Bad Publicity For Thailand

[Peterocket]

wouldn't life be more relaxing here if the mentioned issued were properly addressed?

I'm sure it would for some people. But then some people would probably like their bottoms wiped for them as well. Life can be as relaxing in Phuket as anyone cares to make it. Anyone with an ounce of common sense that is, which I guess is where the problem lies.

If the time comes when someone is putting a gun to your head, and making you get on a jetski, or in a tuk tuk, I will agree that Phuket has problems. Until then, they remain completely self inflicted.

I don't need my ass wiped. I don't need any luxury to live and have a good time. A recent article in the PG had officials actually admitting there were problems here, but, as we all know, nothing will change.

You talk about common sense - where's the common sense in a "Welcome to Phuket" sign which costs millions of baht whilst the road behind Junceylon is a mine field of potholes? So, I swerve and weave the potholes with a smile on my face and remember that I am still in a third world country that has a great "Welcome" sign. Where's the sense it that???? :) But, if one of those potholes causes an accident, you say it's self inflicted. :)

You make it sound like other countries dont have the same problems...drugs, murders, road issues, potholes, traffic jams, burglary, rip-offs....I have lived in the States and and the UK and to be honest dont find it much different.

The bad publicity is as much from your posts as it is from the website that is being quoted in my opinion.

[NamKangMan]

You make it sound like other countries dont have the same problems...drugs, murders, road issues, potholes, traffic jams, burglary, rip-offs....I have lived in the States and and the UK and to be honest dont find it much different.

The bad publicity is as much from your posts as it is from the website that is being quoted in my opinion.

Unfortunately, negative publicity sells newspapers etc. So, the media will report on negative incidents, rather than positive ones.

Of course, other countries have the issues you mentioned, but I have not found them in other SE Asian tourist hotspots, and various tourist destinations around the world, to the degree I have seen them in Phuket, when I compare them. I don't know the stats, but I'm guessing the murder rate on Phuket, per capita, must be one of the highest in the world. Remember - I'm talking "per capita."

As I said in an earlier post, the stats given by Thai authorities can not be relied upon. So, I'm not sure of the true crime stats, but from reading TV and the PG, I have seen incidents of house breaks, boat breaks, road death etc etc seem to me to be more common now than in the past.

I still enjoy staying here, but, I think the place is heading in the wrong direction as far as attracting, and keeping, tourism.

[maxme]

Every country has to deal with what happens to it's tourists. The problem here in Thailand is the blame game... people are blaming eachother, the law doesn't work.

Sure you could do some research before you come here but that seems like a way to blame the tourist. How many people need to die for people here to take responsibility.

The real Thai culture offers genuine kindness and openess, how can you say you still present that when you blame the foreigners for their own deaths.

The website is to handle the grief and also to warn others. I bet if several Thais died abroad that the relatives would do everything to find out what happened. The difference is that it would be investigated.

Stop blaming eachother and start working together. If someone tries to get away with this then the Thais and the foreigners should work together to boycott it.

The hotel in Chiang Mai is closed down because of the publicity, who wants to go to a hotel which uses pestocide like it waterpaint?

What has happened is a tragedy but the people behind it should be held responsible and we all need to work together no matter the skincolor or culture.

[NamKangMan]

Every country has to deal with what happens to it's tourists. The problem here in Thailand is the blame game... people are blaming eachother, the law doesn't work.

Sure you could do some research before you come here but that seems like a way to blame the tourist. How many people need to die for people here to take responsibility.

The real Thai culture offers genuine kindness and openess, how can you say you still present that when you blame the foreigners for their own deaths.

The website is to handle the grief and also to warn others. I bet if several Thais died abroad that the relatives would do everything to find out what happened. The difference is that it would be investigated.

Stop blaming eachother and start working together. If someone tries to get away with this then the Thais and the foreigners should work together to boycott it.

The hotel in Chiang Mai is closed down because of the publicity, who wants to go to a hotel which uses pestocide like it waterpaint?

What has happened is a tragedy but the people behind it should be held responsible and we all need to work together no matter the skincolor or culture.

If the first death was investigated properly, the results of that investigation may have saved the other people, but it was just writen off as a "coincidence" by authorities in an attempt to cover it up. Would your family, or anyone elses family, be happy with that explaination for your death?

If the negitive publicity surrounding these deaths, and the website, results in the banning of the bed bug insecticide in Thailand, I can only see that as a positve thing.

What is disturbing is the authorities value the tourist dollar more than the tourist's lives. They foolishly thought the whole world would just believe them and think, "Wow, what a strange coincidence" as if we were all stupid. Now that a proper medical investigation has taken place, the families can have some closer and hopefully the authorities will make policy to stop this from happening again, but, I have very little confidence in an Government Department in Thailand.

[F1fanatic]

Every country has to deal with what happens to it's tourists. The problem here in Thailand is the blame game... people are blaming eachother, the law doesn't work.

Sure you could do some research before you come here but that seems like a way to blame the tourist. How many people need to die for people here to take responsibility.

The real Thai culture offers genuine kindness and openess, how can you say you still present that when you blame the foreigners for their own deaths.

The website is to handle the grief and also to warn others. I bet if several Thais died abroad that the relatives would do everything to find out what happened. The difference is that it would be investigated.

Stop blaming eachother and start working together. If someone tries to get away with this then the Thais and the foreigners should work together to boycott it.

The hotel in Chiang Mai is closed down because of the publicity, who wants to go to a hotel which uses pestocide like it waterpaint?

What has happened is a tragedy but the people behind it should be held responsible and we all need to work together no matter the skincolor or culture.

If the first death was investigated properly, the results of that investigation may have saved the other people, but it was just writen off as a "coincidence" by authorities in an attempt to cover it up. Would your family, or anyone elses family, be happy with that explaination for your death?

If the negitive publicity surrounding these deaths, and the website, results in the banning of the bed bug insecticide in Thailand, I can only see that as a positve thing.

What is disturbing is the authorities value the tourist dollar more than the tourist's lives. They foolishly thought the whole world would just believe them and think, "Wow, what a strange coincidence" as if we were all stupid. Now that a proper medical investigation has taken place, the families can have some closer and hopefully the authorities will make policy to stop this from happening again, but, I have very little confidence in an Government Department in Thailand.

I have to agree. It is worrying that so many expats 'commit suicide' here - but when tourists die for stupid reasons it affects the Thai economy. Foreign newspapers report when a few tourists die in the same hotel, and that affects tourism

There must be some way of making the govt understand that third world pesticides etc. are not acceptable in a country looking for 'the cream' of Western tourists - but I've no idea how to make them realise this.

Edited May 12, 2011 by F1fanatic

[maxme]

I have to agree. It is worrying that so many expats 'commit suicide' here - but when tourists die for stupid reasons it affects the Thai economy. Foreign newspapers report when a few tourists die in the same hotel, and that affects tourism

There must be some way of making the govt understand that third world pesticides etc. are not acceptable in a country looking for 'the cream' of Western tourists - but I've no idea how to make them realise this.

As I said, law doesn´t work because there is no real leadership in Thailand, it's the blame game. The thai people can´t count on their own authority so what makes you think the government would care about some tourists. Government no matter what is made by the people and its the people who needs to step up and say enough is enough. It doesn´thelp we sit here and complain like they do but instead we step up mate.

[Chalongian]

This story was just on the channel 4 news in the UK tonight too.

http://www.channel4.com/news/brits-among-mystery-tourist-deaths-in-thailand

[Jimi007]

This story was just on the channel 4 news in the UK tonight too.

http://www.channel4....ths-in-thailand

Nice to see the pressure is being kept up. If they would have investigated the deaths in the first place, instead of claiming coincidence, it may have saved someones life...

[NamKangMan]

The Governer of Chiang Mai is still denying it was the bed bug spray. The BP has had some small articles over the last few days and he is still in denial that anything in his Province was to blame.

Some of his quotes in the articles has him sounding like he is talking to children. The whole world is watching. What a fool.

[powderpuff]

Why do you care if it hurts tourism or not? The Thai have only themselves to blame. A few deaths in the Downtown Inn is just the tip of the iceberg.

Do you think Bali tourism went down after the disco bombing? This country is dangerous. Safety is a concept. Somewhere in the distant future. Like you know - cars stopping for crosswalks?

[KarenBravo]

Do you think Bali tourism went down after the disco bombing?

Yes, it collapsed and took two to three years to recover.