Krabi In Desperate Bid To Attract Tourists

[george]

Krabi in desperate bid to attract tourists

KRABI: -- Tourism operators in Thailand's southern resort province of Krabi were today preparing to slash their prices in a desperate bid to attract visitors back to this province ravaged by last month’s tsunamis.

According to Mr. Ithirit Kinglek, president of the Krabi Tourism Association, tourists have been steadily leaving the province since the massive waves slammed into the country's southern Andaman coast on 26 December, leaving a trail of death and destruction.

Unless urgent measures are drawn up to pull visitors back to the province, local tourism operators fear that staff lay-offs are inevitable, particularly in the hotel trade.

Apart from its most famous tourist island of Koh Phi Phi, Krabi in fact received less damage from the tsunamis than other Andaman provinces, but images of destruction broadcast around the world have deterred visitors.

Mr. Ithirit also blames the government for trying to undertake a comprehensive post-tsunami clean-up which does not take into account the fact that some destinations were relatively undamaged and are now ready to welcome back tourists.

Local tourism operators are now drawing up special packages with cut-price rates for air fares, accommodation and tourism destinations.

One of hotels to be affected by the tsunamis is the Grand Tower Hotel in central Krabi.

Miss Sakaorat Maneerat, who works at the hotel’s tour counter, says that only three of the hotel’s rooms are currently occupied, whereas normally the hotel expects to be fully booked.

The hotel is now considering lowering its room rates in the hope of attracting more visitors.

--TNA 2005-01-15

[astral]

The BBC and other media outlets have done incalculable damage to the

country's tourist industry with the their sensationalist reporting.

To listen to their reports one would think the whole country had been devastated.

I know the tourist deaths were a tragedy, but they are nothing in comparison to the deaths of local people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India.

Thailand had the infrastructure for the first photos to get out and reporters to get in,

and now we see what this has done to the country as whole.

Shame on you BBC.

[Crazy Dave]

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

[chonabot]

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That Dave is one Crazy dude!

While I can see where you're coming from , I sense some flames heading your way me old mucker!

[sonthaya]

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crazy Dave, you really live up to that name, what a stupid posting.

[tuktukmike]

While i dont agree with all crazydave says he does make some valid points.

As for the lack of tourists, maybe a period of time is called for to allow the dead to be identified and buried.

It does not help when you read in the BKK post an article from the owner of a dive school whinging about how his buisness has suffered and how the tourists should return as there are no problems now,

I also hope tourists return but remember it has only been three weeks since the terrible events took place,

mike.

[toopeekaa 1]

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crazy Dave, you really live up to that name, what a stupid posting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Stupid Posting ???? I don't necessarily agree with the term stupid. While I may not have made the statements in the same way, shape or form, there is a lot of fact in what Crazy Dave is saying...

Each item above stated by Crazy, bears out a lot of truth. Reality is what is not necessarily what someone says it is...... Saying there is no bird flu in Thailand , does not make it so...... Saying tourists have not been killed, does not make it so...

I have seen in my years here many times locals saying what they would like you to believe much more often that what is in fact reality and then getting annoyed [?] when you may question the validity of their statement..... If you question anything they say, than the first thing they want is to sue for defamation.

[taxexile]

(Crazy Dave @ 2005-01-15 23:11:47)

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

well said crazy dave !!

a large proportion of locals and foriegners involved in the tourist trade have become greedy and unethical beyond belief. they need to be brought back to reality. and a severe drop in takings will certainly succeed in doing that.

some local control over standards and transportation policy wouldn't go amiss either.

if thaksin wants a better type of visitor here then he should improve things a bit.

the unkempt rabble that seem to roam the resorts here are too dumb to know they are being ripped off. just keep the beer and burgers coming and they will pay anything and not even check their change.

amazing thailand !

[Crazy Dave]

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crazy Dave, you really live up to that name, what a stupid posting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i would be extremely gratefull if u could point out the stupid bit in my post....

[snoophound]

thats we all love the place

problem with phuket and krabi is it got too expensive

strangely usualy the falang run businesses in the service game

dive tours ,fishing etc for instance,they need to get off the USD based pricing models

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crazy Dave, you really live up to that name, what a stupid posting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i would be extremely gratefull if u could point out the stupid bit in my post....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[simcity]

that is what i post few days ago :

For my part I will not go back to phuket ! I have been disappointed with it two times , the exorbitant price asking for a short ride / food and accommodation .

Phuket I considered is good for European traveler, I live in Bangkok and not a lot of my friends will want to go there before for the same raison.

Do not get me wrong please, I did give a good sum of money for the disaster.

But perhaps as the milk cow have disappear, the mentality slowly will change..and I will visit .

........................

no many of peoples i know from Bangkok want to go there at this stage ! I do not think a slash of price will make difference .

It was to much greed there ! and sadly to much violence death to settle .. my personal friend said to me , going for the day Ok .. but sleep there NO way ....

A recession is not nice , but it will readjust the balance .

That is for bangkok !

And I do not want to said what Europe countries are feeling about this tragedy and holidaying there .

[chico]

Thanks to george ( and other postings) I could convince a friend of mine who is regularly coming end of january with a group to Krabi, who was here end of november to make the reservations but wanted to cancel them after the tsunami. to talk with his group and make them come to Krabi by the end of the month.

thanks again, george!

[Simbo]

well done bbc, maybe this will serve as a wake up call to the thais, they need us and our money more than we need them, maybe toxin can calm down on his xenaphobia, maybe purachai can calm down on his puratanical crusades, maybe the police will stop killing tourists in cold blood, i for one hope the thais have a few years without tourists, it may help them remember where most of the hard currency is coming from, maybe then they will forget about two tier pricing and ripping off the farangs, yep, i for one say keep the bad news up bbc and thank you for that, while the thais continue to kill and maim each other on a daily basis and toxin continues to lie on a daily basis its best to believe the bbc, they have nothing to gain where as toxin does.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well said, Dave, but the truth hurts

[Simbo]

What is the attraction in Krabbi anyway. I've been 3 times. Use it as a staging post for the islands, otherwise, I don't see the point of going.

[Laurie]

I may not be as well informed as some of you but having read the points made by some on this website there does seem to be an inordinate amount of ill-thought out statements and accusatory comments flying around.

I dare say that a number of people are ripped off here as they would be elsewhere. I am afraid to say that these things can happen in places that attract tourists. Clearly, one way to prevent it is to let the buyer beware.

I am not sure that any politician tells the truth be they form the US, the UK Europe or anywhere else. It is twisted, skewed and spun so that it fits what they want it to say.

Do the police, as a body, have a habit of killing tourists in cold blood or is the reference to one policeman?

I understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion.

[Crazy Dave]

I may not be as well informed as some of you but having read the points made by some on this website there does seem to be an inordinate amount of ill-thought out statements and accusatory comments flying around.

I dare say that a number of people are ripped off here as they would be elsewhere. I am afraid to say that these things can happen in places that attract tourists. Clearly, one way to prevent it is to let the buyer beware.

I am not sure that any politician tells the truth be they form the US, the UK Europe or anywhere else. It is twisted, skewed and spun so that it fits what they want it to say.

Do the police, as a body, have a habit of killing tourists in cold blood or is the reference to one policeman?

I understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well being english i can only really refer back to the uk, in the last 20 years how many young tourist couples have been executed illegally in the street by uk policeman??, ie shot, run over and shot repeatedly, not many by my reckoning, and how many of these non exisistent uk policeman that have executed young tourist couples would be allowed out on bail after fleeing the country??? and speaking into the future, how many of these non exsistent uk murdering policemen who murder young couples would actually get away with it??cos thats wots gonna happen..

[simcity]

I use to have a business in a tourist area, my main concern was to look after the locals , when the tourists did not came , the locals did !

Perhaps a lesson to learn for many businesses in Thailand …

i am talking about the feeling of bangkok people toward phuket !

forgot the tourist from hongkong / singapore / europe it will take a long time before they come back ...

[joinme2leave]

imho, a few months (and not years, as Dave stated in his otherwise quite well written comment) will be fair enough time to have phuket&krabi tourist biz ppl to reconsider their past behaviour (in terms of rip-off and overprizing). Well, AT LEAST that's what I hope they do. Nevertheless I shall return to all those magnificent places. I might even think about visiting PhiPhi again as well if (only IF) reconstruction is gonna be less, faaaaar less touristy (and crowded) as it appeared to me in june 2004...

[Laurie]

I see that you were indeed referring to one alleged murderer whose career is in the police rather than, as you implied, the police force commonly going out and mrdering tourists.

Murder is a heinous crime no matter who it is committed by. I hope that, if the man is guilty, he is found to be guilty. I have insufficient knowledge of the case to say any more.

Am I to believe that you agree with the remainder of my reply?

[Crazy Dave]

I may not be as well informed as some of you

yes i agree with that statement.

I dare say that a number of people are ripped off here as they would be elsewhere. I am afraid to say that these things can happen in places that attract tourists. Clearly, one way to prevent it is to let the buyer beware.

I dare say that there has not been a tourist to thailand that has not been ripped off, show me this mythical tourist that has not been ripped off in thailand. i have been to many countries where i know i have not been ripped off, but i could not include thailand in that list.

I am not sure that any politician tells the truth be they form the US, the UK Europe or anywhere else. It is twisted, skewed and spun so that it fits what they want it to say.

yes but if u read thru the news threads just on this forum u will find some of the most outrageous lies that u will ever hear, do a search on the word "THASKIN"

Do the police, as a body, have a habit of killing tourists in cold blood or is the reference to one policeman?

normally the thai police just extort or rob the farangs, i got to admit that they dont normally kill them in cold blood.

I understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[The_Moog]

"Foreigners are bad"...... is the message coming across. This sounds like a party conference for Thai Rak Thai !

The irony is sublime.