai, we can think of something by ourselves!

We don’t even have a short range, we just love our “one-meal-a day” approach.

No think too mut, headaches!

In facts we like to plan in the way that we wish it will never fail - finger crossed.

[PREM-R]

We have a TAT office here in Khon Kaen which is located just about as far away from where any 'tourists' would ever find it, unless they were on their way to the Lao Consulate for a visa. I have visited the TAT office on a few occasions and I think it is the location where Thailand sends its errant public 'servants' when they are found with their 'fingers in the till' and moved to "inactive posts".

Edited July 11, 2008 by PREM-R

[bkkjames]

As we have seen, too many spur of the moment programmes (lacking a long-term vision) have come and gone. No need to list them all here.

There appears to be no road-map beyond tomorrow. Everything is piece-mail in it's planning and execution.

piece-meal, you mean

Any how...

What long range planning,

We don’t need any long range planning! That is just some <deleted>-<deleted> western ideology.

We’re thai, we can think of something by ourselves!

We don’t even have a short range, we just love our “one-meal-a day” approach.

No think too mut, headaches!

In facts we like to plan in the way that we wish it will never fail - finger crossed.

Thanks tea-cup for the spelling tip, not enough coffee this AM I guess I often ask myself why do places like Singapore, Hong Kong, KL and up with world class attractions and events and we don't.

Surely, more people would rather come to an F1 race in Thailand than SG or KL? Disneyland in Thailand, besides the beaches (excluding Pattaya cause that doesn't count) what do we have that can be considered world class tourist attractions? Safari World, Croco Farm, Siam Paragone, Lumpini Park?

[midasthailand]

Funny, they must be doing something right to have won the best city to visit....in the world poll yesterday or the day before. Seriously Farang555, you really didn't expect very many intelligent answers to your question did you? As usual any thread asking for an opinion degenerates into a slag off Thailand frenzy. Fair dinkum you lot... if you don't like it here, go back to where you came from!!!

Edited July 11, 2008 by midasthailand

[larvidchr]

What should TAT do to promote Thailand?

Think of a popular nickname for a cat starting with a P, multiply this with 100 ad 20% chance of HIV just to give it the right amount of macho adrenaline rush, and all the "Dons" of this world will be irresistibly drawn to Thailand like flies to Sh.t, half of them are already here.

[Samuian]

.........

But what most tourist do encounter is the poor respect for the environment Thailand has. Anything from garbage anywhere on beaches, along the streets, behind houses, virtually no waste water treatment in the whole country, stinking Diesel buses and pick-up trucks, and more and more dirty water in the oceans, even (if not especially) around the tourist spots etc.

So here is where TAT should focus its attention: Improve the situation, which will help not only tourism but the country as a whole.

thumbs up for this one!

but will take another century as looks very much the tat is nothing but a bunch of freeloaders proclaiming good intentions all day long, week in week out....month after month!

[cymruambyth1]

What should TAT do to promote Thailand?

Think of a popular nickname for a cat starting with a P, multiply this with 100 ad 20% chance of HIV just to give it the right amount of macho adrenaline rush, and all the "Dons" of this world will be irresistibly drawn to Thailand like flies to Sh.t, half of them are already here.

You have forgotten to mention which half you reside in

[larvidchr]

What should TAT do to promote Thailand?

Think of a popular nickname for a cat starting with a P, multiply this with 100 ad 20% chance of HIV just to give it the right amount of macho adrenaline rush, and all the "Dons" of this world will be irresistibly drawn to Thailand like flies to Sh.t, half of them are already here.

You have forgotten to mention which half you reside in

I think I will leave that jugdement to others.

[teacup]

Here we go from me

Tourists have to be offered something more than nature, temples, beaches, museum, etc.

Those and with good weather may be enough to keep the arrivals coming, perhaps. But over a long run, there is a risk, and instead of increasing, it might be decreasing, or increasing in the negative ways, if without some control measures of proper planning. We don't want one seedy town after another and another....

So far we have seen many areas that are heavily populated with tourists are waaay over built and under serviced of infrastructure. We also have major problems with, taxi, songtheaw, sewer, drainage during rainy season, road & sidewalks condition, etc

We need to come up with a well balance of not only the many attractions but good and well planned infrastructure as well , through some kinds of building and zoning regulation.

TAT need to develop the plan of not only in increasing the quantity of tourists but quality as well.

By mean of “quality”, I think is not by sheer numbers of visitors only, but by length of stay, money spent, and quality of experience.

We need the type of tourists that will respect the local culture and tradition. We also need to teach them -informatively -about and observe local etiquette, including using at least a few courtesy words in the local language.

At the same time we need to teach the locals to how to deal with foreign expectations that may differ from their own. We need to not only help these tourists deepening their travel experiences of everything that are thainess, but also make efforts and provide them with some western comforts and familiarities as well, like higher std accommodations, hygiene, etc.

In addtion

We need to come up with the plans for the tour companies to do their best to employ and train local people, buy local supplies, and use local services. This in turn will benefit everyone involved eventually.

Just to name a few