Yingluck Urges T A T To Attract More ' High-End Tourists' Into Thailand

[Soi Sauce]

Would be nice to have anyone with any class in government who may know what high class people want.

Sadly, with the bunch of uneducated thieves we have running the country, there is no chance of that.

[lemoncake]

Would be nice to have anyone with any class in government who may know what high class people want.

Sadly, with the bunch of uneducated thieves we have running the country, there is no chance of that.

We? correct me if i am wrong, but being a foreigner you do not fall into WE category

[Soi Sauce]

As a resident, homeowner, and taxpayer with a Thai wife and a mixed race child, I think using we is appropriate for myself and others in the same position. No?

[Thai at Heart]

I was once laughed at by a lawyer who proclaimed that my company was nuts for running their payment system the way they did, but that is the price of being squeaky clean. They should investigate tomorrow how to make it more attractive for companies to put their offices in Thailand and tax foreigners at 15% just like Singapore or Korea. At the moment, literally billions escapes the Thai taxman with people being paid offshore.

Once in for your million in income tax get the right to own a property on one rai of land, and the right of permenant residency. It's a s**t load more than the vast majority of Thai's pay into the system.

Well I paid over 2 million US in US Taxes and have 6 homes in my name in the US

What do you want me to think about such a small sum of 11 million baht and you are complaining.

Stop being so cheap

You are being extremely naive about how companies ordinarily organise their tax affairs for their foreign employees. Declare 50k baht on shore and pay the rest outside. Everyone loses. Everything is relative in terms of tax, and you must have been very successful, for which I am very happy.

Give an incentive for companies to declare the income of foreign employees in the country, and grant them PR when they reach the declared value. There are literally thosands of foreign employees on which the thai taxman accepts this tax bluff, but it means that the Thai taxman misses out on massive amounts of revenue. Check the statistics to see how many people in the country declare an income level of 300k per month? It is very very low. Then beyond that, there are thousands of good farangs working hard in "domestic" jobs, who are in limbo, should they lose their job.

It has to be better than the current path to permenant residency.

[Sing_Sling]

As a resident, homeowner, and taxpayer with a Thai wife and a mixed race child, I think using we is appropriate for myself and others in the same position. No?

Yet your rights are very limited

[Thai at Heart]

Some years back the previous long-time manager of the Oriental Hotel, Kurt Wachtveitl, now retired, a very influential HiSo farang in BKK in his own right, had declared very openly in the Thai media that if Thailand could get rid of the riff-raff (my word) tourists then it'd become a favored destination for high-end, big spender tourists.

Upper class tourists he said, don't like vacationing in a country where they have to rub shoulders with hoi polloi miser backpackers when they're out on the town or visiting tourist sites ...

He went so far as suggesting the Thai govt take measures to discourage those annoying lower social status people to come to LOS and pollute the upper-class tourist's environment.

All they have to have done is separate all the resorts with a different plan, but alas, this his long flown the nest as an idea. It isn't any good to plan to deter the cheaper tourists from coming, when there are 5 star hotels built next to hovels, with no planning. Undoing the mess is going to be so much harder than if they had had a plan in the beginning.

His idea sounds great, but, step outside the Oriental, and where are you? On another street in Bangkok, and it will take at least 50 years to upgrade the whole of Bangkok to a 5 star experience.

[ratcatcher]

Some years back the previous long-time manager of the Oriental Hotel, Kurt Wachtveitl, now retired, a very influential HiSo farang in BKK in his own right, had declared very openly in the Thai media that if Thailand could get rid of the riff-raff (my word) tourists then it'd become a favored destination for high-end, big spender tourists.

Upper class tourists he said, don't like vacationing in a country where they have to rub shoulders with hoi polloi miser backpackers when they're out on the town or visiting tourist sites ...

He went so far as suggesting the Thai govt take measures to discourage those annoying lower social status people to come to LOS and pollute the upper-class tourist's environment.

All they have to have done is separate all the resorts with a different plan, but alas, this his long flown the nest as an idea. It isn't any good to plan to deter the cheaper tourists from coming, when there are 5 star hotels built next to hovels, with no planning. Undoing the mess is going to be so much harder than if they had had a plan in the beginning.

His idea sounds great, but, step outside the Oriental, and where are you? On another street in Bangkok, and it will take at least 50 years to upgrade the whole of Bangkok to a 5 star experience.

In 50 years maybe Bangkok will have achieved 5 star status. Picture Sathorn Road in 50 years. Canal side condos, the place to live in Bangkok.

[Thai at Heart]

Some years back the previous long-time manager of the Oriental Hotel, Kurt Wachtveitl, now retired, a very influential HiSo farang in BKK in his own right, had declared very openly in the Thai media that if Thailand could get rid of the riff-raff (my word) tourists then it'd become a favored destination for high-end, big spender tourists.

Upper class tourists he said, don't like vacationing in a country where they have to rub shoulders with hoi polloi miser backpackers when they're out on the town or visiting tourist sites ...

He went so far as suggesting the Thai govt take measures to discourage those annoying lower social status people to come to LOS and pollute the upper-class tourist's environment.

All they have to have done is separate all the resorts with a different plan, but alas, this his long flown the nest as an idea. It isn't any good to plan to deter the cheaper tourists from coming, when there are 5 star hotels built next to hovels, with no planning. Undoing the mess is going to be so much harder than if they had had a plan in the beginning.

His idea sounds great, but, step outside the Oriental, and where are you? On another street in Bangkok, and it will take at least 50 years to upgrade the whole of Bangkok to a 5 star experience.

In 50 years maybe Bangkok will have achieved 5 star status. Picture Sathorn Road in 50 years. Canal side condos, the place to live in Bangkok.

canals-of-venice.jpg

maybe you are onto something. let the whole place flood, and it can return to the Venice of the East. Next problem, water treatment.

[yoshiwara]

The prime minister has urged the Tourism Authority of Thailand to attract more "high-end tourists" into the country.

I feel so not wanted.

[DocN]

Some years back the previous long-time manager of the Oriental Hotel, Kurt Wachtveitl, now retired, a very influential HiSo farang in BKK in his own right, had declared very openly in the Thai media that if Thailand could get rid of the riff-raff (my word) tourists then it'd become a favored destination for high-end, big spender tourists.

Upper class tourists he said, don't like vacationing in a country where they have to rub shoulders with hoi polloi miser backpackers when they're out on the town or visiting tourist sites ...

He went so far as suggesting the Thai govt take measures to discourage those annoying lower social status people to come to LOS and pollute the upper-class tourist's environment.

All they have to have done is separate all the resorts with a different plan, but alas, this his long flown the nest as an idea. It isn't any good to plan to deter the cheaper tourists from coming, when there are 5 star hotels built next to hovels, with no planning. Undoing the mess is going to be so much harder than if they had had a plan in the beginning.

His idea sounds great, but, step outside the Oriental, and where are you? On another street in Bangkok, and it will take at least 50 years to upgrade the whole of Bangkok to a 5 star experience.

If you don't mind me asking: what is sounding "great" about this snobbish bullsh1t?

First of all: if it wasn't for those pesky backpackers (and believe me: I have no sympathy for them, whatsoever), many parts of Thailand would not be what they are right now (I leave it up to you, if that is good or bad).

The backpackers are usually at the forefront of opening up a country to tourism....unless you count colonial- troops.

If it weren't for backpackers, Herr Wachveitl looks down upon and despises so much, he would most likely not have any tourism industry to cater to.

So the PM dislikes people who "only" spend 3000 baht a day in Thailand?

Let's have a look: Bangkok...land at Swampy, walk endless to the immigration, stand in line for 30 minutes +, be harassed by taxi- scammers; and that is the first HOUR in Thailand. On your way to the downtown hotel (let's say: Sukhumvit Soi 15) you are stuck in traffic, before a reception- member checks you in, using marginal English. After you freshened up, you want to take a little walk, which is hardly possible, because the walk-way is full of street - vendors. You are feeling quiet hectic and decide to have a cigarette. After you finish, you look for a bin, to leave the bud, but you can find none and snip the 4 cm long piece into a sewer, which gets you a nice talk with a local police-man, who asks you for 2.000 baht for littering.

Shall I go on?

Maybe another place? pattaya or Phuket?

And all that is clearly and ONLY the fault of package tourists and backpackers!

[Yahooka]

What a typical Shinawatra statement this is.Didn`t her brother,Mr. Squarehead utter the exact words when he was in power ??

Yes of course he did........................almost forgot that Yingluck is Mr. Squarehead`s clone !!!!!!!!

[lemoncake]

As a resident, homeowner, and taxpayer with a Thai wife and a mixed race child, I think using we is appropriate for myself and others in the same position. No?

In most other countries-yes, in Thailand, you can not even vote,not to mention DO NOT have a perm residency/visa and then again you can not vote.

So being in the same position still does not entitled you to a "WE"

PS. If you referring to a home as in a house, then you also do not own it, either your wife does or the company, but not you personally

Edited March 23, 2013 by lemoncake

[Thai at Heart]

Some years back the previous long-time manager of the Oriental Hotel, Kurt Wachtveitl, now retired, a very influential HiSo farang in BKK in his own right, had declared very openly in the Thai media that if Thailand could get rid of the riff-raff (my word) tourists then it'd become a favored destination for high-end, big spender tourists.

Upper class tourists he said, don't like vacationing in a country where they have to rub shoulders with hoi polloi miser backpackers when they're out on the town or visiting tourist sites ...

He went so far as suggesting the Thai govt take measures to discourage those annoying lower social status people to come to LOS and pollute the upper-class tourist's environment.

All they have to have done is separate all the resorts with a different plan, but alas, this his long flown the nest as an idea. It isn't any good to plan to deter the cheaper tourists from coming, when there are 5 star hotels built next to hovels, with no planning. Undoing the mess is going to be so much harder than if they had had a plan in the beginning.

His idea sounds great, but, step outside the Oriental, and where are you? On another street in Bangkok, and it will take at least 50 years to upgrade the whole of Bangkok to a 5 star experience.

If you don't mind me asking: what is sounding "great" about this snobbish bullsh1t?

First of all: if it wasn't for those pesky backpackers (and believe me: I have no sympathy for them, whatsoever), many parts of Thailand would not be what they are right now (I leave it up to you, if that is good or bad).

The backpackers are usually at the forefront of opening up a country to tourism....unless you count colonial- troops.

If it weren't for backpackers, Herr Wachveitl looks down upon and despises so much, he would most likely not have any tourism industry to cater to.

So the PM dislikes people who "only" spend 3000 baht a day in Thailand?

Let's have a look: Bangkok...land at Swampy, walk endless to the immigration, stand in line for 30 minutes +, be harassed by taxi- scammers; and that is the first HOUR in Thailand. On your way to the downtown hotel (let's say: Sukhumvit Soi 15) you are stuck in traffic, before a reception- member checks you in, using marginal English. After you freshened up, you want to take a little walk, which is hardly possible, because the walk-way is full of street - vendors. You are feeling quiet hectic and decide to have a cigarette. After you finish, you look for a bin, to leave the bud, but you can find none and snip the 4 cm long piece into a sewer, which gets you a nice talk with a local police-man, who asks you for 2.000 baht for littering.

Shall I go on?

Maybe another place? pattaya or Phuket?

And all that is clearly and ONLY the fault of package tourists and backpackers!

It's no different from what the Europeans did for years. Want to stay in the best areas you pay. There is nothing wrong with planning a whole area to be 4 and 5 star and another 3

[Soi Sauce]

As a resident, homeowner, and taxpayer with a Thai wife and a mixed race child, I think using we is appropriate for myself and others in the same position. No?

In most other countries-yes, in Thailand, you can not even vote,not to mention DO NOT have a perm residency/visa and then again you can not vote.

So being in the same position still does not entitled you to a "WE"

PS. If you referring to a home as in a house, then you also do not own it, either your wife does or the company, but not you personally

Thank you for your intellect. I will tell my family tomorrow that we are not a unit, and we cannot refer to ourseleves as WE.

[lemoncake]

As a resident, homeowner, and taxpayer with a Thai wife and a mixed race child, I think using we is appropriate for myself and others in the same position. No?

In most other countries-yes, in Thailand, you can not even vote,not to mention DO NOT have a perm residency/visa and then again you can not vote.

So being in the same position still does not entitled you to a "WE"

PS. If you referring to a home as in a house, then you also do not own it, either your wife does or the company, but not you personally

Thank you for your intellect. I will tell my family tomorrow that we are not a unit, and we cannot refer to ourseleves as WE.

[SunsetT]

That is one of the most condescending statements about tourists i have ever hear a PM of any country say. If she is going to say this it should said in private to the TAT executives. Thinking like a hi-so and speaking like a hi-so.

You mean 'Thinking like an <deleted> and speaking through her <deleted>'

[SunsetT]

Laos is waiting in vain, even willing to let go of the entry visa regulation.

they don't mind high end tourists, everybody feels welcome!

I wish they would 'let go of the entry visa regulation' then expats could and would pour over the border spending their cash for a weekend or a good night out in Laos.

[lemoncake]

Laos is waiting in vain, even willing to let go of the entry visa regulation.

they don't mind high end tourists, everybody feels welcome!

I wish they would 'let go of the entry visa regulation' then expats could and would pour over the border spending their cash for a weekend or a good night out in Laos.

A good night out in Laos? May be if you 80 and usually in bed by 11pm

[rametindallas]

Oh good ... grief. Next she will suggest that that all get a plastic card which will give them privileges .....

LOL

[Sing_Sling]

As a resident, homeowner, and taxpayer with a Thai wife and a mixed race child, I think using we is appropriate for myself and others in the same position. No?

In most other countries-yes, in Thailand, you can not even vote,not to mention DO NOT have a perm residency/visa and then again you can not vote.

So being in the same position still does not entitled you to a "WE"

PS. If you referring to a home as in a house, then you also do not own it, either your wife does or the company, but not you personally

Thank you for your intellect. I will tell my family tomorrow that we are not a unit, and we cannot refer to ourseleves as WE.

It seems you cased a hissy-fit

[Payboy]

High-End Tourists

Are those the type that don't xxxx in the swimming pool?

Edited March 28, 2013 by metisdead

[ChanJoonYee]

Not sure this program is going well. Thailand seems to be flooded

with Chinese and Russians on budget tour packages, and then throw in

the Indians on top of that. Definitely would not make me want to

open a five star restaurant here.. :-)

Got any problems with Chinese, Russians and Indians?

ZhouZhou, I think that his point was the fact that Chinese and Indians, as well as many (but not all) Russians tend to on average spend a lot less than Americans, Brits, Aussies, Swiss and Kiwis. He doesn't have a problem, he is communicating fact. Quality is not quality in Thailand, it is generally about getting people to spend more. quality actually means higher spending in Thailand. Quality Tourist means Higher Spending tourist.

Chinese spend less? I'll have to disagree on that. It's quite the norm for Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai shop till they drop. The average Singaporean, Taiwanese or Hongkonger spends more in a day what the average Western backpacker spends in a month.

[moe666]

Not sure this program is going well. Thailand seems to be flooded

with Chinese and Russians on budget tour packages, and then throw in

the Indians on top of that. Definitely would not make me want to

open a five star restaurant here.. :-)

Got any problems with Chinese, Russians and Indians?

ZhouZhou, I think that his point was the fact that Chinese and Indians, as well as many (but not all) Russians tend to on average spend a lot less than Americans, Brits, Aussies, Swiss and Kiwis. He doesn't have a problem, he is communicating fact. Quality is not quality in Thailand, it is generally about getting people to spend more. quality actually means higher spending in Thailand. Quality Tourist means Higher Spending tourist.

Chinese spend less? I'll have to disagree on that. It's quite the norm for Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai shop till they drop. The average Singaporean, Taiwanese or Hongkonger spends more in a day what the average Western backpacker spends in a month.

Sorry to disappoint but it takes 4 average spending chinese to equal 1 average westerner. I see them here everyday in Chiang mai they eat in the cheapest place, stay in the cheapest place to be lost in Thailand. I am not taking the piss on chinese but those are the facts as I have observed them

[spectrumisgreen]

Good, get the Hi So High End tourists all you like. Pick them up at Swampy, Phuket etc drop them at the local top end resort where they will be waited on hand and foot, fed expensive foods and wines, pampered in spas and other facilities and at the end of their stay they will return to their country having only come in contact with the hotel and airline staff but thinking how Amazing Thailand really is..

On the other hand, the middle class travelers, move around in smaller numbers by car, train bus etc and contact more of the local people and leave more cash in the hands of locals instead of international hotel and resort chains.

At the extreme, but very valuable other end of the spectrum we have the so called 'sex tourists' who flock to Pattaya, Patong, Bangkok etc and who spend large amounts of money on local hotels, food, alcohol and occasionally the odd Thai poo ying if they can find one. All types of tourists are equally important for Thailand's success as a travel destination.

All very true. But I think this goes a bit deeper when it comes to what she's thinking about these 'high end' tourists.. more money in Thailand via high-end (or any other) tourism is just the first stop. The hope is that more of these wealthy folks, as per their hopefully increased numbers, will fall in love with 'Amazing Thailand' and perhaps invest here.. just what big brother would be whispering in her ear, I'm sure...

[Sing_Sling]

Not sure this program is going well. Thailand seems to be flooded

with Chinese and Russians on budget tour packages, and then throw in

the Indians on top of that. Definitely would not make me want to

open a five star restaurant here.. :-)

Got any problems with Chinese, Russians and Indians?

ZhouZhou, I think that his point was the fact that Chinese and Indians, as well as many (but not all) Russians tend to on average spend a lot less than Americans, Brits, Aussies, Swiss and Kiwis. He doesn't have a problem, he is communicating fact. Quality is not quality in Thailand, it is generally about getting people to spend more. quality actually means higher spending in Thailand. Quality Tourist means Higher Spending tourist.

Chinese spend less? I'll have to disagree on that. It's quite the norm for Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai shop till they drop. The average Singaporean, Taiwanese or Hongkonger spends more in a day what the average Western backpacker spends in a month.

May I clarify . . . Beijing and Shanghai shoppers do their thing in HK, not in Bangkok - I was staying at the Marco Polo HK for four days in January and it is the same every years and getting more so . . . as for Singaporeans and Taiwanese spending more in a day than live-ridden backpackers (yes, I was one 30 years ago), well that not quite true bit close.

You make a good point.

Sadly most westerners on this forum see only one kind of Chinese, the rough and crude mainlander . . . Sorry, make that two . . . the Thai Chinese whom they deride because of their success through hard work. Of course what they don't know or refuse to accept is that most Thais are of Chinese descent . . . and that there are worlds of difference between Malaysian, Singaporean, Taiwanese Chinese and Mainlanders

[ZhouZhou]

Not sure this program is going well. Thailand seems to be flooded

with Chinese and Russians on budget tour packages, and then throw in

the Indians on top of that. Definitely would not make me want to

open a five star restaurant here.. :-)

Got any problems with Chinese, Russians and Indians?

ZhouZhou, I think that his point was the fact that Chinese and Indians, as well as many (but not all) Russians tend to on average spend a lot less than Americans, Brits, Aussies, Swiss and Kiwis. He doesn't have a problem, he is communicating fact. Quality is not quality in Thailand, it is generally about getting people to spend more. quality actually means higher spending in Thailand. Quality Tourist means Higher Spending tourist.

Chinese spend less? I'll have to disagree on that. It's quite the norm for Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai shop till they drop. The average Singaporean, Taiwanese or Hongkonger spends more in a day what the average Western backpacker spends in a month.

exactly.

[ZhouZhou]

Got any problems with Chinese, Russians and Indians?

ZhouZhou, I think that his point was the fact that Chinese and Indians, as well as many (but not all) Russians tend to on average spend a lot less than Americans, Brits, Aussies, Swiss and Kiwis. He doesn't have a problem, he is communicating fact. Quality is not quality in Thailand, it is generally about getting people to spend more. quality actually means higher spending in Thailand. Quality Tourist means Higher Spending tourist.

Chinese spend less? I'll have to disagree on that. It's quite the norm for Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai shop till they drop. The average Singaporean, Taiwanese or Hongkonger spends more in a day what the average Western backpacker spends in a month.

Sorry to disappoint but it takes 4 average spending chinese to equal 1 average westerner. I see them here everyday in Chiang mai they eat in the cheapest place, stay in the cheapest place to be lost in Thailand. I am not taking the piss on chinese but those are the facts as I have observed them

most impressive is the massive mob of old, cheap & grumpy Chinamen complaining here in the topic that Thailand want attracts more high end tourists, because they feel excluded.

[TheGhostWithin]

Chinese spend less? I'll have to disagree on that. It's quite the norm for Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai shop till they drop. The average Singaporean, Taiwanese or Hongkonger spends more in a day what the average Western backpacker spends in a month.

ChanJoonYee,

Singaporeans, Taiwanese and Hong Kongers are not Chinese - they are their own countrymen in their own right, just to clarify things. Many Singaporeans and Taiwanese, would be heavily offended if you called them Chinese, and the Hong Kongers would be insulted if you called them "mainlanders". Mainland Chinese have very distinct characteristics about them in comparison to the groups you mentioned above. If we want to compare apples with apples, you should be comparing the wealthiest westerners with the wealthiest Chinese - if you take a look at the rich list on Bloomberg, The western faces and names heavily outnumber the Chinese. Comparing the richest Chinese with backpackers is a very skewed test pool. This is not a new strategy for China, though..

One of the unique things about Chinese tourists is that they tend to travel in tour groups, arranged in China. They are picked up at the Airport by their own countrymen (tour guides, the same thing they have been arresting the Russians for in Phuket) and are escorted to their hotels. They dine at Chinese owned businesses, operated by Thais who get a pittance of the profit for salaries. They stay at Chinese Hotels, staffed by Thais who receive a pittance of the profit in salaries. They travel around nearly all day on buses owned by Chinese and staffed by Thais who receive a pittance of the profit in salaries for their services. The remainder of the money left, is sent straight back to China. I can assure you, they are as good at avoiding taxes as any other, and that very little of the money spent by the Chinese ever sees Thai hands.

They may spend IN Thailand, but the profits LEAVE Thailand often before the tourists do. This is the ultimate exploitation of creating an "economy within an economy", ensuring local operators are "starved out". We have seen it in my home country, too. They don't even employ New Zealanders in their businesses here. Only Chinese.

Edited March 24, 2013 by TheGhostWithin

[Sing_Sling]

Chinese spend less? I'll have to disagree on that. It's quite the norm for Chinese tourists from Beijing and Shanghai shop till they drop. The average Singaporean, Taiwanese or Hongkonger spends more in a day what the average Western backpacker spends in a month.

ChanJoonYee,

Singaporeans, Taiwanese and Hong Kongers are not Chinese - they are their own countrymen in their own right, just to clarify things. Many Singaporeans and Taiwanese, would be heavily offended if you called them Chinese,

I do like your posts and views, but have to disagree with you here.

I'm afraid that you are terribly wrong there . . . don't forget that the term 'Chinese' refers to ethnicity as well and that's something no Malaysian Chinese, Singaporean Chinese, Thai Chinese, Indonesian Chinese (note the term 'Chinese' behind the nationality) would cast aside. Taiwanese consider themselves the true Chinese . . .

Why is there anything wrong with that . . . it is their identity . . . nationality is a relatively new phenomenon in this region and the Chinese diaspora is widespread . . . but they maintain their ethnicroots

[ZhouZhou]

We have seen it in my home country, too. They don't even employ New Zealanders in their businesses here. Only Chinese.

are there the xenophobia comes from. pesky foreigners steal my job nonsense.