Tourism-Related Business Pleads For Thai Govt Help

[kuffki]

How many bar owners have any experience in running a bar?

How many massage place owner had any previous experience in the industry?

Just because there is a 7 eleven in the soi it does not mean family mart need open 20 meters down the road

[buzzman]

We (Wife, 3-year old daugther, 1 year old son and I) want to go to Thailand in November. The funniest (or sadest) thing are the prices for the flight to Bangkok:

Swiss Airways (normally not the cheapest one) will cost 4'000 swiss francs (about 3'600 US$).

Thai Airways (which we love and would love to fly with) will cost about 5'000 swiss francs (about 4'500 US$).

That's more than 20% more expensive. This will be the first time since about 5 years we will fly with Swiss, with that extra 1'000$ we can book a nice hotel for some days.

[laocowboy2]

Relaxing their vice like grip on the value of the baht even a little would help regain some of the Kingdom's competitiveness in both the tourist and the export sector and would encourage more ex-pats to stay too. There would be a cost to imports oil but it would be better than all these hand outs and new marketing initiatives they keep introducing. We have less to sell here than in the past and someone should wake up to the fact things are changing for good.

Nice thought - but sadly unlikely. In merchandise trade terms Thailand is doing rather well - certainly more than well enough to offset the drop in tourism income. The BoT is unlikely to drop its tight grip on the THB exchange rate unless and until either (a) inflation drops to more comfortable levels or ( exports begin to suffer significantly. The main value of tourism is not so much its contribution to GDP per se (circa 7% or so) but rather its contribution in the form of relatively well paid jobs, especially as these are not restricted to Greater Bangkok.

[laocowboy2]

We (Wife, 3-year old daugther, 1 year old son and I) want to go to Thailand in November. The funniest (or sadest) thing are the prices for the flight to Bangkok:

Swiss Airways (normally not the cheapest one) will cost 4'000 swiss francs (about 3'600 US$).

Thai Airways (which we love and would love to fly with) will cost about 5'000 swiss francs (about 4'500 US$).

That's more than 20% more expensive. This will be the first time since about 5 years we will fly with Swiss, with that extra 1'000$ we can book a nice hotel for some days.

I know that non-direct flights are not easy with small kids but you should also check out the Gulf carriers (Emirates, Qatar and Etihad). All are superior products in terms of comfort, entertainment etc and service quality is good. Dubai airport is also a comfortable transit.

[rafish]

<br>

<br>Unfortunate for those caught up in it,but as long as "the thai way" of business strategy/thinking is applied nothing will ever change,<br><br>I dont think there is any other country in the world that uses the logic that if there are VERY few customers the prices GO UP to make up for lost business<br><br>I just cant fathom the idea of a hotel operator who would rather have an empty house instead of lowering costs to attempt to attract extra business, UNLESS of course, they are already running at a loss, in which case its time to get out.<br><br>One case from personal experience..visiting the backwaters of hua hin (somewhere in Pranburi actually) in the middle of nowhere, ran into a small hotel, which they called..resort<br><br>Looked like no-one had been there for years..it had beach frontage but was absolutely desserted, no sign of life anywhere..the only sign the place was in fact inhabited was that the pool had clear water in it  <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=""> and the only reason we even found the place was because we were exploring obscure beach roads by bike<br><br>When we finally found someone to ask the question of price, the answer was 3,500 baht per night  <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt="">  <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=""> <br><br>the bike couldnt start up fast enough:lol:  <br><br><br>

<br><br>Ran into something similar in BKK as well a week ago - walk-in rate lower than on the website - in an almost empty hotel. Stayed somewhere else. Picking up on another post, I too have noted a recent decline in service quality/attitudes at hotels in BKK (have not used one outside for over 12 months now). Given that service quality is (or was) one of Thailand's key differentiators (is this a real word?), slippages in this area will have costs (as Thai Airways have found - these days some of the poorest service in South East Asia)<br>

<br><br>Observation:  The Tour business, hotels and all related businesses blame the foreigners for the loss of tourism!  The poor service, bad looks and lack of smiles is that you've caused the loss in personal income to the workers and businesses.  This is "Thai Logic 101.  While owners raise the prices of their rooms/services, they lower the wages of the employees.  Its the Ferangs fault they are told.  Got to love it.  <br><br><br>

[Tonto21]

How sad... but how many have been closed due the sight of soldiers killing people in the street? How many businesses have been closed because of the airport occupation and how many have been closed due to the incompetence of Abhisit's boss Suthep? Lots more, the difference is that it is pretty convenient to complain when business is bad with this bunch of yellow shirt lovers, they will pay out and they can easily do so by cutting the absurd military budget.

Hello “TheBarbarian” Just an observation, you’re obviously not bias, are you? Should the font be in RED? Somehow I don't think this topic will stay on track.

[bangkokburning]

It's funny, the only business that will see any relief will be those can suffer the downturn the best. The little guys will be SOL sure.

Thailand can't do anything.

It can't attract Westerners: It has cold shouldered them for years, the THB is way too strong, and that ain't gonna change. Then you have the political instability of the last five years. The sit ins at the airport arguably did more damage than the events of the last weeks and months. People will always remember - I may get stuck and can't get back to my all too fragile job. Its too easy to find a a pretty beach elsewhere in the world.

Indian, Chinese tourists have to be some of the cheapest people out there. Russians?

The Japanese finished with Thailand due to violence and scams years ago.

The expat can't really help, they have little to do with high end package tourism.

The economies of the west will only get worse in the years and decades ahead.

Thailand made a conscious effort not to educate its population like Malaysia - so there you have it.

I suggest everyone go back to the farm. that's where the money will be - agriculture.

All the people who have dreamed of seeing Thailand have done it. Now, you have to give people a reason to come back. There is none. The people that work in the industry that are not paid well to be polite and kind are anything but. The love affair with Thailand is over and all the mess only exacerbated it.

Thailand's tourism is overbuilt and overpriced. Thailand's natural resources are a disaster. Another Philippines in the making. That's what we have here.

Edited July 2, 2010 by bangkokburning

[SiriusBlack1]

How sad... but how many have been closed due the sight of soldiers killing people in the street? How many businesses have been closed because of the airport occupation and how many have been closed due to the incompetence of Abhisit's boss Suthep? Lots more, the difference is that it is pretty convenient to complain when business is bad with this bunch of yellow shirt lovers, they will pay out and they can easily do so by cutting the absurd military budget.

Entirely correct, pace the yellow-loving majority on this board. Tourism was doing fine when Thailand was still thought of as a democracy. The real trouble began with the most recent coup, with subsequent elections a sham because of NOTALLOWEDTOSAY and NOTALLOWEDTOSAY.

[buzzman]

We (Wife, 3-year old daugther, 1 year old son and I) want to go to Thailand in November. The funniest (or sadest) thing are the prices for the flight to Bangkok:

Swiss Airways (normally not the cheapest one) will cost 4'000 swiss francs (about 3'600 US$).

Thai Airways (which we love and would love to fly with) will cost about 5'000 swiss francs (about 4'500 US$).

That's more than 20% more expensive. This will be the first time since about 5 years we will fly with Swiss, with that extra 1'000$ we can book a nice hotel for some days.

I know that non-direct flights are not easy with small kids but you should also check out the Gulf carriers (Emirates, Qatar and Etihad). All are superior products in terms of comfort, entertainment etc and service quality is good. Dubai airport is also a comfortable transit.

That is true, thanks for the information. Some of the flights (from Zurich) would be good, but as you said, with kids it's not the best, especially as they are still very young. And I for myself am afraid to fly and happy if I don't have to start and land two times ;-)

[ronthai]

and many more then 10% will follow, but do not worry there will always be new farangs who think when they open there business it will be a success

[rreddin]

I'm sure its over 10 per cent. It's been awhile in coming but now the nation reaps what the PAD yellows and REDs have sown. Thanks guys

And you think the recession in the US and Europe has not had an effect on the Thai tourist industry? Potential holiday makers have less money to spend than in previous years, which is compounded by the relatively strong Baht against the US Dollar, Euro and Pound Sterling making Thailand more expensive. The cost of travelling to this country from Europe and the USA has increased substantially over the last year. Do you not think that might also have an had an effect? Thailand is facing strong competition as a holiday destination from other countries in the region.

Sure, PAD and UDD also had an effect, but the state of the Thai tourist industry is not entirely down to them. Instead of af asking for a bail out, it is time the Thai tourist industry stopped blaming all their woes on these two groups and started pushing for action to lower the cost of air travel to the country; and, a weaker currency would also boost the tourist industry.

[robertson468]

<br>How sad... but how many have been closed due the sight of soldiers killing people in the street? How many businesses have been closed because of the airport occupation and how many have been closed due to the incompetence of Abhisit's boss Suthep? Lots more, the difference is that it is pretty convenient to complain when business is bad with this bunch of yellow shirt lovers, they will pay out and they can easily do so by cutting the absurd military budget.<br>

<br><br>Sir, I think that sadly you have lost the plot?<br><br>The Yellow's rioted and caused mayhem in Thailand and in particular to the foreign tourists who were unable to leave the Country at the end of their holidays.  I understand from past reading that it was not the Yellow Shirts who closed the Airport, but the Airport Manager - but i admit I could be wrong.  If my assumption is right, that creates a bit of a legal dilema.  Perhaps the Airport Manager should be prosecuted?  Not withstanding that, I am sure the Yellow Shirts contravened one if not more laws during the period of their demonstration, which they should rightly be brought to book for - and soon!<br><br>We then had the Red Shirt incident in Phuket, which was reported World Wide and not surprising, considering the level of the meeting.  A bit like shanghai-ing the European Summit!  Then we had the occupation of the centre of Bangkok and the riots, including the deaths and injuries on both sides.  Personally (and I am not Thai so do not have the culture, which makes a considerable difference) I would have gone in to break up the demonstrations much earlier.  The justification is the demonstrators were depriving citizens of their living and damaging property.  No other reason is needed as they could have demonstrated in an area much less disruptive.  The fact that they chose this area, was without doubt done with intent and to create maximum embarrassment to the legally installed Government of Thailand, with the aim of discrediting them and for them to be removed from Government.  A fair enough tactic, but certainly a high risk gamble.  The gamble failed and the Army were ordered to disperse the demonstrators, within whom it was know there were armed elements, who had already used deadly force to repel the Police and the Army, both whom are authorised agents for the custody of the peace and security of Thailand.  As an ex military man, I would not have gone into a situation like that without a higher force level than the demonstrators and the fire-power to overcome what ever is opposing me.  I understand that the demonstrators had already deployed rifles, pistols, grenades and there was the high probability of other weaponry.  It is a simple military rule - over whelm your advisory both in manpower and weapon capability, otherwise you stand to loose the confrontation.<br><br>As for cutting "the absurd military budget" would leave me very uncomfortable with neighbours like Cambodia with whom there have recently been armed border confrontations and of course who knows what Myanmar will be up to in the next five years?<br><br>Maybe a more balanced contribution to the Forum might be beneficial?<img class="bbc_emoticon" alt="" src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/whistling.gif"><br>

[laocowboy2]

We (Wife, 3-year old daugther, 1 year old son and I) want to go to Thailand in November. The funniest (or sadest) thing are the prices for the flight to Bangkok:

Swiss Airways (normally not the cheapest one) will cost 4'000 swiss francs (about 3'600 US$).

Thai Airways (which we love and would love to fly with) will cost about 5'000 swiss francs (about 4'500 US$).

That's more than 20% more expensive. This will be the first time since about 5 years we will fly with Swiss, with that extra 1'000$ we can book a nice hotel for some days.

I know that non-direct flights are not easy with small kids but you should also check out the Gulf carriers (Emirates, Qatar and Etihad). All are superior products in terms of comfort, entertainment etc and service quality is good. Dubai airport is also a comfortable transit.

That is true, thanks for the information. Some of the flights (from Zurich) would be good, but as you said, with kids it's not the best, especially as they are still very young. And I for myself am afraid to fly and happy if I don't have to start and land two times ;-)

None of the three has ever had an accident. They also have almost brand new, top quality aircraft and very experienced flight crew. Safety standards are very high. I spend my life climbing onto planes for either biz or pleasure (minimum 50 flights a year) and I too do not sleep to well the night before (unless lots of beer) so I sympathise. Either way, I hope that you and your family have an excellent holiday despite all the doom and gloom on the various boards. I still love Thailand - rather more than some Thais I fear.

[rafish]

Some golf clubs waiving the green fee?

Not around Chiang Mai. Last year I joined Mae Jo on a basic 3,000 baht membership. I just learned that it is going UP to 5,000 baht. Oh they throw in 2,000 baht credit in the most overpriced restaurant on earth. E.g. 120 baht for a large Singha. 59 baht for a cup of coffee. Last time I had lunch there a little over a month ago, and I do mean THE LAST TIME, a chicken salad and Singha cost 211 baht, including the mandatory 10% service charge. Yesterday four of us ate down the road for 220 baht. 240 with OPTIONAL tip.

As for the golfing it is great playing on an empty course. I guess they have done any analysis and found out the great majority of costs to maintain a golf course are fixed costs. A phrase from Forrest Gump comes to mind.

Then there is that "mediocre Muni", Gymkhana (sp?). They raised rates around 150 baht several months back. That was the last straw for me. The course was in horrible shape and they raised rates! Haven't been back since.

Stardome last year had a couple of Sports Days during the week where you could play 18 for 500 baht including the caddy fee. I guess they decided the course was getting too much play, now last I heard it is still 700 baht every weekday. Whatever it is I haven't been there in 6 months or so either.

Bottom line is on average rates are higher than last year and the courses are empty. Time for the Chiang Mai golf course managers to take a look at Econ. 101.

I will say as of a month or so ago, Lanna had maintained a sport day or two. On the Monday I was there, it was packed. (At least in the morning.) I'll bet they are hoping the well kept secret of supply and demand doesn't get out.

Green fee's reduced? Not in Phuket. Prices remain out of this world. I figure the caddies, greens keepers and other help have suffered at least a 30% loss of pay from owners. The two tier price continues to prevail here with Thai's receiving preferential treatment. I wonder just where these reduced green fees are?

[robertson468]

We (Wife, 3-year old daugther, 1 year old son and I) want to go to Thailand in November. The funniest (or sadest) thing are the prices for the flight to Bangkok:

Swiss Airways (normally not the cheapest one) will cost 4'000 swiss francs (about 3'600 US$).

Thai Airways (which we love and would love to fly with) will cost about 5'000 swiss francs (about 4'500 US$).

That's more than 20% more expensive. This will be the first time since about 5 years we will fly with Swiss, with that extra 1'000$ we can book a nice hotel for some days.

I know that non-direct flights are not easy with small kids but you should also check out the Gulf carriers (Emirates, Qatar and Etihad). All are superior products in terms of comfort, entertainment etc and service quality is good. Dubai airport is also a comfortable transit.

That is true, thanks for the information. Some of the flights (from Zurich) would be good, but as you said, with kids it's not the best, especially as they are still very young. And I for myself am afraid to fly and happy if I don't have to start and land two times ;-)

None of the three has ever had an accident. They also have almost brand new, top quality aircraft and very experienced flight crew. Safety standards are very high. I spend my life climbing onto planes for either biz or pleasure (minimum 50 flights a year) and I too do not sleep to well the night before (unless lots of beer) so I sympathise. Either way, I hope that you and your family have an excellent holiday despite all the doom and gloom on the various boards. I still love Thailand - rather more than some Thais I fear.

I agree and would not fly with any other airline other than Qatar or Emirates. I used to fly BA and Quantas, but after flying with these, found the service and quality of aircraft far superior. i also did not want to do the stop-over, but once I had done it once, I realised that it gave me an hour or so break from the confines of the aircraft and was much appreciated. The discomfort of taking off and landing might of course be the deciding factor for you, which I understand. But perhaps the more you do it, the confident you will become - I am the grand old age of 65 and have been flying in aircraft since I was 14 years old and have never crashed on landing or take-off, well not in an aircraft anyway!!:cheesy:

[buzzman]

We (Wife, 3-year old daugther, 1 year old son and I) want to go to Thailand in November. The funniest (or sadest) thing are the prices for the flight to Bangkok:

Swiss Airways (normally not the cheapest one) will cost 4'000 swiss francs (about 3'600 US$).

Thai Airways (which we love and would love to fly with) will cost about 5'000 swiss francs (about 4'500 US$).

That's more than 20% more expensive. This will be the first time since about 5 years we will fly with Swiss, with that extra 1'000$ we can book a nice hotel for some days.

I know that non-direct flights are not easy with small kids but you should also check out the Gulf carriers (Emirates, Qatar and Etihad). All are superior products in terms of comfort, entertainment etc and service quality is good. Dubai airport is also a comfortable transit.

That is true, thanks for the information. Some of the flights (from Zurich) would be good, but as you said, with kids it's not the best, especially as they are still very young. And I for myself am afraid to fly and happy if I don't have to start and land two times ;-)

None of the three has ever had an accident. They also have almost brand new, top quality aircraft and very experienced flight crew. Safety standards are very high. I spend my life climbing onto planes for either biz or pleasure (minimum 50 flights a year) and I too do not sleep to well the night before (unless lots of beer) so I sympathise. Either way, I hope that you and your family have an excellent holiday despite all the doom and gloom on the various boards. I still love Thailand - rather more than some Thais I fear.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I really do hope the holidays will be as great as the ones before.

[SlumdogMillionaire]

Maybe if the baht wasn't so strong and the BOT weakened the baht the country would get more tourists, Thailand has become a way to expensive holiday destination now. 

[Jimi007]

How sad... but how many have been closed due the sight of soldiers killing people in the street? How many businesses have been closed because of the airport occupation and how many have been closed due to the incompetence of Abhisit's boss Suthep? Lots more, the difference is that it is pretty convenient to complain when business is bad with this bunch of yellow shirt lovers, they will pay out and they can easily do so by cutting the absurd military budget.

What a stupid biased statement!

No-one was going to get hurt until the red mob got out of control. Abhisit and the Govt at least warned and continued to warn until the violence was started by the Reds - if they had gone home as requested there would have been no violence as the Govt had already agreed to dissolve parliament and the reds had won but the idiot stage screamers refused and the ball of wax melted.

Take off your sunglasses and put your beer down. The yellow shirt protests at the airport never turned violent, trashed buildings, bombed businesses or burnt Thailand. Businesses now - mine included - have all but stopped due entirely to reds not yellow, purple, white or blues. Comments regarding budgets for military can lead into the grey areas of the royals and cannot be discussed here.

Yellow shirts are not going to do anything to a gov't they have no issues with...where is your head? I could easily tell you where it is, though. Like the yellow-shirts, you are more concerned about your own ass then the country...again, you know exactly where you can go, business and all. I am sick and tired of gov'ts like this all over the globe, their corporate masters and sheople like you...time to rid the earth of this. The red-shirts are heroes and those that died, martyrs!

OMG! What is the topic AGAIN??? Please post you BS on the proper forum. Your post has nothing to do with 10% of tourist related businesses going out of business, now does it?

Edited July 2, 2010 by Jimi007

[Tonto21]

<br>

<br>Unfortunate for those caught up in it,but as long as "the thai way" of business strategy/thinking is applied nothing will ever change,<br><br>I dont think there is any other country in the world that uses the logic that if there are VERY few customers the prices GO UP to make up for lost business<br><br>I just cant fathom the idea of a hotel operator who would rather have an empty house instead of lowering costs to attempt to attract extra business, UNLESS of course, they are already running at a loss, in which case its time to get out.<br><br>One case from personal experience..visiting the backwaters of hua hin (somewhere in Pranburi actually) in the middle of nowhere, ran into a small hotel, which they called..resort<br><br>Looked like no-one had been there for years..it had beach frontage but was absolutely desserted, no sign of life anywhere..the only sign the place was in fact inhabited was that the pool had clear water in it  <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=""> and the only reason we even found the place was because we were exploring obscure beach roads by bike<br><br>When we finally found someone to ask the question of price, the answer was 3,500 baht per night  <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt="">  <img src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=""> <br><br>the bike couldnt start up fast enough:lol:  <br><br><br>

<br><br>Ran into something similar in BKK as well a week ago - walk-in rate lower than on the website - in an almost empty hotel. Stayed somewhere else. Picking up on another post, I too have noted a recent decline in service quality/attitudes at hotels in BKK (have not used one outside for over 12 months now). Given that service quality is (or was) one of Thailand's key differentiators (is this a real word?), slippages in this area will have costs (as Thai Airways have found - these days some of the poorest service in South East Asia)<br>

<br><br>Observation:  The Tour business, hotels and all related businesses blame the foreigners for the loss of tourism!  The poor service, bad looks and lack of smiles is that you've caused the loss in personal income to the workers and businesses.  This is "Thai Logic 101.  While owners raise the prices of their rooms/services, they lower the wages of the employees.  Its the Ferangs fault they are told.  Got to love it.  <br><br><br>

When staying in Chiangmai for the odd evening, I would regularly stop at the same guesthouse, very nice, clean, and modern and for the last 2 years the price has been 750 per night. I last went there about two months ago, wail signing the register I did think on how quite it was, not a sign of life anywhere.

The receptionist then asked me for 2000Bt!................Long story short, the receptionist explained (all with that shit eating grin) that all the 750Bt room were taken, I was about to just walk out, when I thought, “Let’s have a look at this 2000Bt room.” He took me strait to a room I’ve stayed in before, (750Bt) I didn’t even bother saying anything to him, I just gave him that old shit eating grin shook my head and walked out.

[jimmybhoy]

The Thai government need to ease restrictions on visas, how much money do expats spend in other Asian countries doing needless visa runs,the money wasted would be spent in Thailand. Yes, do all the checks, but just make it a bit easier for us, make it look like you like us staying here!!

[bangkokburning]

As the article stated and I had written even before reading it - Thailand has nothing to offer except for a beach and they have shit all those up as well.

If you want to see temples - its Cambodia and Burma

If you want to visit tribes - its Myanmar, Lao and N.Vietnam

If you want to be in nature - its Malaysia

If you want to shop - its Singapore and HKG

The only thing Thailand has left to offer is a beach and as the article stated and I can truly attest (and hookers from Issarn). The beaches are a catastrophic mess. A mess from over development, garbage/sewage issues, fisheries, water pollution, garbage both from tourism and especially dumped of fishing boats.

Tourism is truly zero sum. What is spent there is not spent here. Further, in some people modest situation, an international holiday is a big event, especially if a family is involved.

Then there is a darker side, that the article does not go into. The nasty hookers, druggings, dope, muggings, thefts, hiv, the utter lack of assistance by police. The rudeness of Immigration officers when attempting to extend a visa and he need for a ticket out here as well. Dengue...

Finally, there s the total hassle of getting a TR from ones own country. A ticket out? The nation is connected to three countries and through hem an additional three. Bank account statements &lt;deleted&gt;!!

Yes, and as mentioned - people have rushed into many tourist services with mad abandon. How many massage parlors in Pattaya trying to stay alive on B100 hr massages? How many other me-too services of poor quality.

But it's funny because in the end, the wealthy in his country will remain so and they will enjoy their fancy cars and houses, maids, security guards and KTV girls. They are quite alright with the chaos. I guarantee. Bring on more if it insures their power and wealth. Property market in the dumps? You have to sell short your property in the years to come, nothing but opportunity for the wealthy Thai guy - stoopid farang.

Great article, I could have written myself. Been preaching it for years.

[damian5000]

Were they giving extra money back to the government when they were raking in crap tons of cash and taking tourists for all they're worth? Rise and fall with the tide.

And attract tourists with a Lanna festival in BANGKOK??? Oh, look there's a Lanna festival in BKK, let's go to Thailand for vacation...

[Somrak]

... red glasses .....

Good post. ... Still, they keep boasting that the economy is on the rise and doing well, and the baht never dropped. I don't get that.

It looks like, sorry, you don't get a lot of things!

[kg1947]

...the airport heist December 2008 has lasting damage that will go on for decades. Westerners do NOT forget. Way too many people and

airlines ate their loss and were shocked to find that no yellow shirt group leaders were arrested or prosecuted.

The airlines are still trying to recoup their losses with that stunt.

Airlines have quietly and assuredly shifted their hub and spoke routes to KL and safer airports.

Thais fail to grasp this.......

.....During 9/11 ALL flights ex Pacific/Atlantic were diverted to Canada and most bussed to bordertown destination.

all BKK Int. COULD have been diverted to C-Mai/C-Rai for the North and Udon Thani/ Khon Kaen /Korat for further

processing to Central regions and Phuket/ HadYai for South destinations. Why was it NOT done ?

All basic processing procedures could be programmed into a laptop , more difficult with Immigration data access -

but it is DO-ABLE !! Aviation fuel, International standard food & beverage could pose a problem in Isaan

( can't serve Somtam & Kaoniaw - can they ? on International routes but with a little planning it's do-able !

[siamjimi]

The other 90% of tourist related business are just charging 100% up to 400% more for the services or product - this keeps them all going - TIT

[kuffki]

The other 90% of tourist related business are just charging 100% up to 400% more for the services or product - this keeps them all going - TIT

Whats classified as tourist related?

Bar?

Hotel?

Restaurant?

Clothing shop?

Souvenir shop?

Somtam street stool?

Tour company?

Tailor or massage shop?

Half of the smaller Thai owned business are not even registered or pay taxes so where are this figures coming from and what are they based on?

[Jimi007]

The Thai government need to ease restrictions on visas, how much money do expats spend in other Asian countries doing needless visa runs,the money wasted would be spent in Thailand. Yes, do all the checks, but just make it a bit easier for us, make it look like you like us staying here!!

We aren't tourists. Haven't you heard Thailand is for Thais, not farang! I'm not big on the 90 checkin, but extending my visa is pretty easy, just did it again two weeks ago. And I had a nice laugh and chat with the immigration officer. But having said that, try to get a retirement visa for the USA. You can't. There is no such thing.

But this thread is about tourist related businesses going out of business. I'm sure every year this happens as it is called low season for a reason. The holiday villas they had to build next door are closed, no tourists. A friend just flew back today to his home here form California and said there were 50 people on the plane from Taipei to Bangkok. He said he'd never see a plane that big with so few people and he's lived here for many years.

[berlinski]

As long as folks have to pay 30% more for a holiday in Thailand then they did less than 2 years ago, they will be making alternative plans.<BR>Red shirts here, yellow shirts there, its not so important. <BR>I here from folks who say, as long as the pound is under 55 baht, they will NOT be coming back to Thailand.<BR><BR>McVean

[farangtopper1]

I see here on this forum a lot good comments and a lot of bad ones. I have my ideas here about the politics here in thailand but will not share them. What other people think or speak it (up to you) I left my country for the tax I had to pay there. What i get back for it is shamefull and the where to many rules there. I am from Europe. Working but not Thailand. I work all over the world and pay tax in every country I work.

All the people in the world don't like other people from other countries intervere with there politics.

Corruption and politic's do not influence tourisme a lot. A normal tourist who visits Thailand will not see this.

About the tourisme is going down is mostly about the economy crisis in the world. People have less to spend and want to save more money. They are looking for a overall (including travel and lodging costs) less expensive holiday. For sure the political problems didn't help. The companies and businesses go bankrupt is normal that it is more this year is a problem the whole world have. Going on holiday is still a luxery. It is the first thing people stop spending money on.

I agree that the friendlyniss off the thai people is also less the wai's and the smile's.

I also agree Thailand have to provide something new or different for tourisme but that is difficult. If Thailand will give the same high service as 5 years ago it will become better in a few years. Thailand needs to improve the standards by the year like other countries do. But it all the depends on how much tourist can spend.

It is true that only 6% upto 10% of thai economy is depending on tourisme. I am only worried about how much people are working in the branche plus farming is also not so good this year so it hits Thailand hard on the workingforce I think.

[laocowboy2]

The Thai government need to ease restrictions on visas, how much money do expats spend in other Asian countries doing needless visa runs,the money wasted would be spent in Thailand. Yes, do all the checks, but just make it a bit easier for us, make it look like you like us staying here!!

We aren't tourists. Haven't you heard Thailand is for Thais, not farang! I'm not big on the 90 checkin, but extending my visa is pretty easy, just did it again two weeks ago. And I had a nice laugh and chat with the immigration officer. But having said that, try to get a retirement visa for the USA. You can't. There is no such thing.

But this thread is about tourist related businesses going out of business. I'm sure every year this happens as it is called low season for a reason. The holiday villas they had to build next door are closed, no tourists. A friend just flew back today to his home here form California and said there were 50 people on the plane from Taipei to Bangkok. He said he'd never see a plane that big with so few people and he's lived here for many years.

And how long will the airline keep flying the route with a load factor like that? One of Thailand's less obvious advantages used to be its gateway position for Burma/Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam. As these countries improve their own direct links (and as airlines cut Bangkok flights) this advantage is eroding. What happens when Emirates/Qatar/Etihad start flying into these places? Or Air Asia (if not already)?