Mass tourism market blamed for degradation of Phuket

[Squirt63]

I took a party of Australians from Phuket to the Simillan Islands and around Phang Na Bay, last February by yacht.

They won't be coming back to Phuket because of:

1. Exorbitant National park fees at both places. Up to ฿400 per person per day, on top of their holiday costs.

2. Dreadful pollution on every beach we stopped at over a two week period

3. A constant stream of plastic waste in a direct line, returning from Simillan islands. Not just on the surface but as deep down as one could see.

4. Unpleasant, mafia like checks that they had paid the NP fee by rude thugs.

5. Far too many tourists at the normal beauty spots like Koh Hong and other islands.

From now on we will only consider cruising in Burmese and Vietnamese waters.

1. A quick perusal of Aussie Nat Parks shows an average 'park fee' of $25AUS (roughly 750 baht) for entrance of one hour or three days, on top of the cost of a vacay in Aus.

2. & 3. Fair enough but I've seen beaches in Cambodia, Vietnam, the Caribbean and Central/South America which are far worse than anything in Phang Nga or Simillans...

4. No experience in Nat Parks in Aus, but in Canada the park nazis check your fees/papers rudely at every opportunity.

5. Funny how people congregate at beautiful spots, no? Where they not there for exactly the same reason YOU were?

6. Good luck cruising Myanmar and Vietnam, with paying customers, LEGALLY!!

Edited June 14, 2013 by Squirt63

[johnlandy]

If only the farang would come here, drop off a few thousand Baht then go back home!! Am waiting for the blame to be aimed directly at us

Exactly; what do they want? They want tourists but they don't want the negative impact. And, they do nothing to mitigate the negative impact.

They want tourists but they do nothing about the scum who are purely and simply in it for their own ends, and running every sort of scam imaginable that they can get away with.

Phuket is over rated in any event and the most expensive destination in the country.

[stevenl]

I took a party of Australians from Phuket to the Simillan Islands and around Phang Na Bay, last February by yacht.

They won't be coming back to Phuket because of:

1. Exorbitant National park fees at both places. Up to ฿400 per person per day, on top of their holiday costs.

2. Dreadful pollution on every beach we stopped at over a two week period

3. A constant stream of plastic waste in a direct line, returning from Simillan islands. Not just on the surface but as deep down as one could see.

4. Unpleasant, mafia like checks that they had paid the NP fee by rude thugs.

5. Far too many tourists at the normal beauty spots like Koh Hong and other islands.

From now on we will only consider cruising in Burmese and Vietnamese waters.

So objecting against the Thai 400 Baht entrance fee for the park, not per day as you mention, but willing to pay the 200 US$ Burma fees?

[KarenBravo]

Vietnamese national waters contain far, far more plastic flotsam than Thailand (Andaman side)..

It comes from the thousands and thousands of fishing boats strewn along the coast.

Edited June 14, 2013 by KarenBravo

[winstonc]

tourists have got the t-shirt dvd,and crabs,and now looking for pastures new thats all the chinese and russians are pretty new to this sort of holiday experience,just like when i was young going to tenerife and benedorm ,and probably embarrasing myself and my country,,,its only when you get older and grumpier and maybe wiser that we find it all so repulsive,,but they are corrupt here big time,,,,

[webfact]

Tourism meeting addresses future of Phuket
Naraporn Tuarob


Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak (left) with Governor Maitree Intusut.

PHUKET: A meeting was held yesterday (June 13) at Kata Beach Resort and Spa with the Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak, Governor Maitree Intusut, the Senate Tourism Committee led by its president, Phuket senator Thanyarat Achariyachai, and local officials and businesspeople.

In a speech, Mr Somsak talked about the many problems Phuket is currently facing, raising concern about the safety of the tourists, and the decay of tourist attractions on the island.

“The problem is that we now have a great number of tourists coming to Phuket, so this leads to more traffic, degradation of tourists attractions and facilities, and land encroachment, especially in public areas,” said Mr Somsak.

“These are problems that we have heard about for years, and keep talking about – but when will they be solved?”

Sarayuth Mallam, vice-chairman of the Phuket Tourist Association, said, “If we look at the problems, I can say that the black taxi problem is less than 5 per cent, but as bad news always gets more attention than good news, it creates a bad image of Phuket.

“For the beach chair problem, many tourists’ lives were actually saved by those businesses, since their employees are around to help tourists in trouble. But again, the actions of a few bad apples leads to negative coverage in the news.

“If Phuket was a special economic area, and could look after itself, like Mae-Sot or Samui, I think we could solve more than 50 per cent of the problems.

On the beaches, Mr Sarayuth said, “During January and February, our beaches will be clean, but what the senators saw the other day – dirty beaches full with garbage – is because it is now rainy season.

“We cannot get rid of it all in one day. People who make a living from the beach try their best, but it is too much for them to clean up.

“Another problem is that we have people from other provinces coming to Phuket to earn a living, but these people don’t have any sense of belonging, of wanting to look after their hometown.

“If they think Phuket can’t help them to have a better life, they just move to another place”.

President of the Kata Group and Phuket FC Chairman Pamuke Achariyachai said, “Phuket must move forward. Law enforcement here has failed.

“We need to make Phuket’s beaches as beautiful as they were 3o years ago, or at least manage them better.

“Local leaders must not ignore the problems, you need to go and talk to [people working in tourism], educate them and tell them that we have to preserve Phuket for the next generation.”

On marine safety, Mr Somsak said: “The Phuket Marine Office have said their manpower is limited, so I have suggested to them perhaps outsourcing some tasks.”

Governor Maitree Intusut added that, “Boats should carry no more than their allowed capacity. I have also asked Royal Navy Region 3 and Marine Police to stand by all the time.”

Rangsiman Kingkaew, from the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, said, “We need to change the attitude of locals towards tourists. We need to think about what can we do to meet tourists’ needs, and make them feel like they want to come back.”

“We have seen how the demographic of tourists visiting Phuket has changed. The number of European tourists has decreased, and we have tourists from China and Russia replacing them.

“But even though they are coming in increasing numbers, is this a good thing? European tourists stay here for approximately 10 days, but Asians only spend five days in Phuket. For Europeans, we can sell them lunch and dinner, but Asians only have breakfast.

“Moreover, Chinese and Russians are opening and investing in their own businesses, so what is left for the locals? We are an international destination but lack international standards.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/tourism-meeting-addresses-future-of-phuket-40138.php


-- Phuket News 2013-06-14

[rsokolowski]

I first went to Phuket in 1992 and liked the place, especially Karon and Kata beaches. The last time I was there was 2002, and I hated it. Beach encroachment at Kata had gotten so bad it was difficult to find a way to the beach. Haven't been back since, it is not what I am looking for on a tropical island.

A friend of mine recently visited Thailand for the first time, and also visited Phuket. He hated it, said it was dirty, trash everywhere, and polluted.

Phuket has become somewhere that I would never recommend a friend visit. There are much better beach destinations in Thailand, why was your time in a tourist trap.

[eezergood]

Phuket is much more than Patong, Kata & Karon. It astounds me people can travel 14 hrs to get here costing thousands, but cant see fit to spend a few quid/dollars/euros and a litle time and travel to some truly stunning places on the Island.

[eezergood]

I first went to Phuket in 1992 and liked the place, especially Karon and Kata beaches. The last time I was there was 2002, and I hated it. Beach encroachment at Kata had gotten so bad it was difficult to find a way to the beach. Haven't been back since, it is not what I am looking for on a tropical island.

A friend of mine recently visited Thailand for the first time, and also visited Phuket. He hated it, said it was dirty, trash everywhere, and polluted.

Phuket has become somewhere that I would never recommend a friend visit. There are much better beach destinations in Thailand, why was your time in a tourist trap.

You came in 1992 and loved it, hated it 10 years later due to all the changes - maybe you would be suprised another 10 yrs later!

[andreandre]

Tourism meeting addresses future of Phuket

Naraporn Tuarob

Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak (left) with Governor Maitree Intusut.

PHUKET: A meeting was held yesterday (June 13) at Kata Beach Resort and Spa with the Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak, Governor Maitree Intusut, the Senate Tourism Committee led by its president, Phuket senator Thanyarat Achariyachai, and local officials and businesspeople.

In a speech, Mr Somsak talked about the many problems Phuket is currently facing, raising concern about the safety of the tourists, and the decay of tourist attractions on the island.

“The problem is that we now have a great number of tourists coming to Phuket, so this leads to more traffic, degradation of tourists attractions and facilities, and land encroachment, especially in public areas,” said Mr Somsak.

“These are problems that we have heard about for years, and keep talking about – but when will they be solved?”

Sarayuth Mallam, vice-chairman of the Phuket Tourist Association, said, “If we look at the problems, I can say that the black taxi problem is less than 5 per cent, but as bad news always gets more attention than good news, it creates a bad image of Phuket.

“For the beach chair problem, many tourists’ lives were actually saved by those businesses, since their employees are around to help tourists in trouble. But again, the actions of a few bad apples leads to negative coverage in the news.

“If Phuket was a special economic area, and could look after itself, like Mae-Sot or Samui, I think we could solve more than 50 per cent of the problems.

On the beaches, Mr Sarayuth said, “During January and February, our beaches will be clean, but what the senators saw the other day – dirty beaches full with garbage – is because it is now rainy season.

“We cannot get rid of it all in one day. People who make a living from the beach try their best, but it is too much for them to clean up.

“Another problem is that we have people from other provinces coming to Phuket to earn a living, but these people don’t have any sense of belonging, of wanting to look after their hometown.

“If they think Phuket can’t help them to have a better life, they just move to another place”.

President of the Kata Group and Phuket FC Chairman Pamuke Achariyachai said, “Phuket must move forward. Law enforcement here has failed.

“We need to make Phuket’s beaches as beautiful as they were 3o years ago, or at least manage them better.

“Local leaders must not ignore the problems, you need to go and talk to [people working in tourism], educate them and tell them that we have to preserve Phuket for the next generation.”

On marine safety, Mr Somsak said: “The Phuket Marine Office have said their manpower is limited, so I have suggested to them perhaps outsourcing some tasks.”

Governor Maitree Intusut added that, “Boats should carry no more than their allowed capacity. I have also asked Royal Navy Region 3 and Marine Police to stand by all the time.”

Rangsiman Kingkaew, from the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, said, “We need to change the attitude of locals towards tourists. We need to think about what can we do to meet tourists’ needs, and make them feel like they want to come back.”

“We have seen how the demographic of tourists visiting Phuket has changed. The number of European tourists has decreased, and we have tourists from China and Russia replacing them.

“But even though they are coming in increasing numbers, is this a good thing? European tourists stay here for approximately 10 days, but Asians only spend five days in Phuket. For Europeans, we can sell them lunch and dinner, but Asians only have breakfast.

“Moreover, Chinese and Russians are opening and investing in their own businesses, so what is left for the locals? We are an international destination but lack international standards.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/tourism-meeting-addresses-future-of-phuket-40138.php

-- Phuket News 2013-06-14

Blah,blah, blah same old thing..talk , talk , but never any follow up action...the tea money rules, and things can never change for the better whilst the "leaders" are snorting the gravy train......

[Thai at Heart]

Hi end tourism don't go to Phuket. They go to Miami, Caribean island, Hawaii, etc. High end tourists don'deal and haggeling with tuk tuk drivers. In Hawaii they can sit for 20$ in a Stretch Limo, from air port to Waikiki.

Yes they do, quite a few high end resorts on the island.

I agree, there are some high end resorts here, but the people who go to them, rarely venture outside of the resort itself, because they know the BS that is awaiting them outside the front gate.

All the money is spent inside the resort. Hardly good for local businesses.

If the local businesses were high end high end tourists would frequent them.

Millionaires aren't renowned for sipping on a leo playing connect 4.

[khunPer]

How come, the authorities wish millions of more tourists coming to Thai destinations, when at the same time complain: »Mass tourism market blamed for degradation of Phuket.«

So they are looking for “high-end tourists” or so-called “quality tourists”. I don't think they are coming with budget airlines and packed charter flights, that's mass tourism. High-end tourists may wish other kind of service level, than Phuket offers now, and real high-end tourist wish privacy and may not mingle with the “mass tourists”. Changing that, will be a major change of Phuket and lots of people looking for another kind of business, than running overpriced 80-baht diners, jet-ski scams and rude taxi companies – probably parts of the night life may also become out of business.

[NamKangMan]

Hi end tourism don't go to Phuket. They go to Miami, Caribean island, Hawaii, etc. High end tourists don'deal and haggeling with tuk tuk drivers. In Hawaii they can sit for 20$ in a Stretch Limo, from air port to Waikiki.

Yes they do, quite a few high end resorts on the island.

I agree, there are some high end resorts here, but the people who go to them, rarely venture outside of the resort itself, because they know the BS that is awaiting them outside the front gate.

All the money is spent inside the resort. Hardly good for local businesses.

If the local businesses were high end high end tourists would frequent them.

Millionaires aren't renowned for sipping on a leo playing connect 4.

That's what I mean. The resort is high end - what's outside the resort is not. So, high end tourists will not spend any money in local businesses.

Also, some of these high end resorts are owned by multinational companies, so profits leave Thailand and go offshore.

Add to that, simple things like the high end tourist has a New Zealand or Australian imported steak for dinner, and washes it down with a bottle of French or Italian wine, and all that is left is some tax profits for Bangkok and some employment for Phuket locals.

Hardly enough to keep Phuket local businesses profitable with sustainable tourism.

[NamKangMan]

Tourism meeting addresses future of Phuket

Naraporn Tuarob

Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak (left) with Governor Maitree Intusut.

PHUKET: A meeting was held yesterday (June 13) at Kata Beach Resort and Spa with the Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak, Governor Maitree Intusut, the Senate Tourism Committee led by its president, Phuket senator Thanyarat Achariyachai, and local officials and businesspeople.

In a speech, Mr Somsak talked about the many problems Phuket is currently facing, raising concern about the safety of the tourists, and the decay of tourist attractions on the island.

“The problem is that we now have a great number of tourists coming to Phuket, so this leads to more traffic, degradation of tourists attractions and facilities, and land encroachment, especially in public areas,” said Mr Somsak.

“These are problems that we have heard about for years, and keep talking about – but when will they be solved?”

Sarayuth Mallam, vice-chairman of the Phuket Tourist Association, said, “If we look at the problems, I can say that the black taxi problem is less than 5 per cent, but as bad news always gets more attention than good news, it creates a bad image of Phuket.

“For the beach chair problem, many tourists’ lives were actually saved by those businesses, since their employees are around to help tourists in trouble. But again, the actions of a few bad apples leads to negative coverage in the news.

“If Phuket was a special economic area, and could look after itself, like Mae-Sot or Samui, I think we could solve more than 50 per cent of the problems.

On the beaches, Mr Sarayuth said, “During January and February, our beaches will be clean, but what the senators saw the other day – dirty beaches full with garbage – is because it is now rainy season.

“We cannot get rid of it all in one day. People who make a living from the beach try their best, but it is too much for them to clean up.

“Another problem is that we have people from other provinces coming to Phuket to earn a living, but these people don’t have any sense of belonging, of wanting to look after their hometown.

“If they think Phuket can’t help them to have a better life, they just move to another place”.

President of the Kata Group and Phuket FC Chairman Pamuke Achariyachai said, “Phuket must move forward. Law enforcement here has failed.

“We need to make Phuket’s beaches as beautiful as they were 3o years ago, or at least manage them better.

“Local leaders must not ignore the problems, you need to go and talk to [people working in tourism], educate them and tell them that we have to preserve Phuket for the next generation.”

On marine safety, Mr Somsak said: “The Phuket Marine Office have said their manpower is limited, so I have suggested to them perhaps outsourcing some tasks.”

Governor Maitree Intusut added that, “Boats should carry no more than their allowed capacity. I have also asked Royal Navy Region 3 and Marine Police to stand by all the time.”

Rangsiman Kingkaew, from the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, said, “We need to change the attitude of locals towards tourists. We need to think about what can we do to meet tourists’ needs, and make them feel like they want to come back.”

“We have seen how the demographic of tourists visiting Phuket has changed. The number of European tourists has decreased, and we have tourists from China and Russia replacing them.

“But even though they are coming in increasing numbers, is this a good thing? European tourists stay here for approximately 10 days, but Asians only spend five days in Phuket. For Europeans, we can sell them lunch and dinner, but Asians only have breakfast.

“Moreover, Chinese and Russians are opening and investing in their own businesses, so what is left for the locals? We are an international destination but lack international standards.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/tourism-meeting-addresses-future-of-phuket-40138.php

-- Phuket News 2013-06-14

Blah,blah, blah same old thing..talk , talk , but never any follow up action...the tea money rules, and things can never change for the better whilst the "leaders" are snorting the gravy train......

As more beer bars, small guest houses, restaurants etc etc close down, or their lease ends with no renewal, there will be less monthly "tea money" to collect.

You reap what you sew.

[madmitch]

Don't forget that a number of Thai "Elite" families own or have stakes in high end hotels; as do many politicians!

So these people have a vested interest in trying to attract the richer tourists who will spend most of their time and money inside their five-star resorts.

And do these guys care about the small business owners who would suffer as a result of these changes? Of course not. This is Thailand, where the rich get richer and the rest remain firmly in their place.

[tomacht8]

It is always bad when the target market is not clear.
In recent years, beautiful high end resorts and condos were built with high walls around it.
Now there is a high vacancy rate.
So where are the quality tourists now?, willing to pay $ 300 - $1000 and more per night?
Misjudgment of the market situation?

For Phuket it is too late to gain well-paying guests.
Too many problems, too many interests, urban sprawl nature, garbage problems, traffic problems, fraud problems, double pricing,
security issues, jet ski, taxi, tuk tuk problems, crime problems, too much bad news, etc.

Better is to concentrate on these three tourist groups:

Party travelers:
Open more beer, girly and gogo bars, massage palours, build more shorttime Hotels and organize parties every night until sunrise.

Longstay pensioners:
simplification of visa rules, build cheap apartments and simple houses for rent, build large supermarkets.

Breakfast only travelers:
As described in the article, they can continue to riding around the Chinese, Russian and Indian tour travelers on the busses.

That is Phuket today und will be Phuket tomorrow.

Edited June 14, 2013 by tomacht8

[JetsetBkk]

The seminar was designed to gather invested parties, government agencies and members of the private sector to barnstorm solutions to the plethora of issues highlighted by the committee, explained Phuket Senator Tunyaratt Achariyachai.

"barnstorm solutions"??? At first I thought this was a typo - should've been "brainstorm solutions".

But actually, the Gazette is right:

barn·storm

1. To travel around the countryside making political speeches, giving lectures, or presenting theatrical performances.

An excellent "performance" from all concerned.

[Felt 35]

“If we look at the problems, I can say that the black taxi problem is less than 5 per cent, but as bad news always gets more attention than good news, it creates a bad image of Phuket.

“For the beach chair problem, many tourists’ lives were actually saved by those businesses, since their employees are around to help tourists in trouble. But again, the actions of a few bad apples leads to negative coverage in the news.

“If Phuket was a special economic area, and could look after itself, like Mae-Sot or Samui, I think we could solve more than 50 per cent of the problems.

On the beaches, Mr Sarayuth said, “During January and February, our beaches will be clean, but what the senators saw the other day – dirty beaches full with garbage – is because it is now rainy season.

“We cannot get rid of it all in one day. People who make a living from the beach try their best, but it is too much for them to clean up.

Seems to be no problems here only 5% mafia and rainy season. Halleluja, they had been better of using the money the meetings cost to employ a few more police.

[britpop]

ah, that old chestnut, take billions of baht in through taxes and revenue, land deals, tourism, but pay nothing out on the upkeep of the place!!!!!!, when will these people ever learn not to point the finger at others and point it back at themselves, no idea, no infrastructure, corruption on a epidemic scale,it'll only get worse before it gets better

[NamKangMan]

ah, that old chestnut, take billions of baht in through taxes and revenue, land deals, tourism, but pay nothing out on the upkeep of the place!!!!!!, when will these people ever learn not to point the finger at others and point it back at themselves, no idea, no infrastructure, corruption on a epidemic scale,it'll only get worse before it gets better

Of course it will get worse, but as long as you continue to do nothing about the issues, other than make a press release stating all the problems have been fixed, the tourists will come back. Right? :)

[bunuel]

[Exactly!

Anyone who knows anything about global tourism is well aware that mass tourism has become much

maligned around the world, with plenty of case histories from Spain, Mexico etc, which prove that that an invasion of more foreigners who pay less is a recipe for disaster.

That is, anyone except for the Thai minister of tourism, who is killing the long term value of destinations like Phuket and Pattaya with short sighted promotion of LOSO Mass Tourism in those places,

quote name=stevenl" post="6505751" timestamp="1371180320]"The Minister rattled off a list of issues caused by the increase in numbers, which included inadequate public utilities; traffic congestion in urban areas; over development; beach encroachment; wastewater issues; tourist security issues; inadequate guides and difficulties in uniting concerned parties."

All true IMO. But at the same time TAT will be proudly presenting higher tourist numbers.

[jocko]

Once upon a time there was a place called Phuket everything was fine until tourists moved in and corrupted the locals ???????????????????.

[charmonman]

Mass tourism has degraded the whole country, not just Phuket. Were it not for my personal connections here I would kiss Thailand goodbye and never come back. There were 3 million tourists per year in 1987; 24 million per year now - it is simply too much.

"High quality" tourists in my definition are not necessarily those who spend more, but those who have an attitude of respect for the country they are visiting. Too many who come here now lack that, including many who have plenty of money.

[stevenl]

Once upon a time there was a place called Phuket everything was fine until tourists moved in and corrupted the locals ???????????????????.

None of this has been said or implicated in the OP.

[andreandre]

Once upon a time there was a place called Phuket everything was fine until tourists moved in and corrupted the locals ???????????????????.

None of this has been said or implicated in the OP.

The way i read it is..''tongue in cheek"

When a statement is "tongue in cheek" it is ironic, slyly humorous; it is not meant to be taken seriously, however its sarcasm is subtle.

[stevenl]

Once upon a time there was a place called Phuket everything was fine until tourists moved in and corrupted the locals ???????????????????.

None of this has been said or implicated in the OP.

The way i read it is..''tongue in cheek"

When a statement is "tongue in cheek" it is ironic, slyly humorous; it is not meant to be taken seriously, however its sarcasm is subtle.

A tongue in cheek comment would require a tongue in cheek. And even with those comments there is quite often a serious undertone.

Unfortunately in this thread there are quite a few remarks made, similar to the one I reacted to, which are also interpreting the OP in a way that is simply incorrect.

[LivinginKata]

Post removed - no need to bicker about meaning of 'tongue in cheek'

[Tywais]

Post commenting on moderation removed.

[jocko]

I thought once upon a time would do it.

Tongue in cheek was my intention as in many previous posts over the years the powers that be like to blame somebody else so it might as well be us we have no input apart from this forum and they dont read it.

[andreandre]

I thought once upon a time would do it.

Tongue in cheek was my intention as in many previous posts over the years the powers that be like to blame somebody else so it might as well be us we have no input apart from this forum and they dont read it.

Not to worry mate..you dont need to explain.....i would say that the vast majority of readers understood that you were speaking as i noted it as ''tongue in cheek''..

Keep it up..we need a bit more joviality on this site..