Scams, accidents in Thailand scare away foreign tourists

[nigelnigel]

At least, Russia acts.

Have you ever seen a Western government doing anything of importance to protect their citizens in Thailand?

I think because Russia is quite unique here: they are relatively close and they send a lot of their tourists in organized groups. They are always together with origins usually starting in Pattaya > Bkk> River Kwai > Phuket, etc.

Since they organize their travel in groups I think they have a bit more leverage with the tourism sector and they are also high profile. Now anything actually getting done here is a completely different idea.

[ricardofel]

It's about time tourists woke up to realize Thailand is nothing but a scam country. Thailand does not care about their own people so why would they care about tourists? Oh yeah...the tourist dollar. Idiot government officials!

[harada]

I think the Ruskies need to harden up and run the gauntlet like the rest of us

[laurentbkk]

Is this a joke? I can just imagine Boris the Blade sitting in Moskova one of the most dangerous cities in the world saying "I ain't going to Pattaya it's too scary"

Scam's? accidents?

Manchester London Paris Rome

come to Pattaya it feels like home :0)

have you been to Moscow before ? Been there 23 times and never been scared in the streets , I am more afraid to be in Paris or London or Milan.

[razer]

"In the first 10 months of this year, Thailand welcomed 791,755 Russian tourists or 5.72 per cent of 13.85 million visitor arrivals..."

Arrivals? This has to include people who are here just for a day or two on business, arrivals for an overnight stay to get a connecting flight AND people stopping over for a connecting flight. How many of these "arrivals" actually come to Thailand for a week or two as a tourist?

Tired of these numbers implying something more than they are.

[Carrerakiss]

At least, Russia acts.

Have you ever seen a Western government doing anything of importance to protect their citizens in Thailand?

Excepting the Australian Consul General in Phuket, no, I have not.

Now of course, the EX Australian Honorary Consul General in Phuket. No good deed goes unpunished.

[razer]

Tourists anywhere in the world are the most vulnerable people because they don't know how things are, how things work and assume their holiday will be safe and enjoyable. The Thai government failed. The governments of tourist victims failed. Sad. Karma ... very dark Karma.

[MK1]

It's about time tourists woke up to realize Thailand is nothing but a scam country. Thailand does not care about their own people so why would they care about tourists? Oh yeah...the tourist dollar. Idiot government officials!

Unlike another country, most likely your own, at least Thailand does it with a 'smile and Wai'

[Carrerakiss]

After decades of Westerners coming to Thailand, it takes the Russians to get something done....well done!

Nothing has been done yet. And I wouldn't get your hopes up.

[northernjohn]

" The laws are seldom enforced ", wow that's a new one.

Come On TAT and say it

isn't so, you know we believe you implicitly.

the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI)

Realistically do you think the Russian Mafias is going to allow them to do any thing to stop the flow of tourists to Thailand. They feed off of them as much as any other tourists or for that matter permanent residents of Thailand be they Thai or not.

[northernjohn]

"In the first 10 months of this year, Thailand welcomed 791,755 Russian tourists or 5.72 per cent of 13.85 million visitor arrivals..."

Arrivals? This has to include people who are here just for a day or two on business, arrivals for an overnight stay to get a connecting flight AND people stopping over for a connecting flight. How many of these "arrivals" actually come to Thailand for a week or two as a tourist?

Tired of these numbers implying something more than they are.

Get used to it. The reality is that the number of tourists is still going up.

Here in Chiang Mai there was many times you would have had a hard time believing it was low season there were so many tourists.

[brewsterbudgen]

Thailand has great beaches, fantastic food, friendly people, a good infrastructure compared to other developing countries and will continue to be one of the world's top tourist detinations. Is it perfect? Of course not, where is? Scams, accidents have always been a part of tourism and will continue to be so. If the 2004 tsunami and the 2010 political unrest didn't put tourists off, not much will.

[northernjohn]

It's about time tourists woke up to realize Thailand is nothing but a scam country. Thailand does not care about their own people so why would they care about tourists? Oh yeah...the tourist dollar. Idiot government officials!

Would strongly sugest you get out side the tourist areas.

the same can be said of many countries if all you do is hang around tourist areas,

[Prettygirl051469]

Open a gov police hot-line number to allow reporting of reckless driving or speeding taxi, bus, van driver. Enforce compliance of the traffic laws with real threats of punishment.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BlackArtemis]

At least, Russia acts.

Have you ever seen a Western government doing anything of importance to protect their citizens in Thailand?

My country, like many others, issue travel warnings and give information about this and let us make up our own minds if we want to come or not.

I don't feel that I need my government to step in and whine about conditions over here. If I felt in danger, scammed, or unhappy I would simply move away.

(Insert shrugging smiley that TV needs)

[charmonman]

If the Russians stop coming, they will simply be replaced by someone else. Nothing ever stops the tourism machine in this country.

[newermonkey]

Unfortunately you cant change the entire Thai populations faulty genetics.

[squarethecircle]

Is this a joke? I can just imagine Boris the Blade sitting in Moskova one of the most dangerous cities in the world saying "I ain't going to Pattaya it's too scary"

Scam's? accidents?

Manchester London Paris Rome

come to Pattaya it feels like home :0)

There's some truth in that. We saw numerous scams in action in Paris, including an attempted pickpocket. I had an attempt on me in Madrid. The guy in the room next to us in Rome lost his passport and wallet on that infamous bus route. Wife had her purse stolen in Lisbon. All over a 6 week holiday there.

The only difference in Europe is, for the most part, the police are honest super helpful. For the most part...

I've found at least 80% of Thai police honest, professional, and as helpful as could be. Some of their tactics seem "off" by Western standards, such as not properly securing crime scenes, and drinking on the shift with gun on the belt (!), but I have not encountered the bad seed police people often talk about. I get the impression the bad ones that are trying to scam you flock to tourist places like the two P's. I know a number of Thai cops in the rest of Thailand, Isaan, the far north, and the far south, and have had all positive experiences.

In fact they're (on-the-whole) friendlier and less power tripping than the local cops in my hometown back in Farangland. My experience anyways.

[FarangTalk]

If the Russians stop coming, they will simply be replaced by someone else. Nothing ever stops the tourism machine in this country.

Once the inevitable happens and the shackles are off, there could well be widespread civil conflict or even worse.

That will stop it dead in its tracks.

Sent from my SM-N900 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[newermonkey]

It's about time tourists woke up to realize Thailand is nothing but a scam country. Thailand does not care about their own people so why would they care about tourists? Oh yeah...the tourist dollar. Idiot government officials!

Would strongly sugest you get out side the tourist areas.

the same can be said of many countries if all you do is hang around tourist areas,

You are incorrect, its everywhere, especially in remote villages. I have been in Thailand for 30 years and in my own experience when a Farang drives or wanders (or is taken) into a typical Thai village the locals eyes pop they all are suddenly grinning like Cheshire cats shouting rudely "FALANG, FALANG" and the cheating begins, they have no pride or honor just selfish greed. (sorry to smash your rose tinted views)

"And for all you people who say I should get out of Thailand & go home, I personally say to you - Piss Off, I like it here despite the short falls.

Edited November 22, 2013 by newermonkey

[elzach]

I think the real "threat" would be if the Chinese travel industry does something like this.

[Benmart]

At least, Russia acts.

Have you ever seen a Western government doing anything of importance to protect their citizens in Thailand?

I like your post. Can you elaborate on what is "...anything of importance"? It may stimulate more discussion.

Thanks.

[casindonet]

RUTI are giving them till end of november to get their act together....instead of treating it as an urgent matter, the thais are only going to have a meeting on november 26. What do they expect to do with just 4 days before the day line? Request for a suspended sentence?

Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Benmart]

At least, Russia acts.

Have you ever seen a Western government doing anything of importance to protect their citizens in Thailand?

Its not the Russian Government it is the tourist association. More than likely didn't pay for the charters and hotel rooms, pocketed the money and now need a way out. Just cancel everything because of safety and then tell everyone no refund always read the fine print.

Can you provide your source or is this speculation reference the "More than likely didn't pay for the charters...".

[Benmart]

Is this a joke? I can just imagine Boris the Blade sitting in Moskova one of the most dangerous cities in the world saying "I ain't going to Pattaya it's too scary"

Scam's? accidents?

Manchester London Paris Rome

come to Pattaya it feels like home :0)

"Boris the Blade"? I wonder how Russian readers would interpret this moniker?

Mockba being a dangerous place may have some merit based on where in the city, when, what time, etc. I would guess it could be dangerous for those not aware ofmtheir surroundings or,not practicing personal safety skills in the big city.

Been the world over and the few problems I had were self initiated...Pattaya included.

[catweazle]

Someone remind them not to forget the jetski boys, the police, and the taxi drivers.

... and the TAT, tourism police, labour department, land registration officials and staff, tuk-tuk, mini van, lorry and songtaew drivers, Thai tour guides, security personnell, money transport drivers, shrimp farm offspring turbo pickup truck drivers, VIP bus drivers, electricians who install water heaters without connecting the green string or connecting it wrong, bag snatching and knife-stabbing "Wai Loons" on their illegal mopeds, drunk boat captains refilling gas while smoking and pumping the old engine oil out to sea, the reef destroying fishermen, the longtail mafiosis, so-called "Sea gypsies" who walk with their shoes on the reef, catching the last remaining reef fish breathing from a rubber hose, the ntional park rangers putting millions in their pockets doing absolutely nothing in return but making life harder for dive operators while helping the fishermen to empty the reefs that are closed for divers to "recover", the harbour masters, the "Mama Sans", the upper floor go-go bar operators (police), the copied items sellers, the land encroachers, the poachers, the rich kids who are allowed to go on shooting or road rage sprees without being ever held responsible for it, the mislead muslims in the south who try to bomb the south into their very own muslim desert stone age thingy and the politicians that allow it, respectively have bigger fish to frie, the idiots who feel that a temple sitting on the land of another country still is theirs, land encroachers and officials who blame it all on "foreign owners", and all the Thai nationalists who believe that a foreigner should simply be bled dry financially and then sent home to get more cash... and the many more who certainly will pop in my head while driving to town now... Ths crazy thing is - after writing all this I still love Thailand - must either be a serious state of denial, or the fact that corruption and wrongdoing are better hidden in western countries, or both

Edited November 22, 2013 by catweazle

[SICHONSTEVE]

These scams have been going on for over twenty years.

The first time I came here I was warned about the jewellery scam and many years later i decided to go and see what it was all about. I was led into a huge shop with a "one way lane". The only way I could get out was by passing all the counters , where I was met by smiling Thai people. I just smiled and said "no thanks.. too expensive."

As I neared the exit the smiles became fewer and fewer and they offered to take my credit card and so on.

Anyway what I mean to say is that these scams have been going on for years and years and they haven't frightened the tourists away yet. The government knows about these scams, many tourists know about them and avoid them.

No on cares or bothers to do anything about them.

This is just a show that will last a few days and then all will be "back to normal."

As for traffic safety, this requires a total upheaval of driving habits and will take years to implement and is also virtually impossible.

The road safety aspect is easy!! Just tell them to go by train..........oh, uh, that's not good, as they can't keep the trains on the tracks can they!! What about getting them to fly around Thailand? Erm...........they can't keep them on the runways!!

Just tell them not to come then and adjust the visitor figures downwards by about a million or so then.

[semaritual]

Thanks to Russian complaining and demanding a change and talk about to boycot sendind russian people to Thailand!!!!!!!!

The autoroties of this country anyway give a shit on any change: just bla bla bla as they all earn their pocket money with all the activities in tourism....but wont look after anything : just see the result of the sunken boat near Pattaya Islands.....

Shame on this!

[NoshowJones]

It's about time tourists woke up to realize Thailand is nothing but a scam country. Thailand does not care about their own people so why would they care about tourists? Oh yeah...the tourist dollar. Idiot government officials!

Would strongly sugest you get out side the tourist areas.

the same can be said of many countries if all you do is hang around tourist areas,

You are incorrect, its everywhere, especially in remote villages. I have been in Thailand for 30 years and in my own experience when a Farang drives or wanders (or is taken) into a typical Thai village the locals eyes pop they all are suddenly grinning like Cheshire cats shouting rudely "FALANG, FALANG" and the cheating begins, they have no pride or honor just selfish greed. (sorry to smash your rose tinted views)

"And for all you people who say I should get out of Thailand & go home, I personally say to you - Piss Off, I like it here despite the short falls.

The young guy in our village market overcharged me for a chicken breast, I told him expensive and walked away, that was about two years ago. I have tested him two or three times since then, and he still does it. he is so stupid he does not realise I can see through him, but on the whole, I find most Thais decent and honest, as I have had Thai stallholders running after me several times in the last eight years because I had forgotten my change. I do agree 100% with your last sentence though.

[monkeycountry]

"Thai officials are coordinating efforts"