TAT: Thai tourism will quickly rebound following govt's statement on Koh Tao murder

[stickyrice2000]

I am glad that this news can make me laugh. LOL

[thhMan]

All Thailand needs now is ebola to catch on... then I would love to see how the TAT handle that.

TAT's statement clearly defines what it thinks of the murders... an inconvenience to tourism

[waynethor]

Do all the Thai apologist (who, by the way, have been very thin in numbers over the last year or so) STILL reckon tourism is only 6% of the GDP here!? Huh? Really? Only 6% with the daily cries for help?

Must hurt to be so wrong. Hopefully people will not too quickly forget this last year or so when they have a couple of good days in a row and put their rose-coloured shades on again.

I've heard as high as 10% but I think that's still playing down the importance of tourism to Thailand.

Maybe it's not the direct tourism revenue that's the most important, though. There's another sub-industry of Isaan women marrying unsuspecting farang and getting them to build houses for them. Without the sad-sack farang husband's original visit to Thailand as a tourist, he never would have been available to be used.

I'm joking, of course, but I wonder how many houses in Thailand have been built as a fairly direct result of farang marrying Thai women.

[Smurkster]

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All Thailand needs now is ebola to catch on... then I would love to see how the TAT handle that.

TAT's statement clearly defines what it thinks of the murders... an inconvenience to tourism

Very sad for sure....two brutal murders and a "well it's just a little bump in the road" attitude..

[Carl64]

NEWSFLASH

The rest of the world sees a massive decline in tourism on the back of the tasteless nonsense that comes out of the mouth of the TAT!

[yellowboat]

This sort of reporting is on par with the China Daily of 20 years ago.

[ChrisY1]

why are they so confident? perhaps they should take steps into seeing this kind of thing doesnt happen again

Well they have taken steps to prevent this happening again.....they've asked the locals on Koh Toa to help protect tourists......!!

Thai logic in action.

[Gutterboy]

I think I want to try some of the drugs that TAT management seems to be on.

"Just swallow this little pill and everything will be wonderful. All your problems will go away."

I didn't read any of the Thai news over the weekend, so have I missed something about an important advancement in the Koh Tao murder case that has actually redeemed the Thai police from looking only like incompetent fools?

No you haven't.

[sunshine51]

All Thailand needs now is ebola to catch on... then I would love to see how the TAT handle that.

TAT's statement clearly defines what it thinks of the murders... an inconvenience to tourism

Oddly enough the Haj pilgrimmage to Mecca starts on Oct. 5.

Ebola has reared it's ugly head in Saudi to more than the 2 deaths

reported on the BBC a couple weeks ago. The Saudi health authorities

are crapping in their thobes as to solving the problem in light of Haj

starting soon so the pilgrims don't carry it back to their home countries.

Southern Thai Muslims are regular Haj participants.....theoretically

ebola could be here next month...something to think about.

[mrtoad]

Not a very well thought out announcement, but typical of TAT.

[larsjohnsson]

It's really sad and terrible that it's only about money and tourism. They don't care about the two dead people or their families at all

[SteveFong]

why is there not a boycott?

[seajae]

tats head is buried firmly in the sand or up someones ****, how can these idiots think this is going to go away just because they say something. We have all seen how thai justice works, if the killers family is wealthy they will never be caught or get off on a technicality as we have seen time and time again(red bull, ministers son, under age female driver etc, etc), far too many to list them all. All this does is enshrine the incompetence of thai policing/justice to the rest of the world, when there are murders here constantly its a bit much to think people will think they are safe here thern you have all the mafia and bus drivers to worry about as well. TAT are really sticking both feet in their mouths.

[orientalsf]

Catch them and we will be grateful .

But don't we will stay away

Thailand and its people will always be a great people. Shit happens. Yes it's bad that these two people have been killed, but show me one country in this world that does not have this type of behavior. No matter where you go, bad things can happen. Tell me where in the western countries, a young woman will walk around after 1or 2 in the morning in a bikini and not be harassed. I will bet Fred Flintstone has never even been to Thailand.

[ScotBkk]

Why in God's name are they still so concerned about Tourism figures when these last 2 youngsters who came one holiday to a sun-kissed Thai island and are not even buried yet!!

What a loada - TAT !!!!!

They should stick these statements on the UK Travel Brochures .... Travel light ... even lighter still on your way back ......

[dieseldave1951]

Khun Aranyik of TAT; would you be so flippant, uncaring, inhuman, degrading and downright pathetic in the name of statistics had your daughter just been raped and murdered? How do you people sleep at night! You're a disgrace to the good, caring Thais out there.

this man is a tackless &lt;deleted&gt; in charge of what is a uncaring money making machine

does he really think even IF they catch the real culprits or frame some one IE ( shot dead while trying to escape) to try to pacify the tourist trade its going to bounce back in a matter of a few seasons

i dont think so !!!!

[dieseldave1951]

Khun Aranyik of TAT; would you be so flippant, uncaring, inhuman, degrading and downright pathetic in the name of statistics had your daughter just been raped and murdered? How do you people sleep at night! You're a disgrace to the good, caring Thais out there.

this man is a tackless <deleted> in charge of what is a uncaring money making machine

does he really think even IF they catch the real culprits or frame some one IE ( shot dead while trying to escape) to try to pacify the tourist trade its going to bounce back in a matter of a few seasons

i dont think so !!!!

this man is a tackless TAT in charge of what is a uncaring money making machine

does he really think even IF they catch the real culprits or frame some one IE ( shot dead while trying to escape) to try to pacify the tourist trade its going to bounce back in a matter of a few seasons

i dont think so !!!

[ScotBkk]

All Thailand needs now is ebola to catch on... then I would love to see how the TAT handle that.

TAT's statement clearly defines what it thinks of the murders... an inconvenience to tourism

Oddly enough the Haj pilgrimmage to Mecca starts on Oct. 5.

Ebola has reared it's ugly head in Saudi to more than the 2 deaths

reported on the BBC a couple weeks ago. The Saudi health authorities

are crapping in their thobes as to solving the problem in light of Haj

starting soon so the pilgrims don't carry it back to their home countries.

Southern Thai Muslims are regular Haj participants.....theoretically

ebola could be here next month...something to think about.

Wanted to reply to your post but thought better not in light of the current troubles around the world ...............

[Noi657]

why is there not a boycott?

If people were to boycott the island, I bet the "gangsta/mafioso" would be caught within 24 hours!

Hit these &lt;deleted&gt; in the pocket and someone will talk!

[Thai at Heart]

Does anyone work for a newspaper ever wonder if their stories make any sense before they print them?

Why is a statement going to have a miraculous effect?

[kotsak]

TIT for TAT

[wabothai]

Don't they get it at TAT that they make themselves more ridiculous by the day.

They become the amusing laughing stock to all foreign people and may be some Thai in Thailand.

Thailand would be better off without them. They enhance thai bashing.

[animatic]

They have to say something to make it APPEAR ok.

That is their job, that they are desperate to keep, so say something, anything.

If it praises the government, so much the better.

That their boss can see what looks like damage control to his eyes is the goal.

That WE see it as claptrap is not as important as his boss sees him doing something.

[Strangebrew]

TAT's new Promo Come to Thailand enjoy your vacation get murdered and we will have media circus and Top knotch police will be on duty protect there bribe money. Because In Thailand Only Farang's Murder people not Thai's.

[dieseldave1951]

Khun Aranyik of TAT; would you be so flippant, uncaring, inhuman, degrading and downright pathetic in the name of statistics had your daughter just been raped and murdered? How do you people sleep at night! You're a disgrace to the good, caring Thais out there.

this man is a tackless <deleted> in charge of what is a uncaring money making machine

does he really think even IF they catch the real culprits or frame some one IE ( shot dead while trying to escape) to try to pacify the tourist trade its going to bounce back in a matter of a few seasons

i dont think so !!!!

[axact]

Khun Aranyik of TAT; would you be so flippant, uncaring, inhuman, degrading and downright pathetic in the name of statistics had your daughter just been raped and murdered? How do you people sleep at night! You're a disgrace to the good, caring Thais out there.

If his was the only voice saying these things then I would agree with you but this is the line of thought of a larger number of Thais.

"Who cares what the TAT or that buffoon say? The bottom line is that if you're a tourist, there's a chance you can be murdered on an island in Thailand" Quote Falangjim.

Surely that makes it more exciting, should appeal to the real adrenaline travellers

[draftvader]

The most entertaining bit about this is that the only papers that are going to try and make news out of this little press release are the tabloids. The news that the Mail, Mirror and Sun will make out of this will not please TAT one bit. I am genuinely shocked that the Thai Embassy in London was not briefed first. If they were then they are employing buffoons there too....much like our British Embassy in Thailand.....oh well........

Much like the beloved Asian team Man Utd with a half time score of 1-3.....somehow they have everything and manage to throw it all away time and again

[Greg Nixon]

If you are only paying 300 THB/day , it should be easy to hire a few locals to mind the beaches. And where were the police. I have noticed the police worldwidevare very good at mopping up after a crime but poor at preventing and solving cases.

[Wat dee]

Catch them and we will be grateful .

But don't we will stay away

Are You sure about that? People have real short memory...Sick sht happens every where.

Old news already, except for Thailand and UK.

[draftvader]

Catch them and we will be grateful .

But don't we will stay away

Are You sure about that? People have real short memory...Sick sht happens every where.

Old news already, except for Thailand and UK.

Not so sure. 3 weeks ago a child-hood friend stopped by our place in Pak Kret on the way back from a family holiday in Koh Tao and Koh Phan Ngan. They had a wonderful time and enjoyed the freedom that their 2 girls (6 and 11, blonde, blue eyes, etc) enjoyed. I haven't asked them yet but I doubt they'll be bringing them back in a hurry. Shame for Thailand, they are both lawyers (high quality tourists) and have holidayed in Thailand many times over the past 15 years (in fact they got married on KPN). Then consider her brother (another close friend). He and his partner (6'2" blond, leggy) holiday each year in Thailand. 5* hotels, suites, business class flights, etc, etc. Maybe they'll make that trip to Malaysia next time?

Just 2 of my keenest "Thailand fan" friends and their families.....high quality tourists, exactly what TAT want....bye bye!

For me, it doesn't change anything. We live in Pak Kret and our life-style is very different to our tourist friends. We continue to feel very safe in our day to day lives and know how to step outside the tourist areas and still enjoy this delightful country. Different worlds for different people.