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

[Krataiboy]

A statement in the Thai tradition of best possible taste.

[Just1Voice]

Thai tourism already has some hang up problems, if they don't actually solve this case, and hang the bastards who did it, the tourism will go downhill even more, people already feeling like Thailand is not a safe place to vacation to, with topics like high rape cases, unsolved, many International gangs working here to fleece the unsuspecting tourist, drugs, drugs, drugs everywhere, now vicious couples murder, goes unsolved on beautiful Koh Tao tourist haven.

Thailand better solve this case, and for real, not just getting some dumb pasties to plead guilty to something and do a couple years in prison, then getting paid off for the copping of crime.

Solve this crime, maybe save tourism, don't solve it, well you see what I am talking about here!!!

Thai police don't even know where the blue diamond has gone.

You expect them to close these 2 murder cases?

Thai police don't even know where the blue diamond has gone.

I wouldn't be too sure about them not knowing where the blue diamond went. And those in the know have either been paid off handsomely to keep their mouths shut, or permanently silenced by one means or another.

[almafudd]

How many of these posters actually live, work and or have anything to do with this targeted beach area???? If nothing.... the shut the f#%&@ up and let the authorities finish the job their way which could include various media releases as an investigative tool. If some of you poster mouth pieces don't even live in LOS then you just mind your own d@#% business where you live.

finish their job

TIT

[yougivemebaby]

TAT obviously dont read or listen to the World OUTSIDE of thailand ......idiots to say the least

is there another world?

Fantasy world

[Runamile]

The saddest part of TAT's statement is that they may, actually, believe it.

Thais have an unshakeable belief that Thais and Thailand are the world's best; and that tourists share those unshakeable beliefs.

Thais are not well-travelled people and don't try to be. That includes the highest echelons of the tourist industry and, in all probability, Government, too. Do they have the comparatives? Do they try to have the comparatives? In simple terms how many have, for instance, seen the white sugar sand beaches of Anguilla? Why bother? Thai is best.

That arrogance will be Thailand's downfall.

Equally, though, there's an issue, that happens to us all, that isn't in any way wilful. Thailand has changed dramatically, but how many notice that when they're living in the country, with that change proceeding incrementally, little-by -little, day-by-day. It's just like us trying to assess the decorations in our home. The outsider could say, immediately, "that wall could do with a lick of paint". We just hadn't noticed.

Which is exactly the point with TAT. It needs to be more professional. In needs to do proper competitor analysis, including using a bit of foot leather to do it. It needs outsiders at the highest levels of its management.

[waynethor]

Thai tourism already has some hang up problems, if they don't actually solve this case, and hang the bastards who did it, the tourism will go downhill even more, people already feeling like Thailand is not a safe place to vacation to, with topics like high rape cases, unsolved, many International gangs working here to fleece the unsuspecting tourist, drugs, drugs, drugs everywhere, now vicious couples murder, goes unsolved on beautiful Koh Tao tourist haven.

Thailand better solve this case, and for real, not just getting some dumb pasties to plead guilty to something and do a couple years in prison, then getting paid off for the copping of crime.

Solve this crime, maybe save tourism, don't solve it, well you see what I am talking about here!!!

It will be "solved" eventually, but I'm afraid that many people will not believe that they've got the actual murderer. The police and government have shown the high level of their desperation to get this wrapped up and had better be able to offer the public some rock-solid proof. The problem is, I don't know if any "proof" will be believable because it can all be tampered with and false confessions obtained through force or payment.

If they had taken a professional approach to the investigation and done things like preventing travel to and from the island right away instead of putting most of their resources into trying to prove it was one of the Brits, they could maybe have credibility, but as it stands, most people are pretty certain that the murderers are long gone.

Just outta curiosity...Do RTP know the time of death from forensics? Forget when the bodies were discovered,

the time of death from forensics is a crucial piece of evidence. Next...What time did the RTP supposedly "seal off"

the island? This is also crucial. Not being a cop I would say that if more than 30 minutes between ToD & island

lock down had transpired....the perp or perps could be anywhere.

I don't remember the exact time of discovery but think it was early morning. It was very likely before the ferry and boat services started for the day, so they probably had a real possibility of actually containing everybody on the island, unless the guy(s) had their own get away boat.

[jpeg]

TAT, pls make Thailand a bikini free country to lower crime and boost tourism.

Note to the two numpties who 'liked' this post. This poster was not being ironic

[Robespiere]

This nation and its entrenched establishment seem to think reality doesn't apply to them.

If they say something then it must be true, despite all the facts and evidence to the contrary.

They have collectively embarked on a doomed mission.

Reality (mostly economics) will usher in a return to democracy in the near future.

[santa1000]

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Thailand

Tourism is a major economic factor in the Kingdom of Thailand, directly contributing an estimated 7.3% to Thailand's GDP in 2012. When including the indirect effects of tourism, it accounted for 16.7% of Thailand's GDP.

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.

[Maejo Man]

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.

Even the Prime Minister on Thai television the other night said that tourism is very important to Thailand as it represents over 10% of the GDP

[mcfester]

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

Past experience after numerous other unsolved murders tourism always bounces back.

[Prbkk]

PR 101: when faced with something really dreadful don't pretend it's nothing and everything will be fine. These people at TAT NEVER learn from their mistakes. Bad taste at best.

[thailiketoo]

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

Past experience after numerous other unsolved murders tourism always bounces back.

What really effects tourism? Ebola and loosing airlines. Given that countries in the area have lost whole airlines with all the passengers it makes a couple of murders (bad of course) seem rather a small concern when compared to 239 people presumed murdered and the whole thing (covered up?) lost. Or blown up (298 people).

A friend of mine was in the international airport in Malaysia and said he was almost alone. Now that is an effect. Busy airport to 0 tourists in the airport. So has anyone been to Suvarnabhumi lately? Is it empty of tourists?

Thailand loses 2 people and Malaysia loses 537 and ebola is eventually going to kill how many?

Kinda puts the whole thing in perspective. I realize reality is not very popular but........get real.

[jimbeam1]

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

And risk losing all that free advertising.

I can't help thinking that all these statements that are coming out are a big pi55 take.

jb1

[perdido]

TAT obviously dont read or listen to the World OUTSIDE of thailand ......idiots to say the least

no point in calling people 'idiots'-this attribution is a reflection of 'what goes on in your mind', as the late Lou Reed used to sing.....

[kinmaew]

confirmed therefore.... they are good at putting equations together. Until the culprit is actually caught they can forget about their miserable baht.

[tonypace02]

London: "Thankfully, they do solve most murders. Yet there are currently around 1,000 cases, some dating back more than a century, which remain unsolved."

www.dailystar.co.uk › News › Latest News

Las Vegas:

"Las Vegas police currently have more than 1,000 cold case homicides dating back to 1943."

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/crime-courts/las-vegas-police-losing-grant-review-cold-cases

According to the the logic expressed in these pages there should be virtually no tourists going to either London or Las Vegas these days. I have been living in Thailand for over six years and each month has seen the death in one form or another of at least one farang. But they still keep coming, and they will continue to keep coming. It is not killing that keeps people away. That happens only to other people. It's prices. They happen to everybody.

[ratcatcher]

Catch them and we will be grateful .

But don't we will stay away

i dont think tourism will be effected in the long term . murders happen everywhere not exclusive to Koh Tao the type of people go there will either just see at as part of the adventure of going to a crazy small island or just taking up the cheapest diving in Thailand and perhaps most anywhere else. Sadly these things blow over quickly.

I had an experience, obviously (not with the same ending fortunately) in KPG many years ago . I was having sex with a hot Australian girl on a deserted stretch of beach day time. The sea behind me and a 4 or 5 meter sand wall cliff in-front . we kept hearing movement in the long grass on to of the cliff. and paused our love making to look up on several occasions we just saw the grass move a little then everything went quiet and we carried on, on the 3rd or 4th occassion we looked up and saw a man staring at us wearing one of them spooky full face fishing balaclavas they wear. It spooked us right out and we ended up running into the shallow sea with lots of sharp coral and flagged down a passing longtail boat...I could tell you all about a dozen other ( close shave )moments there which involved death threats by people with machettes or watching a friend stabbed after reacting to being ripped off etc . The point to this story is despite horrors or close shaves a day or 2 later the whole event goes down as just another story which enhanced the travel experience. never did i consider not coming back and the story of wild times probably fuelled more poeple i told them to more eager to visit.

"I was having sex with a hot Australian girl on a deserted stretch of beach...."

Epic stuff!

[ratcatcher]

TAT, pls make Thailand a bikini free country to lower crime and boost tourism.

Thailand was a bikini free country prior to the WW!!, notwithstanding the fact that at that time Bikini was merely a tiny atoll and not a breast enhancement

However for the record it was another military man who previously ordered a cover up.

http://thaiwomantalks.com/2011/05/01/toplessness-in-thai-culture-the-mammary-truth/

[ScotBkk]

Catch them and we will be grateful .

But don't we will stay away

i dont think tourism will be effected in the long term . murders happen everywhere not exclusive to Koh Tao the type of people go there will either just see at as part of the adventure of going to a crazy small island or just taking up the cheapest diving in Thailand and perhaps most anywhere else. Sadly these things blow over quickly.

I had an experience, obviously (not with the same ending fortunately) in KPG many years ago . I was having sex with a hot Australian girl on a deserted stretch of beach day time. The sea behind me and a 4 or 5 meter sand wall cliff in-front . we kept hearing movement in the long grass on to of the cliff. and paused our love making to look up on several occasions we just saw the grass move a little then everything went quiet and we carried on, on the 3rd or 4th occassion we looked up and saw a man staring at us wearing one of them spooky full face fishing balaclavas they wear. It spooked us right out and we ended up running into the shallow sea with lots of sharp coral and flagged down a passing longtail boat...I could tell you all about a dozen other ( close shave )moments there which involved death threats by people with machettes or watching a friend stabbed after reacting to being ripped off etc . The point to this story is despite horrors or close shaves a day or 2 later the whole event goes down as just another story which enhanced the travel experience. never did i consider not coming back and the story of wild times probably fuelled more poeple i told them to more eager to visit.

"I was having sex with a hot Australian girl on a deserted stretch of beach...."

Epic stuff!

........

Yes sounds great ......

You should write some Holiday Brochures on your personal experiences to entice some people from institutions like EXIT (group to Assist or encourage suicide) to visit places you HIGHLY recommend !!!

[realenglish1]

This is only wishful thinking on the part of TAT. Reality is if they do not catch these murderers then people will stay aware. Just because they made a statement that they are doing everything they can does not cut it for tourists. I just don't get the mind set other then they are trying to appears their superiors.

Its like saying

Hey we know there is a 95% chance the volcano will irrupt on the Island. And the lava will engulf the town. But hey don't worry we have an early warning system that tells you when to run for the hills.

[DrTuner]

Just to check I plugged "Thailand" into Google search. Wikipedia article, news of the murder and TAT page. The days of cover-ups and limited human memory are gone, this is what the people now see.

[draftvader]

Just to check I plugged "Thailand" into Google search. Wikipedia article, news of the murder and TAT page. The days of cover-ups and limited human memory are gone, this is what the people now see.

I see what you mean!!

[baboon]

Just to check I plugged "Thailand" into Google search. Wikipedia article, news of the murder and TAT page. The days of cover-ups and limited human memory are gone, this is what the people now see.

SSSHH! Quiet, or the next thing will be calls to ban Google!

[seajae]

maybe tat should talk to the police, the abc website has posted the following headline

"Koh Tao murders: Killing of British pair on Thailand beach will make travellers think twice, police say"

Looks like someone got it wrong.

[mok199]

yes but,it may never recover from that rediculous ''buy house get free wife'' add...

[Rimbuman]

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.

Yes a chance for who is alive, but a fact for the murdered couple.

[Rimbuman]

Just to check I plugged "Thailand" into Google search. Wikipedia article, news of the murder and TAT page. The days of cover-ups and limited human memory are gone, this is what the people now see.

I'll remember that.

[SteveFong]

Thai tourism already has some hang up problems, if they don't actually solve this case, and hang the bastards who did it, the tourism will go downhill even more, people already feeling like Thailand is not a safe place to vacation to, with topics like high rape cases, unsolved, many International gangs working here to fleece the unsuspecting tourist, drugs, drugs, drugs everywhere, now vicious couples murder, goes unsolved on beautiful Koh Tao tourist haven.

Thailand better solve this case, and for real, not just getting some dumb pasties to plead guilty to something and do a couple years in prison, then getting paid off for the copping of crime.

Solve this crime, maybe save tourism, don't solve it, well you see what I am talking about here!!!

It will be "solved" eventually, but I'm afraid that many people will not believe that they've got the actual murderer. The police and government have shown the high level of their desperation to get this wrapped up and had better be able to offer the public some rock-solid proof. The problem is, I don't know if any "proof" will be believable because it can all be tampered with and false confessions obtained through force or payment.

If they had taken a professional approach to the investigation and done things like preventing travel to and from the island right away instead of putting most of their resources into trying to prove it was one of the Brits, they could maybe have credibility, but as it stands, most people are pretty certain that the murderers are long gone.

the very first reporting was that the pers were immediately closed

[metisdead]

Posts containing derogatory comments, off topic and nonsense have been removed.