Thai Tourism Sector Not Happy With Party Vows

[ginjag]

Forget all the pap. Just do longer visas and allow in-country extension.

WHen I arrived in Malaysia I was greeted by a smiling immigration man who stamped me in--free-for 90 days. As I marveled at this hospitality, he said "iI you want to stay longer, come back here--and I'll stamp you in for another 90".

When I went to the Thai consulate in December 2009 Penang to get a Tourist visa, the man told me I could not get one because, and I quote"You already have three tourist visas in your passport". "But friend, these are from 2008 and 2007!" "When will you go back to your home country?" I don't know, traveling for a couple of years." "Go back to America and you can get a Thai visa in 90 days".

Forget the runway extensions and hotel subsidies. Make people feel welcome when they meet an immigration official, and adopt visa policies that reflect this.

I agree with you 100%, good post. I and thousands of other have to leave every 90 days,spend our money on tourist visas to other countries just to turn around and come back to thailand, money that would have been spent in thailand.

It"s incredible doing a visa run ( 1 day ) or overnight, Thailand is more or less manning the immigration booths.

Who is getting the money for all this crap--the countries that are collecting the visa stamps, at Laos 1,500 bht aprox--and Laos are getting a rake off from duty free sales. Looks on paper like it's a Cambodia/Laos/Burma law. WHAT are the Thais getting out of it ?? apart from pigging off the guys who are spending their money here.

Looks to me as though it's for a joke, OR a big dig at the tourist. Immigration should get together with T.A.T. or Thai tourism bodies to find a easier way that this 60 day = 90 day elope ....Take care of your long term customers they in turn will bring in more tourists. Seems the easier things here authorities don't like

[craigt3365]

Forget all the pap. Just do longer visas and allow in-country extension.

WHen I arrived in Malaysia I was greeted by a smiling immigration man who stamped me in--free-for 90 days. As I marveled at this hospitality, he said "iI you want to stay longer, come back here--and I'll stamp you in for another 90".

When I went to the Thai consulate in December 2009 Penang to get a Tourist visa, the man told me I could not get one because, and I quote"You already have three tourist visas in your passport". "But friend, these are from 2008 and 2007!" "When will you go back to your home country?" I don't know, traveling for a couple of years." "Go back to America and you can get a Thai visa in 90 days".

Forget the runway extensions and hotel subsidies. Make people feel welcome when they meet an immigration official, and adopt visa policies that reflect this.

I agree with you 100%, good post. I and thousands of other have to leave every 90 days,spend our money on tourist visas to other countries just to turn around and come back to thailand, money that would have been spent in thailand.

Is that much different from many other countries? EU has similar rules, right? I've done visa runs in many, many different countries. I try to make the best of it and have fun. But if living here full time, I think another kind of visa might be best???? I'm no expert here for sure.... :jap:

[afarang]

Australians , 80,000 of them ,in April, went to Indonesia.Only 45,000 visited Thailand. Figures: A.B.S. .Used to be the other way round. Double the amount of people used to come to Thailand .Not now. Why?

[Furbie]

Australians , 80,000 of them ,in April, went to Indonesia.Only 45,000 visited Thailand. Figures: A.B.S. .Used to be the other way round. Double the amount of people used to come to Thailand .Not now. Why?

In looking at the ABS data site (2010 social trends – which is more than just a one month snapshot for the low season in Thailand, yet still a good time to visit Bali), I could not find any evidence to support your assertion that more Australians used to travel to Thailand than Indonesia.

The information I found said that Indonesia had more Australian visitors in 2010, but that since 1999-2000, Australian visitors to Thailand grew at a rate of 11.3, while Australian visitors to Indonesia grew at a rate of 9.8 over the same 10 year period. This implies that Indonesia always had more Australian visitors than Thailand, AND shows that Thailand is growing at a faster percentage. So, over ten years, Thailand is taking Indonesia’s market share.

Just for fun, I looked up by year. In April 2005, we see that Indonesia still got more Aussie visitors. Same in April 1995 – more Aussies to Indonesia. All according to “Departure of Australian Residents, main Destinations”.

Please let me know the document you based your assumption that Thailand used to outpace Indonesia for Australian visitors.

Kudos to the Aussie govt. for their easy to use statistics website.

[bangkokburning]

Aussies aren't going to Indo. They are going to Kuta to raise hell.

And I might add alcohol in Indo is now scandal expensive, and I do mean SCANDALOUSLY

[Tokay]

Japanese no longer travel to Thailand as they feel it unsafe. Read physically unsafe and scam ridden.

Half of my family are Japanese (living in Japan), and they were telling me about two months ago that there is a lot of bad press in Japan now about traveling to Thailand and it is greatly expressed to avoid it if possible. What you have left are Japanese sex tourists, businessmen, and a handful of tourists who don't listen to others or warnings. Tour groups excluded, the Japanese generally keep to themselves and visit Japanese friendly establishments, often "Japanese Only" establishments. They are not really large contributors to Thai tourism to begin with.

The Japanese journalist being killed was a huge blow. That got a lot of traction in the press. Thailand made its own bed, now it has to lay in it. When your deputy PM claims that the army didn't shoot people, rather the people walked into their bullets... that my fly with the locals, but not with anyone else who resides outside of this fun house and has a full functioning brain.

Thailand may be off the "third world" list in terms of economics, but in terms of a functioning society, they are neck and neck with the most dysfunctional African nations, and only 1 or 2 steps away from being Myanmar. The idea of roaming crazies in trucks with machetes cutting the arms off of opposition voters is not so far fetched here.

[Tokay]

Soi dogs? How many tourists are going to come across an aggressive soi dog in the areas that they stay in – this is an ex-pat problem that you notice because you live here? I can see the conversation now. How was your trip to Thailand? Great, but I won't go back because of all the soi dogs.

My first trip to Thailand I was bitten by a soi dog in Bangkok on day 2, near the grand palace. Little monster got me good. Had to get a rabies shot, which was very unpleasant, and the open wound ruined the diving trip I had planned for a few days later.

Soi dogs happen. Underestimate them at your own peril.

[Furbie]

Soi dogs? How many tourists are going to come across an aggressive soi dog in the areas that they stay in – this is an ex-pat problem that you notice because you live here? I can see the conversation now. How was your trip to Thailand? Great, but I won't go back because of all the soi dogs.

My first trip to Thailand I was bitten by a soi dog in Bangkok on day 2, near the grand palace. Little monster got me good. Had to get a rabies shot, which was very unpleasant, and the open wound ruined the diving trip I had planned for a few days later.

Soi dogs happen. Underestimate them at your own peril.

Sorry you got bit, but I’ll just say three things to that.

Nearly 11 years in Thailand, only ever had a run in with a soi dog once while jogging.

Most – I would venture to say 99% - of tourists will not be accosted by a soi dog.

If they were challenged by a soi dog, I doubt it would factor highly in their decision to return or not to Thailand. Case in point, “you”, as you said you were bit on your first trip, which implies you came back.

Bottom line, it is meaningless for an examination of why travel numbers are down. It is an ex-pat and local quality of life issue.

[lovetotravel]

Soi dogs? How many tourists are going to come across an aggressive soi dog in the areas that they stay in – this is an ex-pat problem that you notice because you live here? I can see the conversation now. How was your trip to Thailand? Great, but I won't go back because of all the soi dogs.

My first trip to Thailand I was bitten by a soi dog in Bangkok on day 2, near the grand palace. Little monster got me good. Had to get a rabies shot, which was very unpleasant, and the open wound ruined the diving trip I had planned for a few days later.

Soi dogs happen. Underestimate them at your own peril.

Sorry you got bit, but I'll just say three things to that.

Nearly 11 years in Thailand, only ever had a run in with a soi dog once while jogging.

Most – I would venture to say 99% - of tourists will not be accosted by a soi dog.

If they were challenged by a soi dog, I doubt it would factor highly in their decision to return or not to Thailand. Case in point, "you", as you said you were bit on your first trip, which implies you came back.

Bottom line, it is meaningless for an examination of why travel numbers are down. It is an ex-pat and local quality of life issue.

I was a tourist for around 7 years. Ran into soi dogs a lot. Or beach dogs. Never been bit, but always have given them a wide berth. They are a menace for sure, but as you point out, other factors are much more important.

[ginjag]

Soi dogs? How many tourists are going to come across an aggressive soi dog in the areas that they stay in – this is an ex-pat problem that you notice because you live here? I can see the conversation now. How was your trip to Thailand? Great, but I won't go back because of all the soi dogs.

My first trip to Thailand I was bitten by a soi dog in Bangkok on day 2, near the grand palace. Little monster got me good. Had to get a rabies shot, which was very unpleasant, and the open wound ruined the diving trip I had planned for a few days later.

Soi dogs happen. Underestimate them at your own peril.

Sorry you got bit, but I'll just say three things to that.

Nearly 11 years in Thailand, only ever had a run in with a soi dog once while jogging.

Most – I would venture to say 99% - of tourists will not be accosted by a soi dog.

If they were challenged by a soi dog, I doubt it would factor highly in their decision to return or not to Thailand. Case in point, "you", as you said you were bit on your first trip, which implies you came back.

Bottom line, it is meaningless for an examination of why travel numbers are down. It is an ex-pat and local quality of life issue.

I was a tourist for around 7 years. Ran into soi dogs a lot. Or beach dogs. Never been bit, but always have given them a wide berth. They are a menace for sure, but as you point out, other factors are much more important.

In my opinion wherever your from before you finally book your holiday here, at your countries travel agent ask her/him to give you written confirmation that soi dogs will not be a problem.:lol::lol:

[Bkkorupcountry]

Furbie, judging from your post and the way you analysed the situation, I wouldn't be surprised if you were in the travel and tourism industry as I am. I agree 99.9% with your points, the 0.1% being just out of principle of never fully agreeing

Craigt3365, all your view and opinions are well measured and makes perfect sense to me.

Bangkokburning, agree with your comment abt Aussies and Kuta / Bali.

It seems to me that the majority of other posters are actually complaining about things in Thailand which most of us are aware of, but these things are not the main issues facing the tourism industry. Furbie is spot on with the problems (if any) facing Thai tourism.

[Furbie]

Furbie, judging from your post and the way you analysed the situation, I wouldn't be surprised if you were in the travel and tourism industry as I am. I agree 99.9% with your points, the 0.1% being just out of principle of never fully agreeing

Craigt3365, all your view and opinions are well measured and makes perfect sense to me.

Bangkokburning, agree with your comment abt Aussies and Kuta / Bali.

It seems to me that the majority of other posters are actually complaining about things in Thailand which most of us are aware of, but these things are not the main issues facing the tourism industry. Furbie is spot on with the problems (if any) facing Thai tourism.

Thanks Bkkorupcountry. I'm not in the tourism industry per se, but I have done some market analysis in support of destination marketing in the past, so I get the trends. Too many people simply inject their own personal issues/pet peeves into these discussions and assume it's the same for everyone. Mostly, they are just not relevant. It's an all too common phenomenon, and not just on web boards.