Thai tourism may get Ebola-fear leg up

[NongKhaiKid]

#22.

I know exactly what you mean so by disassociating yourself from adverse comments about this tourist idea are you saying it's ok to use such a marketing ploy ?

In the same way that the Swiss attracted tourists during WWII by being a safe haven from war I see nothing wrong with Thailand being a safe haven from Ebola. If the world leaders have not figured out the advantage of a travel ban then let any country who has the sense to impose such a ban reap the rewards.

i can't go with your view or reasoning but you are entitled to your opinion.

[Thormaturge]

Perhaps the "disease" killing tourists on Koh Tao should be addressed first.

[thailiketoo]

#22.

I know exactly what you mean so by disassociating yourself from adverse comments about this tourist idea are you saying it's ok to use such a marketing ploy ?

In the same way that the Swiss attracted tourists during WWII by being a safe haven from war I see nothing wrong with Thailand being a safe haven from Ebola. If the world leaders have not figured out the advantage of a travel ban then let any country who has the sense to impose such a ban reap the rewards.

i can't go with your view or reasoning but you are entitled to your opinion.

What would you do? Have Thailand invite people infected with Ebola to come here? You have three choices. Invite them. Ban them. Or stick your head in the sand and pretend they do not exist. Which would you choose?

[thailiketoo]

Perhaps the "disease" killing tourists on Koh Tao should be addressed first.

Two tourists as opposed to 4000 dead from Ebola seems not comparable to me.

[coma]

Don't forget that Thailand has the 'cure' for Ebola. I feel safer knowing that and so must all the tourist.

[NongKhaiKid]

#22.

I know exactly what you mean so by disassociating yourself from adverse comments about this tourist idea are you saying it's ok to use such a marketing ploy ?

In the same way that the Swiss attracted tourists during WWII by being a safe haven from war I see nothing wrong with Thailand being a safe haven from Ebola. If the world leaders have not figured out the advantage of a travel ban then let any country who has the sense to impose such a ban reap the rewards.

i can't go with your view or reasoning but you are entitled to your opinion.

What would you do? Have Thailand invite people infected with Ebola to come here? You have three choices. Invite them. Ban them. Or stick your head in the sand and pretend they do not exist. Which would you choose?

Four - don't go over board with being Ebola free ( perhaps only for now ) so it's safe to come. Marketing like that should be left alone, in my opinion.

[inutil]

cough, human trafficking, cough.

Thailand has an incredibly porous border and . Im glad youre so confident since you get to live there. Hope the confidence shields you against ebola like a forcefield, because its just a matter of time and i really dont see Thailand having the sophistication or facilities to deal with it when it does. Dont worry though! they invented a cure!

[thailiketoo]

In the same way that the Swiss attracted tourists during WWII by being a safe haven from war I see nothing wrong with Thailand being a safe haven from Ebola. If the world leaders have not figured out the advantage of a travel ban then let any country who has the sense to impose such a ban reap the rewards.

i can't go with your view or reasoning but you are entitled to your opinion.

What would you do? Have Thailand invite people infected with Ebola to come here? You have three choices. Invite them. Ban them. Or stick your head in the sand and pretend they do not exist. Which would you choose?

Four - don't go over board with being Ebola free ( perhaps only for now ) so it's safe to come. Marketing like that should be left alone, in my opinion.

Don't go overboard being Ebola free? What do you work for the American CDC?

[thailiketoo]

cough, human trafficking, cough.

Thailand has an incredibly porous border and . Im glad youre so confident since you get to live there. Hope the confidence shields you against ebola like a forcefield, because its just a matter of time and i really dont see Thailand having the sophistication or facilities to deal with it when it does. Dont worry though! they invented a cure!

A big part of Ebola worry is starvation. That is not a problem in Thailand. Everyone has rice and can hole up for a month and eat rice. Do most Thais need electricity? No. I lived in Thailand 45 years ago and most did fine without refrigeration, AC and electric lights. Thailand is really not a very crowded country everyone can go home to the farm.

I have a walled and defended home and would not have a problem not leaving for a month.

I feel more confident of the leadership in Thailand than the States right now.

[inutil]

haha, your hubris will get you killed

[Carrerakiss]

Hope they don't spend too much money developing ads, booking ad slots etc, one case of Ebola and they're scuppered.

If people are really worried about Ebola, they'll stay at home. Who's to say that a person on your flight to Thailand didn't just connect from a flight from Africa?

But these are the times we live in, Thailand tourism is thrashing about like an animal snared in a net. Tourism is down so much that the usual excuses and BS just aren't cutting it. Hence ever greater outlandish statements.

Can't wait for tomorrow's announcement.....how are they going to trump this one!

[Carrerakiss]

cough, human trafficking, cough.

Thailand has an incredibly porous border and . Im glad youre so confident since you get to live there. Hope the confidence shields you against ebola like a forcefield, because its just a matter of time and i really dont see Thailand having the sophistication or facilities to deal with it when it does. Dont worry though! they invented a cure!

A big part of Ebola worry is starvation. That is not a problem in Thailand. Everyone has rice and can hole up for a month and eat rice. Do most Thais need electricity? No. I lived in Thailand 45 years ago and most did fine without refrigeration, AC and electric lights. Thailand is really not a very crowded country everyone can go home to the farm.

I have a walled and defended home and would not have a problem not leaving for a month.

I feel more confident of the leadership in Thailand than the States right now.

45 years ago Thais could live without electricity. The new generation of Thais.....not so much.

Hope you've got a well in that walled compound of yours, no electricity probably means the government water will get cut off too.

[Johpa]

whenever you think it's can't get more ridiculous-TAT or one of their fellows come up with even more.....

Indeed a new low has been established, and that is not an easy accomplishment.

[Lannig]

OMG... that's a new low really, these people have no shame indeed.

Yeah, not many Africans travel to Thailand, possibly because this is one of the most prejudiced societies against them in the world, bar apartheid-times South Africa.

I mean, there are many things I love about Thais and Thailand but the outspoken racism against black people is something I really hate.

Only African Americans seem to be (hardly) tolerated here, provided they come with a thick dollar-filled wallet.

It won't take that long until they have their first case anyway, like any country in this world except the completely closed ones.

How about this miracle cure anyway? no news of this since it was trumpeted on the media here. Just another burst of BS?

Have you ever been to Soi Africa? Lots of Africans in Bangkok.

Well, actually no I haven't and I didn't know about this place. I don't spend much time in BKK when I'm here. I haven't seen a single African anywhere upcountry. Last time I've seen any would probably be during one of my few occasions staying in Pattaya...

From what you're saying, it would seem they're in kind of a ghetto anyway, which tends go comfort my opinion on how Thais consider Africans. Well, just hearing what I've heard over my years here is enough to forge it anyway.

[willyumiii]

Come to beautiful Thailand!

Exchange bodily fluids..

With no worries of Ebola!

( Yet )

But you will probably contract....

( don't mention HIV! )

Oh...yeah, sorry!

Come to beautiful Thailand!!!!

Edited October 20, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize bold font reset to normal.

[ParadiseLost]

This reminds me of the popular Cambodia tourism ads from their 2006 campaign:

"Come to lovely Cambodia, where you don't get killed by tsunamis"...

[kamahele]

The silver lining in Ebola? Is the US and Europe really seeing a decline in visitors because 1 person in Spain (a nurse treating a person infected in Africa) and 3 in Dallas (one from Africa and two nurses who didn't follow proper procedures) got Ebola? I don't think so. Would love a vacation in Hawaii right now or in London, or NYC to see some shows etc.

[animatic]

Let's see.

One dead from Ebola in Dallas out of 320 millions in USA

So let's compare if British should go there or Koh Tao.

2 viscously killed out of 2,200 people,

two more foreigners waiting to be stitched up for it.

More people have 'fallen' out of Pattaya condos than died of Ebola in "the west"....

[thailiketoo]

OMG... that's a new low really, these people have no shame indeed.

Yeah, not many Africans travel to Thailand, possibly because this is one of the most prejudiced societies against them in the world, bar apartheid-times South Africa.

I mean, there are many things I love about Thais and Thailand but the outspoken racism against black people is something I really hate.

Only African Americans seem to be (hardly) tolerated here, provided they come with a thick dollar-filled wallet.

It won't take that long until they have their first case anyway, like any country in this world except the completely closed ones.

How about this miracle cure anyway? no news of this since it was trumpeted on the media here. Just another burst of BS?

Have you ever been to Soi Africa? Lots of Africans in Bangkok.

Well, actually no I haven't and I didn't know about this place. I don't spend much time in BKK when I'm here. I haven't seen a single African anywhere upcountry. Last time I've seen any would probably be during one of my few occasions staying in Pattaya...

From what you're saying, it would seem they're in kind of a ghetto anyway, which tends go comfort my opinion on how Thais consider Africans. Well, just hearing what I've heard over my years here is enough to forge it anyway.

How many Africans in Thailand? 50,000 or close to that. Just my opinion may be only 10,000.

But certainly in the thousands not not hundreds and they have access to all of Thailand as many are native English speaking teachers.

[banagan]

Classy! Outdone themselves this time.

[EnglishJohn]

Not quite as low as the directive to solve the island murders because it might hurt tourism - but a good effort !. They don't seem to realise that the open Thai obsession with getting as much money as possible out of farang is one of the negative reasons people have about coming here.

[razer]

Will Rogers … “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”

Why do these people in Thai tourism keep peeing on the electric fence?

[thesetat2013]

You have to laugh out loud at this new TAT announcement,

He said a lot of tourists would avoid travelling to the US, Europe, and Africa for fear of getting infecting with the deadly disease shaking the global travel industry. "Without [any recorded cases of] Ebola here, it is a good time to encourage tourists into the country," Ittirit said.

I thought Ebola had not reached the UK and USA yet? So how can they make this claim?

Well! I guess if TAT says it then it has to be accurate Heheee!

[ChrisY1]

Is there no limit to the depths Thailand will go to make a few baht?.... I mean come on, thousands are dying and there is a real threat that this could go global on a wide scale and all this bunch can think about is how to exploit it for money.

They seem to think Thailand is the only country free of ebola, what about the other 190?

Welcome to ebola-free Thailand and catch AIDS.

There are no other countries apart from Thailand......

The ethics of soi dogs!!

[NVass]

I fear it won't be long before it comes to Thailand

If ebola does reach Thailand i will be very worried. Given the US had trouble containing a single patient, what hope does thailand stand with its organisation skills!

[IAMSOBAD]

No No No...do any people in this country have any common sense?

Next they will invite ISIS for R and R.

[thailiketoo]

You have to laugh out loud at this new TAT announcement,

He said a lot of tourists would avoid travelling to the US, Europe, and Africa for fear of getting infecting with the deadly disease shaking the global travel industry. "Without [any recorded cases of] Ebola here, it is a good time to encourage tourists into the country," Ittirit said.

I thought Ebola had not reached the UK and USA yet? So how can they make this claim?

Well! I guess if TAT says it then it has to be accurate Heheee!

USA has Ebola not the UK.

[draftvader]

Who wants to explain "vector" to Thailand? When I think of disease "vector" maps the word "hub" springs up time and again. When you plot these as a heat map they look REALLY HOT!

Anybody who follows my posts will know that I rarely "insult" our hosts. This one has me coming very close.

Time to employ a foreign company to consult. Even more pertinent will be that it will be time to listen too. Could be the wisest use of your cash!

[sunshine51]

"Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, suggested that Thai hotels and travel operators consider promoting the Kingdom as an Ebola-free destination."

Just wait until the Haj is finished & Thai Muslims return...then we'll see how EHV free LOS really

is. Then again...considering people get murdered on once idyllic little islands a lot lately I guess

TAT is pulling out all the stops. Either that or they're all on some serious ear medicine.

[animatic]

You have to laugh out loud at this new TAT announcement,

He said a lot of tourists would avoid travelling to the US, Europe, and Africa for fear of getting infecting with the deadly disease shaking the global travel industry. "Without [any recorded cases of] Ebola here, it is a good time to encourage tourists into the country," Ittirit said.

I thought Ebola had not reached the UK and USA yet? So how can they make this claim?

Well! I guess if TAT says it then it has to be accurate Heheee!

USA has Ebola not the UK.

In USA:

There is one dead, who had traveled from Africa after direct contact with victim.

And two nurses infected by him, but doing well in USA. Caught in time it appears.

There are also two missionaries who were brought back after starting treatment in Africa,

And we're cured and have been donating their blood with anti-bodies to help with cures.

In Europe:

There are localized cases in Spain and Germany, but not UK.

Both cases from people traveling from Africa of course.

Vectors will happen, Thailand does have a transient west African population

for the same reasons the Europeans and North Americans come, opportunities and fun.

It will undoubtedly happen in Thailand, if the world governments do not,

apply serious money, organization and disciplined forces into west Africa ASAP.

NOW. So it does't reach true pandemic proportions around the new year.

The moral deficiency that would allow this minister to even propose this plan,

Buggers, not beggars credulity. But TIT, almost nothing shocks after a decade here,

Yet this does.

Edited October 20, 2014 by animatic