Russian tourism group threatens Thailand boycott

[Jackson86]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Jackson86

[jimbeam1]

Meeting on 26 November. Don't they realise only 30 day's in November.

jb1

[Filipplenoir]

Don't be exited too much too fast.

Russia is as corrupt as thailand. Russians earning millions on other Russians coming to Thailand will never abandon their pet project. This is all a pretend game- Russians pretend to be angry, Thais pretend to improve things. As much as it is impossible for Russians to abandon thailand it is equally impossible for Thais to improve things. You know, guys, you live here.

Have you driven in Thailand recently? It is a mad house. Even if you hire a good driver ( are there any?) the other drivers are still on a suicide mission. If they buy new boats then Thailand will not be a cheap destination any more.

Additionally knowing my compatriots I can tell you that cheap vacations can't ever deter them, even if they are dangerous. Remember Egypt? Even when all the other farang were gone, Russians stayed. They would go even now, but the tours are cancelled.

So? What's the moral of the story- if you want quality roads, quality busses, quality boats, quality staff then go to St.Tropez

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[SantiSuk]

People in glass aeroplanes should not throw stones!

[Filipplenoir]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

And sex tourism falls under which one?

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Nickymaster]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

and corruption

[Nickymaster]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

And sex tourism falls under which one?

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Wild guess...tourism?

[Jackson86]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

And sex tourism falls under which one?

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Haha that's a grey area. I don't think any country shows sex tourism as part of its gdp. Measuring it is already difficult.

[Filipplenoir]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

And sex tourism falls under which one?

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Haha that's a grey area. I don't think any country shows sex tourism as part of its gdp. Measuring it is already difficult.

I think tourism, agriculture and sex are all interconnected. Many tourists come for sex, and many sex workers are from agricultural ares....so they either do not participate in the harvesting of crops (because they are engaged in sex) or are sending money back home to support them when the harvest are few. After all single /old men don't come to Thailand for the beaches

[forumuser10]

Russians complains about safety!?!? We all know about Russian safety, and quality.

[Filipplenoir]

Russians complains about safety!?!? We all know about Russian safety, and quality.

true, Russian safety is not American safety....and yet...when Russians see 3 people on a motorcycle no helmets, newborn in hands chatting in Line driving against the traffic flow-even crazy Russians think that it is INSANE

[Filipplenoir]

Russians complains about safety!?!? We all know about Russian safety, and quality.

true, Russian safety is not American safety....and yet...when Russians see 3 people on a motorcycle no helmets, newborn in hands chatting in Line driving against the traffic flow-even crazy Russians think that it is INSANE

[Jackson86]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

And sex tourism falls under which one?

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Haha that's a grey area. I don't think any country shows sex tourism as part of its gdp. Measuring it is already difficult.

I think tourism, agriculture and sex are all interconnected. Many tourists come for sex, and many sex workers are from agricultural ares....so they either do not participate in the harvesting of crops (because they are engaged in sex) or are sending money back home to support them when the harvest are few. After all single /old men don't come to Thailand for the beaches

Haha. I guess I have to upset u. I go thailand is just to have a different life experience, see different things and enjoy slow pace society. Women I'm not so into that coz of my ethics. I do like thai women but I do not bully them anyhow.

[Filipplenoir]

Well there are exceptions. I generalize and exaggerate as well

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Jackson86]

Thailand is my most visited destination. Every trip there is a new experience for me. I feel I have an affinity with thailand and its people. I even wanted to learn their language just to bring myself closer to let them understand me more. Thailand is too nice for me.

[lostmebike]

Thailand is my most visited destination. Every trip there is a new experience for me. I feel I have an affinity with thailand and its people. I even wanted to learn their language just to bring myself closer to let them understand me more. Thailand is too nice for me.

Sounds like you got the bug! That's how I started out, couldn't get enough of the place.

1 failed marriage later, I see it for what it really is now.

[Jackson86]

Thailand is my most visited destination. Every trip there is a new experience for me. I feel I have an affinity with thailand and its people. I even wanted to learn their language just to bring myself closer to let them understand me more. Thailand is too nice for me.

Sounds like you got the bug! That's how I started out, couldn't get enough of the place.

1 failed marriage later, I see it for what it really is now.

Haha maybe I got the bug. U had a failed marriage with thai woman before?

[Gandtee]

I think a lot of the prejudiced comments against Russian tourists/residents in Thailand; and the hope that they will carry out their boycott threat, are in part based on, and supported by, the number of criminal activities they seem to be involved in here. This coupled with an unfortunate propensity to be aggressive when drunk, and that they are not exactly big-spenders - re-stocking their room fridges from the supermarket etc. does tend to influence attitudes against them.

Actually not the kind of tourist any country would want - I would have thought.

Are these the tourists who will have to pay bt.500 on entry? A better class of tourist? Leave them alone. It is their turn to colonise Thailand's tourist industry.

[waza]

I think thailand depends mostly on agriculture, manufacturing and maybe tourism.

And sex tourism falls under which one?

Отправлено из моего iPad используя Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Wild guess...tourism?

It comes under the service industry, the largest sector in the Thai economy and the only one with a happy ending

[bunuel]

As someone who has written extensively about tourism development around the world for American industry publications, I think the key issue here is mass tourism.

Mass tourism is a very demanding and potentially very destructive business anywhere in the world, and it makes no difference if the tourists are Russian, Swedish, British or American or whatever - the equation is the same. If a country does not have the infrastructure for mass tourism, the country would be well advised to focus on what is called special interest travel. Mass tourism is synonymous with more people paying less, while special interest travel is fewer people paying more. i had the opportunity to advise some states in Northeastern Brazil on sustainable tourism development in the 1990'S and the experience was very educational. At that time, the primary markets for Northeastern Brazil were Argentines coming for sun n' sand, and Europeans coming for sex. This was not by plan - this region had great beaches, lots of sun, and lots of girls willing to be accommodating to foreign men. For the girls, the incentive was simple enough - in one night with one man, a girl could make as much as any man in the family could make in a month. Unfortunately, for public health reasons, this was not desirable, so I was tasked by the state governments to find other things for tourists to do, It wash't that difficult - there were many natural tourist attractions, and positive cultural activities that foreigners were willing to pay to learn - fishing, dancing , cooking, trekking etc. There were also Brazilians capable of serving as tour guides. Eventually, we built up a niche market for these activities, which provided both employment and income for locals.

The mass tourists were not a target, since they were not interested. However, the authorities who approved hotel construction were at least smart enough to build hotels for the sun n' sand crowd outside of crowded urban areas. This was a no brainer, since cities like Salvador, Maceio, Joao Pessoa and others in the Northeast have the highest murder rate in Brazil - higher than Rio, in fact. These authorities understood you cannot have mass tourism in urban areas. Likewise, they understood that the different groups of tourists did not mingle well together, and that you cannot mix Germans, Italians, French and Argentines, without problems. Therefore, like tourism authorities around the world, they designated certain areas for certain nationalities. They know that some people get along, and some don't.

I realize this sounds boring, but it is a fact of life in tourism industries around the world. Rule#1 is that you cannot have bad things happening to your guests - it is not a question of blame, but rather avoiding the situations which leads to the bad things. Any savvy traveler will know what I am talking about - the best way to get out of trouble is not to get into it.

The only area in Thailand with the infrastructure for mass tourism is Phuket. Tour operators sending charter groups to other areas like Pattaya are being completely irresponsible, since the tourists are like chum for the sharks. I applaud the Russian tourist organization for their very legitimate complaints, but they need to understand that changing a country's motor vehicle culture takes a long time, even with the best of intentions.

If they want to have safe, happy tourists, send them to Vietnam , Hainan, or Bali. Send the special interest travelers to Thailand!

This is the kind of positive action that more countries should be willing to take to protect their people. The threat of a HUGE percentage of their tourist market being warned off by their country's government.

I have lived here for 6 years and this stuff is every day. You work your life around it and eventually find yourself well away from it in a lovely piece of normal Thailand. You work your transportation options around it as best you can, etc. The problem is that the average tourist is being led and everybody is looking for a margin so you end up with 30 people being driven on a bus by somebody's "cousin" who turns out to be a dim-witted drug abusing f-tard with zero common-sense....but he was cheap!

Until TAT understands its true raison d'etre these problems will continue and Thailand will see the revenue streams from tourism continuing their steady marginalisation. This year alone we have had incidents with tourists including:

Train crashes
Bus crashes
Plane crashes
Political unrest including roads seized next to THE biggest tourist ghetto
Drugged tourists
Robbed tourists
Murdered tourists
Scammed tourists
Oil slicks
Flooding
and so many more that I can't be bothered to research right now that have all made news outside of the Kingdom.

It is not a pretty picture and people ARE wising up. Time will come when Thailand will start asking the question "where did the money go?". By then this will be too late. The normal people of Thailand should be aware of how important tourism is to this country not just for the obvious "heads in beds" equation but also people experiencing the country and deciding this is the life of them, moving their money and starting new businesses. Visitors to the kingdom are NOT 1 dimensional.

Very well said...

Bravo for Russia. Although nothing will change, it is about time a foreign government questioning tourist/foreigners safety here in Thailand and actually threatening to take action. The thing about the Russians is that they address problems and find solutions and don't sit about crying and bitching. It is too bad that the Brits, Australian, US, Swedes, Indian, etc; do not get the same comfort or support of a government that actually gives a shit. I have no issues with the Russian or Chinese tourists but I hope there is a boycott or at least a decrease in tourism from both countries to Thailand. Perhaps the loss in revenue will open some eyes, doubtful though. If, the Thai government did not represent Thailand as not being a third world country but developed in their eyes, one would have only minimal complaints. I do live here, I do complain and no I'm not leaving for home. No, I don't sit about with foreign buddies all day and night drinking beer and complaining about the country and life then sit down and post as I sadly realize that I have nothing more constructive. Honestly, I stay fairly positive in regards to Thailand except for when I read Thai Visa posts.

[MJP]

As someone who has written extensively about tourism development around the world for American industry publications, I think the key issue here is mass tourism.

Mass tourism is a very demanding and potentially very destructive business anywhere in the world, and it makes no difference if the tourists are Russian, Swedish, British or American or whatever - the equation is the same. If a country does not have the infrastructure for mass tourism, the country would be well advised to focus on what is called special interest travel. Mass tourism is synonymous with more people paying less, while special interest travel is fewer people paying more. i had the opportunity to advise some states in Northeastern Brazil on sustainable tourism development in the 1990'S and the experience was very educational. At that time, the primary markets for Northeastern Brazil were Argentines coming for sun n' sand, and Europeans coming for sex. This was not by plan - this region had great beaches, lots of sun, and lots of girls willing to be accommodating to foreign men. For the girls, the incentive was simple enough - in one night with one man, a girl could make as much as any man in the family could make in a month. Unfortunately, for public health reasons, this was not desirable, so I was tasked by the state governments to find other things for tourists to do, It wash't that difficult - there were many natural tourist attractions, and positive cultural activities that foreigners were willing to pay to learn - fishing, dancing , cooking, trekking etc. There were also Brazilians capable of serving as tour guides. Eventually, we built up a niche market for these activities, which provided both employment and income for locals.

The mass tourists were not a target, since they were not interested. However, the authorities who approved hotel construction were at least smart enough to build hotels for the sun n' sand crowd outside of crowded urban areas. This was a no brainer, since cities like Salvador, Maceio, Joao Pessoa and others in the Northeast have the highest murder rate in Brazil - higher than Rio, in fact. These authorities understood you cannot have mass tourism in urban areas. Likewise, they understood that the different groups of tourists did not mingle well together, and that you cannot mix Germans, Italians, French and Argentines, without problems. Therefore, like tourism authorities around the world, they designated certain areas for certain nationalities. They know that some people get along, and some don't.

I realize this sounds boring, but it is a fact of life in tourism industries around the world. Rule#1 is that you cannot have bad things happening to your guests - it is not a question of blame, but rather avoiding the situations which leads to the bad things. Any savvy traveler will know what I am talking about - the best way to get out of trouble is not to get into it.

The only area in Thailand with the infrastructure for mass tourism is Phuket. Tour operators sending charter groups to other areas like Pattaya are being completely irresponsible, since the tourists are like chum for the sharks. I applaud the Russian tourist organization for their very legitimate complaints, but they need to understand that changing a country's motor vehicle culture takes a long time, even with the best of intentions.

If they want to have safe, happy tourists, send them to Vietnam , Hainan, or Bali. Send the special interest travelers to Thailand!

This is the kind of positive action that more countries should be willing to take to protect their people. The threat of a HUGE percentage of their tourist market being warned off by their country's government.

I have lived here for 6 years and this stuff is every day. You work your life around it and eventually find yourself well away from it in a lovely piece of normal Thailand. You work your transportation options around it as best you can, etc. The problem is that the average tourist is being led and everybody is looking for a margin so you end up with 30 people being driven on a bus by somebody's "cousin" who turns out to be a dim-witted drug abusing f-tard with zero common-sense....but he was cheap!

Until TAT understands its true raison d'etre these problems will continue and Thailand will see the revenue streams from tourism continuing their steady marginalisation. This year alone we have had incidents with tourists including:

Train crashes

Bus crashes

Plane crashes

Political unrest including roads seized next to THE biggest tourist ghetto

Drugged tourists

Robbed tourists

Murdered tourists

Scammed tourists

Oil slicks

Flooding

and so many more that I can't be bothered to research right now that have all made news outside of the Kingdom.

It is not a pretty picture and people ARE wising up. Time will come when Thailand will start asking the question "where did the money go?". By then this will be too late. The normal people of Thailand should be aware of how important tourism is to this country not just for the obvious "heads in beds" equation but also people experiencing the country and deciding this is the life of them, moving their money and starting new businesses. Visitors to the kingdom are NOT 1 dimensional.

Very well said...

Bravo for Russia. Although nothing will change, it is about time a foreign government questioning tourist/foreigners safety here in Thailand and actually threatening to take action. The thing about the Russians is that they address problems and find solutions and don't sit about crying and bitching. It is too bad that the Brits, Australian, US, Swedes, Indian, etc; do not get the same comfort or support of a government that actually gives a shit. I have no issues with the Russian or Chinese tourists but I hope there is a boycott or at least a decrease in tourism from both countries to Thailand. Perhaps the loss in revenue will open some eyes, doubtful though. If, the Thai government did not represent Thailand as not being a third world country but developed in their eyes, one would have only minimal complaints. I do live here, I do complain and no I'm not leaving for home. No, I don't sit about with foreign buddies all day and night drinking beer and complaining about the country and life then sit down and post as I sadly realize that I have nothing more constructive. Honestly, I stay fairly positive in regards to Thailand except for when I read Thai Visa posts.

Why can't I have a job like yours? Interesting stuff and good for you!

[wolf5370]

This is the kind of positive action that more countries should be willing to take to protect their people. The threat of a HUGE percentage of their tourist market being warned off by their country's government.

I have lived here for 6 years and this stuff is every day. You work your life around it and eventually find yourself well away from it in a lovely piece of normal Thailand. You work your transportation options around it as best you can, etc. The problem is that the average tourist is being led and everybody is looking for a margin so you end up with 30 people being driven on a bus by somebody's "cousin" who turns out to be a dim-witted drug abusing f-tard with zero common-sense....but he was cheap!

Until TAT understands its true raison d'etre these problems will continue and Thailand will see the revenue streams from tourism continuing their steady marginalisation. This year alone we have had incidents with tourists including:

Train crashes

Bus crashes

Plane crashes

Political unrest including roads seized next to THE biggest tourist ghetto

Drugged tourists

Robbed tourists

Murdered tourists

Scammed tourists

Oil slicks

Flooding

and so many more that I can't be bothered to research right now that have all made news outside of the Kingdom.

It is not a pretty picture and people ARE wising up. Time will come when Thailand will start asking the question "where did the money go?". By then this will be too late. The normal people of Thailand should be aware of how important tourism is to this country not just for the obvious "heads in beds" equation but also people experiencing the country and deciding this is the life of them, moving their money and starting new businesses. Visitors to the kingdom are NOT 1 dimensional.

You missed out: sexually abused tourists, kidnapped tourists, tourists assaulted with metal flag poles.

Cap this off with: those found guilty are fined 500 baht and/or banned from driving illegal cabs (which being illegal they are banned from driving in the first place anyway).

A statement will be put out of a crackdown on companies allowing drivers to drive too long without rest; which will appease the Russians; and all will continue as always. Maybe a Phuket Russian tour company will be closed down for employing unlicensed tour drivers - just to "prove" the point.

[beowolf2012]

if they make the boucot of thailand then the rest of us there are tourist can use a atm mashine without to lose money there go be taken from

people's bank account....

[cheshiremusicman]

This is the kind of positive action that more countries should be willing to take to protect their people. The threat of a HUGE percentage of their tourist market being warned off by their country's government.

I have lived here for 6 years and this stuff is every day. You work your life around it and eventually find yourself well away from it in a lovely piece of normal Thailand. You work your transportation options around it as best you can, etc. The problem is that the average tourist is being led and everybody is looking for a margin so you end up with 30 people being driven on a bus by somebody's "cousin" who turns out to be a dim-witted drug abusing f-tard with zero common-sense....but he was cheap!

Until TAT understands its true raison d'etre these problems will continue and Thailand will see the revenue streams from tourism continuing their steady marginalisation. This year alone we have had incidents with tourists including:

Train crashes

Bus crashes

Plane crashes

Political unrest including roads seized next to THE biggest tourist ghetto

Drugged tourists

Robbed tourists

Murdered tourists

Scammed tourists

Oil slicks

Flooding

and so many more that I can't be bothered to research right now that have all made news outside of the Kingdom.

It is not a pretty picture and people ARE wising up. Time will come when Thailand will start asking the question "where did the money go?". By then this will be too late. The normal people of Thailand should be aware of how important tourism is to this country not just for the obvious "heads in beds" equation but also people experiencing the country and deciding this is the life of them, moving their money and starting new businesses. Visitors to the kingdom are NOT 1 dimensional.

Does 'falling off balconies', come under 'murder' or should we add that as well?

[The Blot]

Please, please, dear Russians, do boycott Thailand.

The Blot totally agree...

[rainwater]

oh well it seems a good majority of Thaivisa readers are happy about Russians leaving Thailand ... but just to remind you , you also are foreigners in Thailand ,like them. This daily Russian bashing is very annoying , specially from people who think to be so superior than others.

As any other tourists groups , they point a lack in safety and they are right ... Other countries should do the same ....

As a westerner and someone who has lived in Thailand full time for 7 years, I find opinions of Russian tourists will vary depending on how many times you've been assaulted or abused by these people here on holiday. Leave us face it, Thailand does not attract the most high class tourists, and especial the Russians that come to Pattaya. No one is arguing the safety issue and yes it's a valid point, it's just the way these people behave lacking courtesy and their egotistical selfish mind set, and overbearing herd mentality. I've met a few of them alone or with 1 friend and they can be friendly enjoyable people to be around, but for the most part they are oblivious to others and often obnoxious rude and very disrespectful. And yes there are a few other tourist groups that are just as bad or worse...I can think of one group in particular that come from a very hot area of the world. Just my "objective" observations from personal experience living here the last few years...

Edited November 28, 2013 by rainwater

[metisdead]

Posts containing Russian language have been removed. English is the only acceptable language, except within the Thai language forum, where of course using Thai is allowed.

Other posts containing overly derogatory comments have been removed as well.

[soomak]

c. Russian roads and road safety won't even compare to Thai. They are a long way worse.

Russians demanding road/transport safety from anyone sound comical. Or even cynical as it comes up a few day after a Boeing crash in Kazan.

Read a few posts above yours.

The road in safety in Russia (# of road traffic casualties) is more than twice better than in Thailand, although it's still worse than any western country.

[soomak]

Limp threat.

The Russians will keep coming.

What are their alternatives ?

They want their cake and to eat it.

Turkey, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Egypt (Red Sea - although right now it's not safe as well), Italy, Bulgaria, etc

Not sure if there are suitable alternatives in SEA area though - maybe Cambodia?

[TheReporter]

The so called highways in Thailand are some fo the most dagnerous ones in the world by both design and lack of enforcement. In fact, the police is one of the greatest threat to the road safety in Thailand, as they can set up check point anywhere without any warning sign that would allow motorists to slow down. As I was driving from Bangkok to Udon Thani during midnight, I saw what I thought was a person crossing the road with a flashlight. There were two cars ahead of me and we were all traveling at about the rate of the speed limit on the highway (110-120km). Suddenly, they came to a sreetchy hault forcing the rest of us behind to do the same. One big tractor trailer was not able to stop and we went off the road in an effort to avoid colliding with the cars ahead of it and tipped over its load. I then noticed that the person with the flashlight was a police officer who just stood in the middle of the highway with a flashlight waving at cars or trucks that he wanted to stop. There was no flares or warning lights like the fixed check-points where you could at least see from a distance that there is a police check point ahead. I wonder if there is a record with the Ministry of Transportation to show the number of accidents caused by police officers in Thailand. If such record does exist, I bet the number is quite substantial. Another great safety hazard to motorists is the U-Turns that all highways are designed with, excluding the U-turn overpasses. Those U-Turn in the middle of the highways are so dangerous and a serious design flaw that no one seems to take notice. These U-Turns have killed thousands of motorists and many more are being killed as I am writing my comments and no one in Thailand care to do anything about it. As far as I am concerned, the U-Turns in the middle of the road should all be closed off to motorists by having the median of the highways completed divided with physical barriers that neither pedestrian or any motorists can cross over it; especially where it is populated and heavy traffic. Overpass U-Turns should be built as many as possible to accommodate the flows of traffic. The police should be banned from just standing in the middle of the road with a flashlight and forcing vehicles to stop like what I have described above. All police check points should have warning system to slow traffic down, in order to avoid sudden stop, which will cause serious accidents.