A Different View Of Thailand Tourism Issues

[livinthailandos]

in the past year I've read and seen so many postings from members on here about thailand tourism mostly its all negative or utter non sense, I feel its only fair to put this in a different perspective on tourism issues, agree or don't agree up to you

1. Scams have been around who knows how long, you forget regardless of thailand in every part of the world there are people who will try to cheat you.

2. thailand has scams I get that, but how many of you forget that thailand is NOT a 1st world country its a 3rd country, you can't seriously expect much here to change

3. People here get scamed, so true, but how many people don't get scamed, nobody seems to point that all.

4. Seriously if global brand hotels & airlines didn't think they could make money here, they wouldn't bother staying here or even trying at this point.

5. I believe some of you have been literally been screwed over or scamed over so much the only thing you feel you can do is look down on thai's, talk bad about them, and talk about how much their country is so full of BS. I have no pity or empathy for you. If you can't handle thailand, maybe you should pack your things and leave.

6. Thailand's had pretty much everything you can think of from

military coups ( violent to non violent )

airport closure

sars virus

H1N1

Violent Protests

Global Recession

The Big trouble in thailand video

Scams

With all of that, thats happened shouldn't thailand have NO tourism then at all. Seriously I think the only thing that would seriously take out tourism here is a full blown civil war.

I can't relate to everyone but from my experiences, I've met quite a lot of good thai people who weren't out to cheat me, steal my money, scam me.

whatever posting you put even even ifs its spiteful, hateful, thailand still will be my home and I will continue to have positive experiences here.

[KevinBloodyWilson]

Nah. I wonlt say it because a lot of what you wrote here is actually good sense. Pity about the "If you can't handle thailand, maybe you should pack your things and leave. " because it is stating the perfectly obvious. Just because we stay doesn't blind us to the failings and it doesn't deter us from trying to make Thailand a better place. Please understand that those of us who criticise are inside the tent pissing out, not outside pissing in.

[EffectiveAnger]

"1. Scams have been around who knows how long, you forget regardless of thailand in every part of the world there are people who will try to cheat you."

Good people get cheated, just as good horses get ridden. ~Chinese Proverb

The trick is, to not be such a 'good horse' - a subborn old nag gets ridden less.

"2. thailand has scams I get that, but how many of you forget that thailand is NOT a 1st world country its a 3rd country, you can't seriously expect much here to change"

Whoa, slow down there boy. I can't believe you just called Thailand "a 3rd world country!" I think you had better have a look at this link and see what tourists around the world have to say about that topic: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/mess...sageID=13423041

"3. People here get scamed, so true, but how many people don't get scamed, nobody seems to point that all."

I'm trying hard to wrap my head around this logic.

"4. Seriously if global brand hotels & airlines didn't think they could make money here, they wouldn't bother staying here or even trying at this point."

What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?

"5. I believe some of you have been literally been screwed over or scamed over so much the only thing you feel you can do is look down on thai's, talk bad about them, and talk about how much their country is so full of BS. I have no pity or empathy for you. If you can't handle thailand, maybe you should pack your things and leave. "

So, you are saying that Thailand is a haven for scamming tourists - that's just GREAT! Boy, what a terrific PR spokesperson you certainly are for the TAT. I bet they a beating a path to your door every morning, noon and night!

"6. Thailand's had pretty much everything you can think of from

military coups ( violent to non violent )

airport closure

sars virus

H1N1

Violent Protests

Global Recession

The Big trouble in thailand video

Scams

With all of that, thats happened shouldn't thailand have NO tourism then at all. Seriously I think the only thing that would seriously take out tourism here is a full blown civil war. "

Cambodia has had all of that and a whole lot more. We can compare, if you'd like. Yet, Cambodia's tourism is exploding with growth, while Thailand a far below projection. Call around to the Thai hotels and ask about occupancy ratios over the past few years. I have Thai friends in the business here who tell me the sad news. Have you been to Siem Reap lately - hotels fully occupied and they can't build em fast enough.

"I can't relate to everyone but from my experiences, I've met quite a lot of good thai people who weren't out to cheat me, steal my money, scam me."

Me too, or I would've high-tailed it on outta here a long long time ago.

"whatever posting you put even even ifs its spiteful, hateful, thailand still will be my home and I will continue to have positive experiences here."

Speaking of 'civil war' be sure to knock on some wood, okay. This country is fragile and slipping closer to it every single day. One death and it's all over. We don't need to discuss that any further.

[manarak]

yes, the government needs to get the army and the police all covered really quickly.

the OP forgot a tsunami.

Regarding the scams, I would say that a lot of people just beg for being scammed.

Where I live, the following scams happen almost on a daily basis:

- some young guys walk up to the doors of elderly people and tell them they are a lost grandson/nephew or whatever and tell them they need money badly, and scam them out of as much as 100.000 USD !

- people post sales ads on our local ebay, selling flat screen TVs and other expensive stuff for really good prices. Buyers are asked to make a western union transfer to Russia or some other country where investigations are difficult. Of course, they never get a TV.

- some other people get scammed by the well known nigerian money forgery scam and countless others.

What I want to say: there is so much honesty in the western world, that people don't use their intelligence (if present at all).

In my country, it is impossible to make a good deal.

Everybody knows the prices and everything is expensive.

In Thailand, you can make good deals.

[yabaaaa]

Amazing what people will put up with for a shag eh?

[sgunn65]

Someone said to me, "100 planes leave suvurnabhumi every day and we can leave on any one". For all my moans I always remember this and choose not to board them

[astral]

These scams have been around for a long time, not that that excuses them

and they are not exclusive to Thailand.

I just find it sad the way the media are targeting the country.

[patklang]

Thailand is wonderful compared to UK.

If one gets scammed it your own stupid fault,and if a baht bus wants to try and charge me 20 baht i laugh it off,give 10 baht and walk away,no problem

[JR Texas]

Thailand is wonderful compared to UK.

If one gets scammed it your own stupid fault,and if a baht bus wants to try and charge me 20 baht i laugh it off,give 10 baht and walk away,no problem

I think the OP might be a shoe in for a job with the Ministry of Propaganda. Interesting twist on reality.

Seriously..........people keep saying over and over again Thailand is not unique in terms of corruption, crime, treatment of foreigners/expats......wrong.

There are countries where you would have to work hard to get scammed because it is not part of their cultural ethos to treat people that way.

There are countries where the crime rate is almost non-existent.

There are countries that have very relaxed tourism/visa rules and welcome foreign retirees with all kinds of incentives.

There are countries with really good Mexican food, and smoked BBQ (sorry, just had to throw that in).

I could go on.......but I already have for years now. Wake up!

[Chang_paarp]

I think the OP might be a shoe in for a job with the Ministry of Propaganda. Interesting twist on reality.

<<snip>>

I believe there are a couple of positions at TAT.

[Ulysses G.]

Thailand is wonderful compared to UK.

If one gets scammed it your own stupid fault,and if a baht bus wants to try and charge me 20 baht i laugh it off,give 10 baht and walk away,no problem

One chased me three blocks going backward against the traffic the other day. I had given him the finger when he demanded 20 baht though.

[Daffy D]

As stated Thailand is no different to any other country with regards to tourist scams and general safety.

The problem I think is the perception we have of Thailand it's culture and people. It's called the "Land of smiles" and "Amazing Thailand" all the adverts show beautifully people with welcoming smiles and the wai greeting. Centuries of tradition, Buddhist temples and pious monks covey an image of peace and tranquility and safety.

Even behind the tourist facade you see the respect for the Royals (unlike the UK) and to see Hi-so dignitaries prostrate themselves on their knees before others all give one a false feeling that this is a genteel safe country.

That is where we make the mistake and relax with our personal security. Go to another country where you know the peoples are hostile and violent and you are on your guard and probably survive better than in LOS.

[Bukseeda]

If i left every country I moaned about I'd have no where to live!

But, in actual fact, i've cared about everywhere I live - which is why I moan.

Scams are scams and are never good. Yes they happen everywhere. And some places more than others. But this is a Thai forum which is why thai scams are discussed. Apologists for the scams are mistaken in believing that they are caring about thailand. But when I moan it's because i care about the decent, honest people in Thailand of which there are many, who lose out.

[britmaveric]

backwards? I wish you would have taped that I would have enjoyed seeing it!