Thailand - Land Of Smiles Or Tourist Trap?

[F4UCorsair]

Unrelated sort of but aren't a lot of the people coming to Thailand for the Tourist areas trying to scam. They are trying to get some thing they can not get back home for the same price.

Paying for services here, that cost much more than you can afford back home, is not a scam.

I mean come on, really.

I

I agree tommo, and hellodolly is using some cockeyed logic....a best. Maybe there is a language issue here??

[thaibeachlovers]

What I particularly like about Singapore is that there are no idiots walking the streets, inconveniencing the rest of us. We're so politically correct in Autralia, so sensitive about losers' civil liberties, that those of us who contribute via taxes are screwed to appease the down and outs, and that doesn't happen in Singapore.

The 'Fine City' is an oldie, and I recall seeing it on a T shirt 20+ years ago. I'm surprised the authorities didn't burn them.

It is clean and efficient, and the crime rate one of the lowest in the world.

When I lived in S'pore in the 70s it was an excellent place to live. Sounds like it still is.

"Freedom" is vastly over rated, when liberals run a country, IMO. It usually is code for taking the haves money to give to losers and bums without a work ethic.

[Joyeuss]

I've lived in Thailand for 3 years now, and although tourists do no deserve to be attacked I don't think they are completely innocent. High tourist places in Thailand tend to attract a certain type of tourist. Ones who have done little if any research into the country and have little if any respect for the culture and the differences. Over the years those tourists have build up bad feelings in the area and a hardened attitude towards westerners. Westerners are slowing changing Thailand and it is not necessarily for the good. The government has just made it compulsory for all university students to take an extra unit in 'being Thai'. Basically they are saying that Thai people are loosing their soft, calm manners and becoming disrespectful.

Thailand is a big place and if you only go to areas where disrespectful and careless tourists go then yes you are going to see Thai's that have some kind of resentment to Westerners and tourists. Look at Phatong beach, I went there when I had a stop over in Phuket to see what people go on about. I felt embarrassed to be there and I felt embarrassed for the Thais. It is so out of the culture and degrading to them, but do it because it brings in money from tourists. After visiting places like that I can understand why Thais can build up a resentment and bitterness. When I travel Thailand I always go to the non-touristy places, and always behave in a manner similar to other Thais. I have had so many good experiences and people are always happy and welcoming. I will admit that speaking Thai does help but even knowing just a few words really impresses Thai people and they are always so happy that you have tried.

Basically go off the beaten track. Do a little bit of research before you come to Thailand (or any country for that matter). Thailand really is the land of smiles! Just stay out of the bad spots. Every country has them.

so its all the tourists fault for thais in many areas being so impolite and disrespectful? Nothing to do with Thais looking at falang visitors as a means of making money anyway they can? You,re wrong.

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Im not saying that it is westerns fault or Thais fault. I am saying that it is a combination of the two. Thais look for the money and exploit because for long they get away with it. They know westerners come here and you can charge them more and exploit them and get away with it. But this only happens in high touristy areas. If westerners stopped paying so much for the stuff then it would force a change in society. But as with high tourist areas, you do tend to get 'tourists' and not 'travelers', and they don't have much if any awareness in the matter. Take Koh Samui for example. The majority of the Island is aimed at tourism. It is not Thai at all. They basically changed this island as a way of taking money from tourists. Shopping everywhere, high prices for everything, having to barter every single thing, every single time! Tourism laid the bait, and the westerners took it. From my time on Samui I noticed that the majority of westerners acted in a way that was offencive to traditional Thai ways and culture, but in order to make money they have swallowed this. I visited one of the temples and left soon after because I got sick of girls entering wearing hardly any clothing. In Chiang Mai if you try to enter a temple with anything higher than the knees or showing you shoulders they will either give you clothes to put on or tell you to leave. Of course resentment is going to build up. They have very little money and these tourist people with lots of money come here and make them feel uncomfortable in the place they call home. A lot of them are trapped because their only source of income is tourism. Now despite the actions of some rudely tourists, I do not believe that it is their fault to get attached and I do not believe that they deserve it. They are the receiving end of a much bigger problem. If Thailand wants to lower tourist causalities and create a better relationship, they need to advertise Thailand differently and they need to create an economy that generate an income in other ways than tourism. If there were more sources of jobs, there would be less Thai's feeling the need to exploit nieve tourists. If you travel to areas where there is a much more stable economy, not so reliant on tourism you will notice that people don't really give too whoots that you are a westener and don't try to exploit you.

Basically it is not Thai's fault and it is not westerns fault, it is a much bigger issue that has been building up over decades.

Think back home, if your whole economy and living was based on foreigners coming to visit your country and do all the things they your country traditionally and religiously finds unacceptable, but there was nothing you could do about it because you don't have any other option but to let them do it or not have enough to live. What would you choose? However I in no way agree with tourists being attacked. But unfortunately in every society there are extremists. If westerners are allowed to be exploited and easy targets than these attacks will continue. You can not get rid extremists and criminals in a society, you can only try to control what it is that they are fighting about.

[lizardtongue]

Thailand sold its soul a long time ago, sure many people are happy to come or live here and enjoy it ...but sadly they are oblivious to the real truth of Thais....bottom line Zenophobic Corrupt Racists

I use Thailand just as they Use me, and when I no longer get what i want I will be gone with NO regrets

Well said sir!!

[Rimmer]

Inflammatory posts removed