Battered Tourism Sector Seeks Urgent Government Help

[keepsamuiclean]

for you who will ask where i got this information from, i would have posted the link but they just removed April,

http://www.tourism.go.th/2009/en/statistic...rism.php?cid=26

it was listed 4 hours ago

[livinthailandos]

If you have made it this far congrads. you seen 16 pages of pent up frustrated foriegners who the majority don't work here in thailand and dont even work along the thai people.

For the whole flu issue scaring tourists away from thailand, the last time I checked USA, Japan, Mexico, and various other countries have it to. Caucan is almost a ghost town, this is a useless excuse as why tourists are not coming to thailand. If this flu hits a global pandamic scale in which we start seeing millions of people dieing in less than a month then the tourism industry or anything else won't matter period for any country.

Poor farang blame all the thai's. all thai's bad bad bad, blame the majority for the fraction of a few minority, If thailand has become this bad for you quit your whining and leave already.

Let me help most of you out with this, the majority of thai's don't have the insight, knowledge, depth, on most serious issues not because there dumb its because failure of educational standards, corruption, and the system period, most i know here just survive, work, eat, have fun. Most thais to don't like the fact of everything going on especially with government. but most of you would not know this anyway since I guess you dont ever talk with any thai people

hotel prices being inflated, a few hotels that I've stayed in singapore, hong kong, have raised their prices by 75 -100 USD in a matter of 3 years, but no no no thailand bad prices high. HAVE most of you just never traveled outside of thailand in the last 5 years or more.

Thailand has problems I GET IT. WHAT COUNTRY doesn't spain has 18% unemployment, the last time i saw eurozone, usa, japan, china, and boats loads more places have unemployment going up along with crime.

For the few who work here, have wife or kids, life in general is never easy or truly stable. Every country at some point in time has problems ranging from serious to down right dangerious. Flee, fight, run, whatever, do what you have to do, but I have to do the best I've got, keep my business going. got nothing to go back to my home country for anymore.

[keepsamuiclean]

My reply to Zeid was a little bit too fast...

Don't understand the logic behind hiding increase! Have to admit that 7 years in Thailand did not give me the key for local logic.

Our figures are April plus 8 %, May plus 10 %, June will be between 160 and 200 % plus - the best June since 2004.

[Zeid]

keepsamuiclean

i guess your in samui what industry?

and hiding it or not, i am not sure i just submitted a report using April number, i hope it is a glitch and not wrong number

[andyc2006]

Som nam nah... about time Thailand had a reality check, had it to good for to long.

Perhaps they will appreciate the Farang living in Thailand and stop making us jump through hoops all the time with their frequent changes in 'red tape'.

My thoughts too.

My wife and I just completed a 4-day road-trip through Chantanaburi and Trat/Kho Chang.

I'd told her before the trip that I have a new policy: "I won't pay a 'farang' price. If the Thai price and foreigner price is different, I'm only willing to pay the Thai price."

We drove up to no less than 4 national park entrances so that she could see waterfalls (her family told her that "you haven't gone to Chantanaburi if you haven't see the waterfalls"), and I simply took photos of the prices at the entrance, said "good luck with the economy," and did a u-turn.

Foreigners 200 baht, Thais 40 baht, sorry, no go.

Eventually she realized and said, "we're not going to see any waterfalls, are we?" Nope -- all the Thai waterfalls are just inside the entrances to national parks -- "som nam na" for being Thai and thinking that it's ok to price like this.

There were 5+ on Kho Chang and we skipped them all (is that entrance fee separate???? do they seriously charge a foreigner 1000 baht+ for a quick look at waterfalls there?).

Next time a foreigner asks me what to see in BKK, I won't even mention Wat Phra Kaew exists...

[Pooklook]

April 2009 compared to April 2008,

increase of 25%

yes to Thailand despite that previous months where less than 2008

for you who will ask where i got this information from, i would have posted the link but they just removed April,

http://www.tourism.go.th/2009/en/statistic...rism.php?cid=26

it was listed 4 hours ago

Arrivals at SUVARNABHUMI INTERNTIONAL AIRPORT 2009

Jan - down -19.69

Feb - down -25.69

Mar - down -16.94

Apr - down -15.74

May - down -26.18

I followed Zeids link went on the website and downloaded the Excel spreadsheets

And it looks like they are DOWN every month this year compared to last.

[Zeid]

pook look

there are two tables on the top one for all arrivals and the lower one for at suvarnabhumi airport, there for when you want to see the total number you look at the top one

and that is why i think they removed the april one from teh top one i think some one did an oops

[BarryM]

If you have made it this far congrads. you seen 16 pages of pent up frustrated foriegners who the majority don't work here in thailand and dont even work along the thai people.

For the whole flu issue scaring tourists away from thailand, the last time I checked USA, Japan, Mexico, and various other countries have it to. Caucan is almost a ghost town, this is a useless excuse as why tourists are not coming to thailand. If this flu hits a global pandamic scale in which we start seeing millions of people dieing in less than a month then the tourism industry or anything else won't matter period for any country.

Poor farang blame all the thai's. all thai's bad bad bad, blame the majority for the fraction of a few minority, If thailand has become this bad for you quit your whining and leave already.

Let me help most of you out with this, the majority of thai's don't have the insight, knowledge, depth, on most serious issues not because there dumb its because failure of educational standards, corruption, and the system period, most i know here just survive, work, eat, have fun. Most thais to don't like the fact of everything going on especially with government. but most of you would not know this anyway since I guess you dont ever talk with any thai people

hotel prices being inflated, a few hotels that I've stayed in singapore, hong kong, have raised their prices by 75 -100 USD in a matter of 3 years, but no no no thailand bad prices high. HAVE most of you just never traveled outside of thailand in the last 5 years or more.

Thailand has problems I GET IT. WHAT COUNTRY doesn't spain has 18% unemployment, the last time i saw eurozone, usa, japan, china, and boats loads more places have unemployment going up along with crime.

For the few who work here, have wife or kids, life in general is never easy or truly stable. Every country at some point in time has problems ranging from serious to down right dangerious. Flee, fight, run, whatever, do what you have to do, but I have to do the best I've got, keep my business going. got nothing to go back to my home country for anymore.

I do live here and don't give a stuff whether hotels, bars, restaurants go out of business. Not my problem. I stay here because I don't have to pay UK tax and have out sourced most of my back office admin and IT here.

What I do think is worth commenting on is that when my company in the UK has a sales competition where so far around 15 people, mostly 25-30 year olds earning circa 50-100k sterling pa qualify for economy deluxe or business class flights, two nights at "the top riverside hotel in Bangkok" and a week on a beach - AND NONE OF THEM ARE INTERESTED in taking it up - it tells me something about what the rest of the world thinks of Thailand as a tourist destination. "Not worth the time of day" comes to mind. The contrast with 10 years ago is a model of how to scr-w up a great business.

Thailand is off the radar for an awful lot of people. Spain isn't. 18 % unemployment (probably a bit more by now) but they welcome visitors, don't throw people in jail for childish bar room pranks (or for writing books that noone even reads...), hold people hostage by closing airports, have teenagers routinely shooting each other in nightclubs, rabid stray dogs on beaches, blah blah blah yawn yawn....

It will be interesting to see whether it sorts itself out or descends into a Zimbabwe with go go poles. Either way KL is only a couple of hours away.

FWIW I have a long weekend planned. Oriental BKK just quoted me 600$ US ++ a night for a corner room - not a suite..... Singapore/Kl/HK do offer better value for "quality" tourists LOL

[SurfRider]

Eventually LOS will either wake up or it won't-- and all the Expats and tourism will continue to go elsewhere until they DO finally wake up and have to face the task of attracting a new generation of newbies back to "party town"

One leading indicator of a change in trend might be if the Thai Immigration Bureaucracy wakes up and realizes that they no longer need to send their walking-wallet benefactors scurrying to the borders of Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia-- simply to have their passport stamped as "returning to Thailand".

And they finally realize that they could collect the 2000+ Baht per Farang directly at the local Immigration office by allowing the same stamp to be affixed there-- and they could pocket all the revenue that the visa-run operators are currently banking.

Until they begin to grasp a very basic simple obvious business concept like that --which would put serious big-time cash in their coffers-- don't expect any major changes at any higher levels . . .

.

[GungaDin]

The only tourists coming to Thailand these days are the dyslexic market, the ones who thought they were going to Taiwan but booked the wrong ticket !

:D

The govt. seems to be concerned about the fall in tourism but there's never a mention of the resident expat market. By my reckoning an expat who spends 50 weeks a year here and runs a business or supports a family, is worth 25 tourists who come for a fortnight each. And resident expats also tend to attract family and friends to come visit.

Apart from the obvious - airports, costs, image - I've come to believe that the standard of education here is a big part of the problem. I know Thais' - relatives and in laws - who have so called university degrees but can't point to Thailand on a map of the world. I kid you not, try this with your own relatives.

So true.

[marsteele]

Som nam nah... about time Thailand had a reality check, had it to good for to long.

Perhaps they will appreciate the Farang living in Thailand and stop making us jump through hoops all the time with their frequent changes in 'red tape'.

My thoughts too.

My wife and I just completed a 4-day road-trip through Chantanaburi and Trat/Kho Chang.

I'd told her before the trip that I have a new policy: "I won't pay a 'farang' price. If the Thai price and foreigner price is different, I'm only willing to pay the Thai price."

We drove up to no less than 4 national park entrances so that she could see waterfalls (her family told her that "you haven't gone to Chantanaburi if you haven't see the waterfalls"), and I simply took photos of the prices at the entrance, said "good luck with the economy," and did a u-turn.

Foreigners 200 baht, Thais 40 baht, sorry, no go.

Eventually she realized and said, "we're not going to see any waterfalls, are we?" Nope -- all the Thai waterfalls are just inside the entrances to national parks -- "som nam na" for being Thai and thinking that it's ok to price like this.

There were 5+ on Kho Chang and we skipped them all (is that entrance fee separate???? do they seriously charge a foreigner 1000 baht+ for a quick look at waterfalls there?).

Next time a foreigner asks me what to see in BKK, I won't even mention Wat Phra Kaew exists...

It is quite simple and logical really, farangs have bigger feet and are heavier than than thais thus putting more wear and tear on the parks which costs money to repair. (A thai told me this) It is not discrimination or racist thing you are just paying for the space you use whilst there. The Doi Suthep Temple in Chiangmai farangs must pay to enter, thais admitted free. Simply according to thais is that this is a place of worship for them the same as a church is a place of worship for farangs and churches don't charge farangs for going in there. I explained to him that churches don't charge thais for going in either but he could not respond to that.

Could you imagine the uproar if thais were visiting other places in the world and everywhere they went there were signs Thais $10 other people free. The crys of discrimination and racism were be heard far and wide and the thais just would not visit these places. Anyway in most places in the world it is against the law to set prices based on race, sex or religion all people are charged the same with a few exceptions for pensioners and children who get lower prices.

Oh and did you know if you have a mixed race child and does not have a thai ID card yet then he pays the farang rate.

Edited June 18, 2009 by marsteele

[brahmburgers]

Som nam nah... about time Thailand had a reality check, had it to good for to long.

Perhaps they will appreciate the Farang living in Thailand and stop making us jump through hoops all the time with their frequent changes in 'red tape'.

.....We drove up to no less than 4 national park entrances so that she could see waterfalls (her family told her that "you haven't gone to Chantanaburi if you haven't see the waterfalls"), and I simply took photos of the prices at the entrance, said "good luck with the economy," and did a u-turn.

Foreigners 200 baht, Thais 40 baht, sorry, no go.

If you have a Thai drivers license, try using that to get the Thai price. I've only been to one official park (west of C.Mai) and was able to use that trick twice to get in for the Thai price.

But yes, in the big picture of things, the two-tiered pricing hurts Thai tourism. It might be a tiny bit penny wise, but it's pound foolish. Farang worldwide hear about it, and that could be the one little reason to compel some of them to go to a more friendly destination to spend money. It's racism, plain and simple - basing entry fees on a person's physical appearance.

When a backpacker, with or without family and friends, comes to Thailand, he/she probably spends well over 1,000 baht per day on all sorts of things. A high end tourist spends a lot more. That's 100% outside

money that goes circulating through the Thai economy many times. Thai park system, by trying to get some added baht from people with hair on their arms and big noses, is turning away tens of thousands of potential tourists who might ordinarily come to Thailand and spend billions of baht. Another irony is, the trash clean up (which is one excuse for the park fees) is directed at trash the Thais toss everywhere. With very few exceptions, farang don't toss trash in parks and on beaches. Farang care more for keeping Thailand clean than Thais do.

If I were PM, I would immediately kick out all the personnel at TAT (Tourism authority) and put in less people - yet those who have been overseas, and who understand what farang want to see and do. TAT keeps offices in expensive locations, like downtown L.A., California and Tokyo Japan, - but has little idea of how to boost tourism in the real sense. Prime example; TAT looks down upon backpackers - yet backpackers could generate more money, en masse, than elite tourists. Any backpackers I meet in northernmost Thailand (and I meet many) are using Thailand as a stepping off point to get to Laos. TAT doesn't know why and doesn't care - but it would behoove them to find out why so many farang tourists between 16 and 34 are giving Thailand a miss.

[AleG]

TAT looks down upon backpackers - yet backpackers could generate more money, en masse, than elite tourists. Any backpackers I meet in northernmost Thailand (and I meet many) are using Thailand as a stepping off point to get to Laos. TAT doesn't know why and doesn't care - but it would behoove them to find out why so many farang tourists between 16 and 34 are giving Thailand a miss.

Isn't that the thing?, no strategic thinking. Today's backpacker is tomorrow's "quality" tourist.

A word for those thinking about coming to Thailand, come and stay well away from tourists areas. Don't go to Phucket, view the less centric areas of Bangkok, avoid Samui and specially Pattaya. Beat the less travelled paths and you'll find the real, wonderful Thailand.

I swear, the very first time I went to Pattaya, I didn't take two steps into the beach (one far from the center) when a scammer showed up with some fake jewels.

Phucket, got taken on a taxi for a ride, despite my insistance to my GF that the offer was a scam, around places I had no interest at all to spend my money on.

Etc, etc.

The best holidays I've had in Thailand is when I hardly saw a foreigner at all. Unfortunately, tourists bring money, and money attracts greed; before you know it a once nice spot turns into a place crawling with scamming, price gouging, bad mannered individuals and facilities.

As for the double pricing, is it right that if I show my work permit I get the Thai price? I've heard about that but I haven't tried yet.

[Ulysses G.]

A word for those thinking about coming to Thailand, come and stay well away from tourists areas. Don't go to Phucket, view the less centric areas of Bangkok, avoid Samui and specially Pattaya. Beat the less travelled paths and you'll find the real, wonderful Thailand.

What utter garbage. If you listen to this, don't even bother coming to Thailand because you will be bored silly. Tourists usually head for the prettiest, most interesting places in any country - even if they might screw it up a bit.

Avoid all tourist areas. What a bunch of politically correct malarkey.

Edited June 19, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[grantbkk]

Eventually LOS will either wake up or it won't-- and all the Expats and tourism will continue to go elsewhere until they DO finally wake up and have to face the task of attracting a new generation of newbies back to "party town"

One leading indicator of a change in trend might be if the Thai Immigration Bureaucracy wakes up and realizes that they no longer need to send their walking-wallet benefactors scurrying to the borders of Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia-- simply to have their passport stamped as "returning to Thailand".

And they finally realize that they could collect the 2000+ Baht per Farang directly at the local Immigration office by allowing the same stamp to be affixed there-- and they could pocket all the revenue that the visa-run operators are currently banking.

Until they begin to grasp a very basic simple obvious business concept like that --which would put serious big-time cash in their coffers-- don't expect any major changes at any higher levels . . .

.

This would be a very bad idea. Thai immigration is overwhelmed as it is, at least in Bangkok. Would you really want to sit with the great unwashed and dodgy English teachers for hours trying to get legitimate business done. Most of these people are doing their best to circumvent the visa system by becoming (illegal) perpetual tourists. Leave them in the vans and buses where they at least have to make some effort to continue their unethical and sometimes criminal activities.

Edited June 19, 2009 by grantbkk

[AleG]

A word for those thinking about coming to Thailand, come and stay well away from tourists areas. Don't go to Phucket, view the less centric areas of Bangkok, avoid Samui and specially Pattaya. Beat the less travelled paths and you'll find the real, wonderful Thailand.

What utter garbage. If you listen to this, don't even bother coming to Thailand because you will be bored silly. Tourists usually head for the prettiest, most interesting places in any country - even if they might screw it up a bit.

Avoid all tourist areas. What a bunch of politically correct malarkey.

I apologize, when I said tourist areas I was refering to the heavy weights, the places one hears about when is outside the country. Those places have become tourist traps, better to be avoided, in my opinion, of course. There are plenty of other tourist destinations in the country that don't bear that stigma.

I've enjoyed visiting a couple of lethargic temples up North in Mae Chaem more than the tourist hive at the Emeral Buddha Temple in BKK, for example. More relaxing, no entry fees and real Thai atmosphere, with actual monks going around their chores and chickens running around.

On the other hand if you are here for hookers, booze and the like, you'd be fine in my blacklist of places to avoid.

[Ulysses G.]

Thanks, go to both kinds of places, I agree. The more Thai you learn, the more enjoyable the out of the way places will be, but there is still plenty of fun to be had somewhere in tourist areas like Phuket - no matter what you are looking for.

Edited June 19, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[livinthailandos]

Went only through the first 4 pages and the last. So I'm not too sure whether somebody mentioned already the uncontrolled constructions during the last years in Samui (where I live and work for a rented resort with positive figures since April...). IMO the government has nothing to do with "rescueing the industry"; the local government bodies which issued permits for illegal constructions against tea money are to be blamed and prosecuted. Tourists coming to the island for years are not coming back as they do not recognize Samui any longer. Almost every beach plot is built up, three storeys - 15 mtr. from the beach..., wall enchroachment onto publich beach land, stinking main road in Chaweng, "luxury" hotels built on the ring road...Most of the business people who might cry now had no idea of helping the tourism industry of Thailand - they were greedy and nothing else.

I would agree change in samui over the last 4 years has been so fast, you are right when you say you don't almost recognize anything. I got here in 2004, even the bophut area has changed somewhat to, from ibis hotel, bophut resort, bandara, anantara resort, from 4 seasons in lamai, to makro, big c, homepro, hotels have popped up everywhere but I think greed, lack of vision, lack of proper management, have made many hotels useless. Seriously for this island how many hotels do you really need?? But now it doesn't matter its all about supply and demand, to much supply and very little demand. As someone working in samui, I can tell you from my experience so far samui has never been this slow in quite a few years, I still believe though, the 3 really main problems only come down to

Thailand Political Instability and the Public Relations nightmare it presents to the rest of the world

Global Recession ( From airlines, automakers, banks, retailers, hotels, what industry hasn't been impacted )

H1N1 Flu ( certainly this doesn't make things any easier on the travel industry )

[GungaDin]

What a load of dog do-do.

Tourism in Thailand is down because the world economy is at a low point. When it recovers tourists will return in droves!

don't think it's that simple. there's a big negative image of political instability to get rid of before that happens. while there's even a possibility of an airport closure or protests and demonstrations in the capital people will shy away.

I'm sorry. You are right if this political stuff keeps up, it will hurt. However, if things return to normal, tourists will quickly forget.

"Normal" <deleted> is "Normal"? Scams, murders of Expats & tourists an ineffective & corrupt police force, et al....... "Normal" :D

People do not forget negatives. It will take many years for tourism to recover in Thailand.

You're thinking like the TAT staff.

[Zeid]

TAT Does not look down at Backpackers

TAT look at Backpackers as the future spender in thailand.

so they do cater for them.

[bungy007]

Thailand will Never regain the Dizzy heights of Tourism it once enjoyed. It has had it's best days.

Been there, worn the T shirt, so to speak.

There will be newer destinations offering much much more with a lot less hassel, such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

What a load of dog do-do.

Tourism in Thailand is down because the world economy is at a low point. When it recovers tourists will return in droves!

Dreeeeaaaaaam! Dream, dream, dream...

[henryalleman]

Being a long-term resident farang in Thailand takes some adjustment. For example, you tend to not notice the trash along the streets, similar to not noticing your nose (in your line sight), because it just makes life a bit easier to block certain things out.

Another angle: I just took a 30 hour visit to Chiang Mai to do some biz (distributing books). There were a dearth of farang there, but that's beside the point. I could have spent the whole time rummaging around the big city, trying to get my kicks. Yet, I took a tangent out toward an area where there's a mountain stream. There were nearly no Thais there, as they only go to natural out-of-the-way places en masse, when they're expected to go on special holidays. So I had the whole 3 mile length of riverbed to myself - quite enjoyable for a tree hugger like me. Plus, there were caves where early (pre-cell phone) inhabitants may have dwelled.

I guess what I'm saying here is; for those trying to find the best facets of Thailand - try going off the beaten track once in awhile. You don't have to follow the tour guide, and go to all the recommended places where the vendors are packed side by side. Two examples of let-downs that are 'must-see' according to tour guides:

#1. the 'Golden Triangle' is essentially a long bus trip to a place with hundreds of vendors. whoopie.

#2. An all-white temple. Another big whoopie.

TAT and anyone interested in boosting tourism in Thailand need to talk to people like me who know what many farang want to experience while on vacation here. TAT is a Thai-run organization, and as such, they don't have a handle on some of the types of things that many tourists enjoy (hint: unadulterated nature). TAT thinks seeing wats, playing golf, and shopping for trinkets are basically what all tourists want to do.

Correct, the best and most enjoyable places in Thailand are off the beaten track. And lucky for people like us TAT and tourist guides don't advertising them.

Small example. A few years ago I was in Nakhon Sawan during Chinese newyear(unbelievable experience) In the hotel there was an group of tourist on there way to Chiang Mai eating dinner while their was a show not realizing that about 3k from their hotel their was one of the biggest Chinese newyear festivals on earth going on. I was the only foreigner amongst 500 000 Thais.

Songkran is a minor event compared with Chinese newyear in Nakhon Sawan .

[bungy007]

A word for those thinking about coming to Thailand, come and stay well away from tourists areas. Don't go to Phucket, view the less centric areas of Bangkok, avoid Samui and specially Pattaya. Beat the less travelled paths and you'll find the real, wonderful Thailand.

What utter garbage. If you listen to this, don't even bother coming to Thailand because you will be bored silly. Tourists usually head for the prettiest, most interesting places in any country - even if they might screw it up a bit.

Avoid all tourist areas. What a bunch of politically correct malarkey.

I beg to differ. You wouldn't advise people to visit England and holiday in Blackpool/South-end-on sea et al. The 'attractions' mentioned by AleG are Thailand's versions. There are some wonderful places to visit - for beaches I would recommend Mai Pim - a very long coastline with nary a soul to be found on the beach - great restaurants and hotels/guest houses for every budget (Check out SeaView Condos for a nice family holiday destination). You could also try Dolphin Bay, Pranburi for the same experience. For those who are city people, check out Banglampuu where you can easily jump on the express boat to most of what you want to see by adding the odd sky-train/taxi ride to the pleasure of an extremely cheap river tour. Go the other way and watch the sky line thin out to palm trees and little wooden shacks with Thais living how they have for generations. If you want mountains then visit Daramasala in India (I think Nepal may still be a little too dicey) but Pye is a nice place to drop anchor if you like a little pastoral in your hols.

Do come if you have the stomach for the rip-offs/hostile police etc as there is still a good holiday to be had but you do need to be adventurous and prepared to suck up a few distateful moments (be they with the locals or other travellers). Remember, Thailand is not the Norfolk Broads and you do have to be vigilant at all times. Nevertheless..

[StevieH]

"Normal" <deleted> is "Normal"? Scams, murders of Expats & tourists an ineffective & corrupt police force, et al....... "Normal"

People do not forget negatives. It will take many years for tourism to recover in Thailand.

You're thinking like the TAT staff.

scams, murders of expats and police forces do not register on the radar of the average tourist who wants two weeks on a beautiful island. they're irrelevant.

[GungaDin]

"Normal" <deleted> is "Normal"? Scams, murders of Expats & tourists an ineffective & corrupt police force, et al....... "Normal"

People do not forget negatives. It will take many years for tourism to recover in Thailand.

You're thinking like the TAT staff.

scams, murders of expats and police forces do not register on the radar of the average tourist who wants two weeks on a beautiful island. they're irrelevant.

Ahh, you must be referring to the rich tourists who live in caves and with no contact with the Internet or TV, radio, or newspapers.

Irrelevant , my arse.

[deprogrammed]

TAT Does not look down at Backpackers

TAT look at Backpackers as the future spender in thailand.

so they do cater for them.

ISAN TRAIN INFESTATIONS

Foreign backpackers deny they're bed bug spreaders

LAMPHAI INTATHEP & AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Foreign backpackers say they are disgusted by bed bugs, but even more disgusted by the suggestion they are the ones carrying the insects onto trains. Many foreign backpackers waiting for trains at Hua Lampong station yesterday conceded they knew little about bed bug infestations on trains.

They said the thought of bed bugs crawling on the velvety seats of long-haul trains and biting passengers while they dozed off was truly off-putting.

But to be accused of carrying the blood-sucking bugs on to trains was even more disgusting, said many foreign backpackers interviewed yesterday by the Bangkok Post at the train terminal.

Transport Minister Santi Prompat said yesterday the bugs may have jumped onto travellers' backpacks during forest treks and then found new homes in the cosy seats of the trains. He said the velvet-covered seats and cool temperatures contributed to make the trains a fertile breeding ground for the insects.

Many passengers on the Daewoo diesel trains on some northeastern lines have complained about bed bug bites.

[henryalleman]

A word for those thinking about coming to Thailand, come and stay well away from tourists areas. Don't go to Phucket, view the less centric areas of Bangkok, avoid Samui and specially Pattaya. Beat the less travelled paths and you'll find the real, wonderful Thailand.

What utter garbage. If you listen to this, don't even bother coming to Thailand because you will be bored silly. Tourists usually head for the prettiest, most interesting places in any country - even if they might screw it up a bit.

Avoid all tourist areas. What a bunch of politically correct malarkey.

You don't seems to realize that the prettiest and most interesting places(including nightlife) in Thailand are NOT the tourist or expat areas.

[tourleadersi]

"Normal" <deleted> is "Normal"? Scams, murders of Expats & tourists an ineffective & corrupt police force, et al....... "Normal"

People do not forget negatives. It will take many years for tourism to recover in Thailand.

You're thinking like the TAT staff.

scams, murders of expats and police forces do not register on the radar of the average tourist who wants two weeks on a beautiful island. they're irrelevant.

Not completely irrelevant. I disagree. Here's some simple maths. 2 Nights ago, I watched 3 labyboy pick pockets working their usual patch (I have written about them previosuly, they will be know to the police.) In 7 minutes I watched them target 10 people. There was no mercy. An old expat with his wife, a young Japanese father with his two toddlers (he had to let both of their hands go to retrieve his wallet, I personally would spark out the person that made me put my childs safety at risk.) For arguments sake lets say they went for 1 person a minute for 2 hours a night, and they told 10 friends on their return who in turn told 10 friends and all decided to seek a bautiful island elsewhere. Buyers who's choice has been swayed? 43,800,000 people per year from 3 ladyboys working one patch of Bangkok. Its not all their fault, but nor is it just the world economy or swine flu. Certain apathy in this nation has to play a factor.

[StevieH]

"Normal" <deleted> is "Normal"? Scams, murders of Expats & tourists an ineffective & corrupt police force, et al....... "Normal"

People do not forget negatives. It will take many years for tourism to recover in Thailand.

You're thinking like the TAT staff.

scams, murders of expats and police forces do not register on the radar of the average tourist who wants two weeks on a beautiful island. they're irrelevant.

Ahh, you must be referring to the rich tourists who live in caves and with no contact with the Internet or TV, radio, or newspapers.

Irrelevant , my arse.

no, i'm referring to the tourists who are more than aware that scams, murders and dodgy police are present in every country on earth. what has put them off coming to thailand this year is the possiblity of airports shutting down, riots in the streets of the capital and potentially a coup d'etat while they're here.

[henryalleman]

Went only through the first 4 pages and the last. So I'm not too sure whether somebody mentioned already the uncontrolled constructions during the last years in Samui (where I live and work for a rented resort with positive figures since April...). IMO the government has nothing to do with "rescueing the industry"; the local government bodies which issued permits for illegal constructions against tea money are to be blamed and prosecuted. Tourists coming to the island for years are not coming back as they do not recognize Samui any longer. Almost every beach plot is built up, three storeys - 15 mtr. from the beach..., wall enchroachment onto publich beach land, stinking main road in Chaweng, "luxury" hotels built on the ring road...Most of the business people who might cry now had no idea of helping the tourism industry of Thailand - they were greedy and nothing else.

I would agree change in samui over the last 4 years has been so fast, you are right when you say you don't almost recognize anything. I got here in 2004, even the bophut area has changed somewhat to, from ibis hotel, bophut resort, bandara, anantara resort, from 4 seasons in lamai, to makro, big c, homepro, hotels have popped up everywhere but I think greed, lack of vision, lack of proper management, have made many hotels useless. Seriously for this island how many hotels do you really need?? But now it doesn't matter its all about supply and demand, to much supply and very little demand. As someone working in samui, I can tell you from my experience so far samui has never been this slow in quite a few years, I still believe though, the 3 really main problems only come down to

Thailand Political Instability and the Public Relations nightmare it presents to the rest of the world

Global Recession ( From airlines, automakers, banks, retailers, hotels, what industry hasn't been impacted )

H1N1 Flu ( certainly this doesn't make things any easier on the travel industry )

modern tourism is like a swarm of grasshoppers They find a nice and authentic place, overwhelming it and destroy the authenticity of it and than complain the place lost his attraction and than move on to some other place and leave the once so nice place completely destroyed.

IMHO there are just too much tourist and not enough travelers. I you know what I mean.

Edited June 19, 2009 by henryalleman