The Miracle Years Of Amazing Thailand: TAT Sets Ambitious Goal To Double Tourist Arrivals

[yellow1red1]

good new motto though...' NEEDED Miracle for Thailand!'

[crendonman]

After spending a year travelling throughout Thailand, I found it amazing that in a country that advertizes itself as a tourists paradise, I did not find one stream, river or body of water that was safe to drink from. Come to think of it, I did not visit one city or village where it was safe to drink tap water.

I only spent one week in Pattaya, and 2 weeks in Patong (Phuket), and found the smell of both those places reminded me of the times I helped family or friends back in Canada drain their septic tanks.

My first tuk tuk drive ended up with me being punched out by the driver after I hesitated paying the 300 baht he asked for, after he initially agreed on a price of 200 bht. (This occured on the 10th day of my holiday, which was my first night in Patong. I never took another tuk tuk in Thailand after that experience.) The next day I reported the incident to the police and had the tuk tuk's liscence plate number, and 2 eye witnesses to the crime, one of them observant enough to write down the liscence plate. Rather than taking down the information and pursuing my assaulter, as would have been done in every other country I have vacationed in, the police took me for a 1 hour ride throughout Patong, asking me to identify the tuk tuk. After about 50 minutes I realized this was probably the 2nd stupidest thing I had agreed to do in my life, and that the police had no intent to prosecute the tuk tuk driver, and could actually be placing me in jeopardy. That if we had found the driver, he could identify me and knew where I lived.

After relating this incident to my best friend back home who had been travelling to Thailand regularly for 8 years, and owned property in Hua Hin. He told me to get the h-ll out of Patong, and go to Hua Hin. I took his advice, moved to Hua Hin where I rented a house near the King's summer palace, and very close to the beach. Less than a week later my wonderful neighbour Alan Quicke was murdered in his own home. A few days after this my landlord's friend was murdered by his wife of 12 years, her brother and her lover. Even though she and her accomplices were caught, the wife was allowed to keep all she inherited from the husband she had conspired to murder to get his money, business and property. A few days after this an Australian tourist was murdered by a pair of ladies or ladyboys (to my knowledge the case was never solved) who had slipped something in his drink in one of the late night Karaoke bars with the intent to rob him once he passed out. Unfortunately the drug he was given was too much for his system and age, and he fell dead 200 feet from the Karaoke bar, after he left to go home claiming he felt woozy. Three foreigners murdered in Hua Hin in 10 days.

I had originally intended to buy land and retire in Thailand like my best friend. I owned shares in an oil company operating in Thailand, and mining companies in neighbouring countries. After my visit to Thailand and my experiences there, I sold off all my shares in the oil company I owned. I am sure there are foreigners who have lived many years in Thailand without negative incidents, but I did not meet any person who once I had related my personal experiences to them did not shower me with stories even more gruesome and disconcerting.

After my experience in Thailand, I would recommend that rather than spending money on trying to simply increase yearly tourism quotas, that Thailand focus its monies and resources on making Thailand a safer place for tourists to visit and foreigners to live and invest. That Thailand do something to clean up its ecology and corruption, and educate its population not to discriminate against foreigners by charging them double to visit museums and aquariums and the like, and its police force to not target people based on their skin color.

One thing my time in Thailand has taught me is to truly appreciate my home province of British Columbia, its governments mandate to preserve and improve its ecology. Where the lakes rivers and streams I would not hesitate to drink from or eat the fish I catch therein. To appreciate its diverse population where discrimination is criminal and strongly enforced. Where a police officer who accepts a bribe would swiftly be fired and face jail time.

I have no plans to ever return to Thailand, and have dissuaded many friends from vacationing there.

Excellent post Canexpat!

I am currently in Dubai

I have been a regular visitor to Thailand for the past 8 years and from an outsiders viewpoint very little has changed over that period.

For all of you guys who are living in Thailand, all I would say is, that I would suspect Thailand was like it is now when you arrived and will still be the same when you leave.

It is after all a third world country punching above its weight .. Yes I agree that there are all of the issues you have identified in many posts: Tuc Tucs, Jet Skis , Pick Pockets etc etc.

However, all I can say is that if you dont like it, then leave.

I was considering retiring in Thailand (with a local girl), but in the end opted for the Philippines and yes before you say it, Phils is also suffering from a lot of scams (if not all of the above) , there is corruption

abound at every level but at least the majority speak fluent english!

I will eventually settle there in about 2 - 3 years but I go there with my eyes wide open and well aware of the shortfalls. Having made that decision, I cannot then keep complaining about the shortfalls and problems

that I will encounter. I will have two choices . Put up and shut up or get out ....it will be my choice.

Vote with your feet guys before its too late or just accept LOS for what it is.

Cheers

[MILT]

In all fairness the scams and the like that the forum members like to keep repeating make up a very very small percentage of what people experience when coming to Thailand. I am and have been in the tourist business here for the last 16 years. Get off it already!

[robokop]

Is the Formula 1 motor racing taking place on the streets of Pattaya?

No it is not, but I heard the Formular 1 Scooter racing will be taking place on the streets of Pasttays

[peterquixote]

Edited September 10, 2011 by peterquixote

[peterquixote]

I came here from New Zealand without Visa, 30 days allowed. I went to Isaan, then Laos for Visa extension and now back to Bangkok. The food is good, accommodation is cheep, the people are nice,

I became ill because of a ruptured herniated back disc, and Immigration Thailand have made it as difficult as they can for me to extend Visa until I can get out of this country.

Thailand is a sick country at the Government level, administration, and top level, and this effects everything. Government departments seem sick also. The Police in this country can not even take out a bunch of thugs in Tuk Tuk surrounding a hotel in Phuket because they are part of the Mafia. Gosh baby where your gun.

I would never come back to Thailand. My advice to my friends will be to skip the place. There are many better countries to visit. Thailands fundamental culture is corruption, and that is a vile culture. and then they have King and Buddha, OMG

Edited September 10, 2011 by peterquixote

[robokop]

After spending a year travelling throughout Thailand, I found it amazing that in a country that advertizes itself as a tourists paradise, I did not find one stream, river or body of water that was safe to drink from. Come to think of it, I did not visit one city or village where it was safe to drink tap water.

I only spent one week in Pattaya, and 2 weeks in Patong (Phuket), and found the smell of both those places reminded me of the times I helped family or friends back in Canada drain their septic tanks.

My first tuk tuk drive ended up with me being punched out by the driver after I hesitated paying the 300 baht he asked for, after he initially agreed on a price of 200 bht. (This occured on the 10th day of my holiday, which was my first night in Patong. I never took another tuk tuk in Thailand after that experience.) The next day I reported the incident to the police and had the tuk tuk's liscence plate number, and 2 eye witnesses to the crime, one of them observant enough to write down the liscence plate. Rather than taking down the information and pursuing my assaulter, as would have been done in every other country I have vacationed in, the police took me for a 1 hour ride throughout Patong, asking me to identify the tuk tuk. After about 50 minutes I realized this was probably the 2nd stupidest thing I had agreed to do in my life, and that the police had no intent to prosecute the tuk tuk driver, and could actually be placing me in jeopardy. That if we had found the driver, he could identify me and knew where I lived.

After relating this incident to my best friend back home who had been travelling to Thailand regularly for 8 years, and owned property in Hua Hin. He told me to get the h-ll out of Patong, and go to Hua Hin. I took his advice, moved to Hua Hin where I rented a house near the King's summer palace, and very close to the beach. Less than a week later my wonderful neighbour Alan Quicke was murdered in his own home. A few days after this my landlord's friend was murdered by his wife of 12 years, her brother and her lover. Even though she and her accomplices were caught, the wife was allowed to keep all she inherited from the husband she had conspired to murder to get his money, business and property. A few days after this an Australian tourist was murdered by a pair of ladies or ladyboys (to my knowledge the case was never solved) who had slipped something in his drink in one of the late night Karaoke bars with the intent to rob him once he passed out. Unfortunately the drug he was given was too much for his system and age, and he fell dead 200 feet from the Karaoke bar, after he left to go home claiming he felt woozy. Three foreigners murdered in Hua Hin in 10 days.

I had originally intended to buy land and retire in Thailand like my best friend. I owned shares in an oil company operating in Thailand, and mining companies in neighbouring countries. After my visit to Thailand and my experiences there, I sold off all my shares in the oil company I owned. I am sure there are foreigners who have lived many years in Thailand without negative incidents, but I did not meet any person who once I had related my personal experiences to them did not shower me with stories even more gruesome and disconcerting.

After my experience in Thailand, I would recommend that rather than spending money on trying to simply increase yearly tourism quotas, that Thailand focus its monies and resources on making Thailand a safer place for tourists to visit and foreigners to live and invest. That Thailand do something to clean up its ecology and corruption, and educate its population not to discriminate against foreigners by charging them double to visit museums and aquariums and the like, and its police force to not target people based on their skin color.

One thing my time in Thailand has taught me is to truly appreciate my home province of British Columbia, its governments mandate to preserve and improve its ecology. Where the lakes rivers and streams I would not hesitate to drink from or eat the fish I catch therein. To appreciate its diverse population where discrimination is criminal and strongly enforced. Where a police officer who accepts a bribe would swiftly be fired and face jail time.

I have no plans to ever return to Thailand, and have dissuaded many friends from vacationing there.

When one lives in a developed country, one can find many faults with a poor country. Murder, crime etc can be found in every country in the world OJ Simpsdon butchered 2 people and got away with it. A mother murdered her child and was tried and found not guilty, both in the USA. Most people with half a brain, when they travel to other countries, drink bottle water since more the half the drinking water in the world is unsafe to drink. The Thai Govt should reach it's goal, for the grwoth in tourism is not in the beer drinkiing sitting in bars crowd, but in the tourist trade from countries like China and Russia, where Thailand is affordable and offers a good and safe view of another coulture and people. Thailand is extremely cheap place to visit for people wanting to see another country in another part of the world, where it is warm and friendly. Try visiting the Philippines where the air not is not safe along with the water, and you do not ever want to meet a policeman face to face. Thailand will continue to attract more and more tourists from Asia and Russia and less and less beer drinking beer bar customers, that drink cheap beer and fool around with cheap ladies.

[sscsamui]

Thats a lot of pocket money for someone...

[phanangpete]

Here we go again, money ,money, and more, but where is the quality, yes ofcourse in the five star resorts, where the customer is pampered so much that they rarely leave the hotel/resort as the management know the dangers that lurk on every corner, in Phuket Pattaya, to name two of the main attractions.

The Chief of TAT, has recently been to Phuket and has ,at a meeting told the Authorities that be, to get their act together and sort out the scamming mentioning amongst others the tuk tuk taxis as a major problem, which is seriously affecting the resorts reputation.

The more millions of tourists that arrive will only add to the many that have been and will never return, because they have been scammed in one way or another.

Notice that the Asian tourist is rarely out at night, the Chinese tourist are herded around in groups, hardly given a moment to converse with other Western tourists, is'nt that a bit strange.

What will change it all, baffles me !!!

[charmonman]

Clearly, the delusional Thaksin Shinawatra is back in control with a plan like this. Time to bring back the Thailand Elite card, perhaps?

[charmonman]

After spending a year travelling throughout Thailand, I found it amazing that in a country that advertizes itself as a tourists paradise, I did not find one stream, river or body of water that was safe to drink from. Come to think of it, I did not visit one city or village where it was safe to drink tap water.

I only spent one week in Pattaya, and 2 weeks in Patong (Phuket), and found the smell of both those places reminded me of the times I helped family or friends back in Canada drain their septic tanks.

My first tuk tuk drive ended up with me being punched out by the driver after I hesitated paying the 300 baht he asked for, after he initially agreed on a price of 200 bht. (This occured on the 10th day of my holiday, which was my first night in Patong. I never took another tuk tuk in Thailand after that experience.) The next day I reported the incident to the police and had the tuk tuk's liscence plate number, and 2 eye witnesses to the crime, one of them observant enough to write down the liscence plate. Rather than taking down the information and pursuing my assaulter, as would have been done in every other country I have vacationed in, the police took me for a 1 hour ride throughout Patong, asking me to identify the tuk tuk. After about 50 minutes I realized this was probably the 2nd stupidest thing I had agreed to do in my life, and that the police had no intent to prosecute the tuk tuk driver, and could actually be placing me in jeopardy. That if we had found the driver, he could identify me and knew where I lived.

After relating this incident to my best friend back home who had been travelling to Thailand regularly for 8 years, and owned property in Hua Hin. He told me to get the h-ll out of Patong, and go to Hua Hin. I took his advice, moved to Hua Hin where I rented a house near the King's summer palace, and very close to the beach. Less than a week later my wonderful neighbour Alan Quicke was murdered in his own home. A few days after this my landlord's friend was murdered by his wife of 12 years, her brother and her lover. Even though she and her accomplices were caught, the wife was allowed to keep all she inherited from the husband she had conspired to murder to get his money, business and property. A few days after this an Australian tourist was murdered by a pair of ladies or ladyboys (to my knowledge the case was never solved) who had slipped something in his drink in one of the late night Karaoke bars with the intent to rob him once he passed out. Unfortunately the drug he was given was too much for his system and age, and he fell dead 200 feet from the Karaoke bar, after he left to go home claiming he felt woozy. Three foreigners murdered in Hua Hin in 10 days.

I had originally intended to buy land and retire in Thailand like my best friend. I owned shares in an oil company operating in Thailand, and mining companies in neighbouring countries. After my visit to Thailand and my experiences there, I sold off all my shares in the oil company I owned. I am sure there are foreigners who have lived many years in Thailand without negative incidents, but I did not meet any person who once I had related my personal experiences to them did not shower me with stories even more gruesome and disconcerting.

After my experience in Thailand, I would recommend that rather than spending money on trying to simply increase yearly tourism quotas, that Thailand focus its monies and resources on making Thailand a safer place for tourists to visit and foreigners to live and invest. That Thailand do something to clean up its ecology and corruption, and educate its population not to discriminate against foreigners by charging them double to visit museums and aquariums and the like, and its police force to not target people based on their skin color.

One thing my time in Thailand has taught me is to truly appreciate my home province of British Columbia, its governments mandate to preserve and improve its ecology. Where the lakes rivers and streams I would not hesitate to drink from or eat the fish I catch therein. To appreciate its diverse population where discrimination is criminal and strongly enforced. Where a police officer who accepts a bribe would swiftly be fired and face jail time.

I have no plans to ever return to Thailand, and have dissuaded many friends from vacationing there.

Canexpat, as a fellow British Columbian, I appreciate your story. Though I have lived in or been visiting Thailand since 1987, I have never had an experience as bad as what you describe, but I can tell you Thailand is not the country it used to be. Back in the late 80s or early 90s it really was a fantastic place. Sadly, it has been declining steadily and I am at a loss to explain why anyone without a history here would ever want to spend any time in Thailand now. It is getting by only on its past reputation, and stupid, hair-brained schemes like the one described in this article will only make the place even less attractive to all but the most stupid and ignorant and uninformed tourists.

[MILT]

After spending a year travelling throughout Thailand, I found it amazing that in a country that advertizes itself as a tourists paradise, I did not find one stream, river or body of water that was safe to drink from. Come to think of it, I did not visit one city or village where it was safe to drink tap water.

I only spent one week in Pattaya, and 2 weeks in Patong (Phuket), and found the smell of both those places reminded me of the times I helped family or friends back in Canada drain their septic tanks.

My first tuk tuk drive ended up with me being punched out by the driver after I hesitated paying the 300 baht he asked for, after he initially agreed on a price of 200 bht. (This occured on the 10th day of my holiday, which was my first night in Patong. I never took another tuk tuk in Thailand after that experience.) The next day I reported the incident to the police and had the tuk tuk's liscence plate number, and 2 eye witnesses to the crime, one of them observant enough to write down the liscence plate. Rather than taking down the information and pursuing my assaulter, as would have been done in every other country I have vacationed in, the police took me for a 1 hour ride throughout Patong, asking me to identify the tuk tuk. After about 50 minutes I realized this was probably the 2nd stupidest thing I had agreed to do in my life, and that the police had no intent to prosecute the tuk tuk driver, and could actually be placing me in jeopardy. That if we had found the driver, he could identify me and knew where I lived.

After relating this incident to my best friend back home who had been travelling to Thailand regularly for 8 years, and owned property in Hua Hin. He told me to get the h-ll out of Patong, and go to Hua Hin. I took his advice, moved to Hua Hin where I rented a house near the King's summer palace, and very close to the beach. Less than a week later my wonderful neighbour Alan Quicke was murdered in his own home. A few days after this my landlord's friend was murdered by his wife of 12 years, her brother and her lover. Even though she and her accomplices were caught, the wife was allowed to keep all she inherited from the husband she had conspired to murder to get his money, business and property. A few days after this an Australian tourist was murdered by a pair of ladies or ladyboys (to my knowledge the case was never solved) who had slipped something in his drink in one of the late night Karaoke bars with the intent to rob him once he passed out. Unfortunately the drug he was given was too much for his system and age, and he fell dead 200 feet from the Karaoke bar, after he left to go home claiming he felt woozy. Three foreigners murdered in Hua Hin in 10 days.

I had originally intended to buy land and retire in Thailand like my best friend. I owned shares in an oil company operating in Thailand, and mining companies in neighbouring countries. After my visit to Thailand and my experiences there, I sold off all my shares in the oil company I owned. I am sure there are foreigners who have lived many years in Thailand without negative incidents, but I did not meet any person who once I had related my personal experiences to them did not shower me with stories even more gruesome and disconcerting.

After my experience in Thailand, I would recommend that rather than spending money on trying to simply increase yearly tourism quotas, that Thailand focus its monies and resources on making Thailand a safer place for tourists to visit and foreigners to live and invest. That Thailand do something to clean up its ecology and corruption, and educate its population not to discriminate against foreigners by charging them double to visit museums and aquariums and the like, and its police force to not target people based on their skin color.

One thing my time in Thailand has taught me is to truly appreciate my home province of British Columbia, its governments mandate to preserve and improve its ecology. Where the lakes rivers and streams I would not hesitate to drink from or eat the fish I catch therein. To appreciate its diverse population where discrimination is criminal and strongly enforced. Where a police officer who accepts a bribe would swiftly be fired and face jail time.

I have no plans to ever return to Thailand, and have dissuaded many friends from vacationing there.

When one lives in a developed country, one can find many faults with a poor country. Murder, crime etc can be found in every country in the world OJ Simpsdon butchered 2 people and got away with it. A mother murdered her child and was tried and found not guilty, both in the USA. Most people with half a brain, when they travel to other countries, drink bottle water since more the half the drinking water in the world is unsafe to drink. The Thai Govt should reach it's goal, for the grwoth in tourism is not in the beer drinkiing sitting in bars crowd, but in the tourist trade from countries like China and Russia, where Thailand is affordable and offers a good and safe view of another coulture and people. Thailand is extremely cheap place to visit for people wanting to see another country in another part of the world, where it is warm and friendly. Try visiting the Philippines where the air not is not safe along with the water, and you do not ever want to meet a policeman face to face. Thailand will continue to attract more and more tourists from Asia and Russia and less and less beer drinking beer bar customers, that drink cheap beer and fool around with cheap ladies.

I'm sorry that you had this nightmare experience in Thailand but you are/were not a tourist. Choosing to live in Thailand is completely different than just visiting this country. I have lived here for 16 years. When I first visited this country I got the red carpet treatment (including double pricing) Once the locals saw that I was living here the red carpet treatment went out the window. With that said I have chosen a environment that excludes the darker side of life. Drinking water? give me a break. My country Good ol US of A sucks with killings, drugs, gangs and the like. What is puzzling is that you were involved in oil and and mining ventures but were not ripped off? That is truly amazing to me since most business ventures of that scale usually end up a nightmare to foreigners. Sorry that you feel that you need to tell people not to come here based on your bad luck. Everyones has their own reality that has nothing to do with your nightmare. Hope you get well my friend.

[phanangpete]

After spending a year travelling throughout Thailand, I found it amazing that in a country that advertizes itself as a tourists paradise, I did not find one stream, river or body of water that was safe to drink from. Come to think of it, I did not visit one city or village where it was safe to drink tap water.

I only spent one week in Pattaya, and 2 weeks in Patong (Phuket), and found the smell of both those places reminded me of the times I helped family or friends back in Canada drain their septic tanks.

My first tuk tuk drive ended up with me being punched out by the driver after I hesitated paying the 300 baht he asked for, after he initially agreed on a price of 200 bht. (This occured on the 10th day of my holiday, which was my first night in Patong. I never took another tuk tuk in Thailand after that experience.) The next day I reported the incident to the police and had the tuk tuk's liscence plate number, and 2 eye witnesses to the crime, one of them observant enough to write down the liscence plate. Rather than taking down the information and pursuing my assaulter, as would have been done in every other country I have vacationed in, the police took me for a 1 hour ride throughout Patong, asking me to identify the tuk tuk. After about 50 minutes I realized this was probably the 2nd stupidest thing I had agreed to do in my life, and that the police had no intent to prosecute the tuk tuk driver, and could actually be placing me in jeopardy. That if we had found the driver, he could identify me and knew where I lived.

After relating this incident to my best friend back home who had been travelling to Thailand regularly for 8 years, and owned property in Hua Hin. He told me to get the h-ll out of Patong, and go to Hua Hin. I took his advice, moved to Hua Hin where I rented a house near the King's summer palace, and very close to the beach. Less than a week later my wonderful neighbour Alan Quicke was murdered in his own home. A few days after this my landlord's friend was murdered by his wife of 12 years, her brother and her lover. Even though she and her accomplices were caught, the wife was allowed to keep all she inherited from the husband she had conspired to murder to get his money, business and property. A few days after this an Australian tourist was murdered by a pair of ladies or ladyboys (to my knowledge the case was never solved) who had slipped something in his drink in one of the late night Karaoke bars with the intent to rob him once he passed out. Unfortunately the drug he was given was too much for his system and age, and he fell dead 200 feet from the Karaoke bar, after he left to go home claiming he felt woozy. Three foreigners murdered in Hua Hin in 10 days.

I had originally intended to buy land and retire in Thailand like my best friend. I owned shares in an oil company operating in Thailand, and mining companies in neighbouring countries. After my visit to Thailand and my experiences there, I sold off all my shares in the oil company I owned. I am sure there are foreigners who have lived many years in Thailand without negative incidents, but I did not meet any person who once I had related my personal experiences to them did not shower me with stories even more gruesome and disconcerting.

After my experience in Thailand, I would recommend that rather than spending money on trying to simply increase yearly tourism quotas, that Thailand focus its monies and resources on making Thailand a safer place for tourists to visit and foreigners to live and invest. That Thailand do something to clean up its ecology and corruption, and educate its population not to discriminate against foreigners by charging them double to visit museums and aquariums and the like, and its police force to not target people based on their skin color.

One thing my time in Thailand has taught me is to truly appreciate my home province of British Columbia, its governments mandate to preserve and improve its ecology. Where the lakes rivers and streams I would not hesitate to drink from or eat the fish I catch therein. To appreciate its diverse population where discrimination is criminal and strongly enforced. Where a police officer who accepts a bribe would swiftly be fired and face jail time.

I have no plans to ever return to Thailand, and have dissuaded many friends from vacationing there.

When one lives in a developed country, one can find many faults with a poor country. Murder, crime etc can be found in every country in the world OJ Simpsdon butchered 2 people and got away with it. A mother murdered her child and was tried and found not guilty, both in the USA. Most people with half a brain, when they travel to other countries, drink bottle water since more the half the drinking water in the world is unsafe to drink. The Thai Govt should reach it's goal, for the grwoth in tourism is not in the beer drinkiing sitting in bars crowd, but in the tourist trade from countries like China and Russia, where Thailand is affordable and offers a good and safe view of another coulture and people. Thailand is extremely cheap place to visit for people wanting to see another country in another part of the world, where it is warm and friendly. Try visiting the Philippines where the air not is not safe along with the water, and you do not ever want to meet a policeman face to face. Thailand will continue to attract more and more tourists from Asia and Russia and less and less beer drinking beer bar customers, that drink cheap beer and fool around with cheap ladies.

"One can find", understatement of the year, what is the point you are trying to make here, we are not talking about other third world countries here, but Thailand ! incase you failed to notice ! Also they are people who actually have experienced these problems, i know for a fact ,as ive lived here a long time and been to all the places mentioned !!

[Colabamumbai]

Maybe I missed the part where it said some of the money would be used to clean up the Thai rift raft that try to cheat and rob tourists whether it be in Phuket, Pattaya, or anywhere else in Thailand. Look inside before you look outside.

[pepi2005]

Maybe I missed the part where it said some of the money would be used to clean up the Thai rift raft that try to cheat and rob tourists whether it be in Phuket, Pattaya, or anywhere else in Thailand. Look inside before you look outside.

you missed the point.

This money will be distributed amongst 'friends', family members and other relatives in Bangkok.

What you are talking about is to spend money directly in Phuket or Pattaya, and that's up to the families and clans down there. As many of us will have heard - personally I think this must be a joke, this can't be true!! - they are directly gaining from the corruption and are 'shareholders' of the mafia there, so not 'much' will happen in terms of fighting crime and scams or caring for ecology / nature. They are out for the quick bucks and have no long term perspective in mind. They see their cities as cash cows and want to milk it as long as they can, as long as they can pay themselves off any responsibility, and do it TODAY. There is no tomorrow.

Edited September 10, 2011 by pepi2005

[PlastikbinLina]

I haven't read all the replies so this question may be a repeat. Apart from the 'group tour" Asians how many GFC affected Europeans would be expected to shelve out their few bikkies to visit Thailand?

[cutter007]

Well yingluck is definitely proving she is a thaksin clone. Double tourist arrivals..........sell 1 million Thai elite cards. Sound familiar?

[SanSaiExPat]

One thing that would undoubtedly be useful and helpful to the Thai Tourism Authority and the Thai Government, including the Prime Ministers Office would be for them to hire someone fluent in both Thai and English and have them read through all these valuable posts on Thai Visa. Collectively there are literally 100's of years of experience here. Even the sarcastic posts and the angry and frustrated posts carry some truth of what is is to experience Thailand as both foreign tourists and as resident ex pats. This data is more valuable, honest (and free) than they could ever get from some high priced international consultancy group. Here's to you gentlemen. Slaute!.

[sunanta]

The agency will spend Bt500 million

The Yingluck Shinawatra government has vowed to use The Miracle Years of Amazing Thailand campaign to double arrivals and income.

well, there's a Half A Billion Baht gone.

.

Why not spend 500 mil snuffing out the scams--same as the war on drugs.

come ride our jetskis feel the warmth of our friendly tuk tuk drivers enjoy our music/ mma fests

[Rogermoore]

I agree fix the visa situation . I papermsaid the other day that most of the money for advertising will go to Russia.China, and india . I wonder how the rest of the thai's feel about this . Do these folk's spend money ? I seen an indian the other day trying to negotiate the price for a condom the other day at the pharmacy . Most times I see the russians making money there or drinking beer on the sidewalk . The chinese well you know how thrifty they are . I feel sorry for the entertainment women . Fix the visa rules they are so lame .

well, there's a Half A Billion Baht gone.

.

I hate to be negative, but wouldn't it be a lot cheaper to just reverse some of the stupid tourist visa regulations that they recently added?

..Or perhaps stop requiring their tourists to go to a neighboring country anytime they want an extended visa to stay longer in Thailand.

Why spend so much money when there are dozens of practically free solutions to the problem...

[aripengu]

This is very realistic.

They will force you to pass twice through immigration and you will get 2 visas at the same time.

Or have the immigration Officer on a Whiskey diet so he counts everybody twice.

Miracle Thailand.... it is possible by the way can we have more emoticons? they express so many views

[ableguy]

This will never work unless the Thais would treat their visitor as guests, e.g. not ripping them off in every possible situation, robbing and killing them and police and immigration treat them fairly >>> Overstay in paradise: Swede with heart disease thrown in prison. Read that article, it will make you understand that this anticipated doubling of tourist arrivals is not very likely to happen anytime soon.

Dont be too serious friend we have heard all this crap from them many times before, a total joke.

[IAMHERE]

If TAT doubles the number of tourist then I guess it will take twice as long to leave when exiting immigration/security at the airport. I can't wait.

[WithMarco]

the Thai Bath is absolutely overpriced, anything else comes later.

and talking about ripoffs and scams, please try Vietnam first...

as for the beaches with white sands there's plenty of them in Cambodia, Myanmar, and even southern Vietnam.

but you see, mass tourism is completely off the radar in these places, thailand is perfect for families and for

chavs on their first holiday overseas.

just to make a comparison, where i live here in cambodia at the moment i have crystal clear water, unspoiled islands nearby,

white sand beaches, i'm paying 150$/month to rent a seaview apartment, 0.5$ for a pint of Angkor beer during happy hour,

3$ for a grilled fish dinner on the beach, 0.5$ for a mototaxi ride and 1-2$ for a tuk-tuk ride anywhere, try that in Pattaya or Phuket !

but gullible tourists would complain the place is too dirty, sleazy, hard to reach, and yadda yadda.

same same as the comments i heard in Burma and in Phu Quoc by the way.

well, let these tourists getting scammed in phuket and may they learn a lesson or two.

after all there's a reason why they choose phuket in the first place, this type of tourists are not independent travellers, they would

hardly ride a bus alone in south east china, going off the beaten track in places like cambodia or burma would be a real

"adventure" for them, hahahaha.

[JohnAllan]

I believe it's called 'Putting the cart before the horse'. But in a mix of metaphors, if the taxi and jet-ski mafioso give the tourist industry enough rope to hang itself, the TOT will be closing the stable door long after the horses have left.

Edited September 12, 2011 by JohnAllan

[getmetoo]

WAKE UP GOVERMENT .... I am sure they never read such negitive posts..they may learn something...

Relax AND ENFORCE 90 day tourist visas at airport you might not get the numbers but you will see the money (including the VAT)

STOP the crack down on ENTERTAINMENT Venues

Learn the difference between SEX and ENTERTAINMENT....Thailand ....you can crack down on SEX not the ENTERTAINMENT Venues

FYI In Singapore 2002 in reponse to Thailand's Moral Crackdown...the then PM Goh Chock Tong said ,,, "WE WILL BECOME MORE PLAYFULL NOT NAUGHTERY"

Singapore doors were opened and ENTERTAINMENT has soared...Bars & Clubs can stay open "as long as the market demands

Yes Thailand.... visitors like to party...If the can not do it here ...they will go somewhere else ......Even Malaysia a Muslim Country and more relaxed with Entertainment (NOT SEX)

[dalstonbill]

Do they think tourists have no memories? It's only 5 years since the coup. Then fast forward a couple of years to the yellow shirts closing down the airport, then fast forward to street demos and violence. The prospect of an amnesty and return of one of the most divisive figures to the country will only lead to more protest and instablility. And what have tourists learned in the meantime? The baht is overvalued making things cost 40% more than they did 4 years ago. Other countries like Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos have plenty to offer including beaches, tropical rainforest, temples, history and great food. And they have developed their facilites and infrastucture so that it is not a chore to travel and holiday there and you get better value than Thailand. Add to that issues of polution and congestion... have you checked the air quality in a place like Chaing Mai [and not just during burning season]? Have you seen tourists stranded in heavy traffic waiting and waiting to cross a road [even if there is a crossing nearby, lots of vehicles just don't stop.] Prudish moralistic holier than thou types in charge who want to close down night spots and reduce alcohol availability [even for the non-alcies, it is nice to know you can sit and order a cold beer when you want and don't have to go to bed when you are told]. And as other posters have said, most don't even know about the murder rate, scams and rip offs which often involve police connivance or collusion. And look at the queues at airport passport control. And the west in recession. Double numbers by 2014? Fantasy - they'll be lucky to maintain the numbers they currently get.

[SanSaiExPat]

Clearly, the delusional Thaksin Shinawatra is back in control with a plan like this. Time to bring back the Thailand Elite card, perhaps?

Clearly you don't know what your talking about.

[Buchholz]

Clearly, the delusional Thaksin Shinawatra is back in control with a plan like this. Time to bring back the Thailand Elite card, perhaps?

Clearly you don't know what your talking about.

a reply written 13 days after... sounds like Thailand Elite Card customer service.

.

Edited September 23, 2011 by Buchholz