I liked that they listed one of the attractions of the northeast as access to border crossings out of Thailand.

I wonder where these quality tourists will visit in isaan?

Their newly acquired GF's family to purchase a house.. according to the story last week.

Isolated Juntas have longer histories in maintaining their control.

Maybe thats the "real agenda?"

*" Quality Tourists MMMMmmmm

Junta possible solutions?

"could later involve proof of Hotel reservation , or Travel plans that involve a resort , or not previously have stayed in Thailand on more than 5 occasions in any 3 year period-

They might exclude all those who have stayed in Pattaya unless with a spouse or in 4 star or higher rating.

They might require all embassies to issue please show Bank account proof of $20,000 USD

They might require all entering persons to purchase some universal Thai Card with a minimum of 100,000 baht per month (no refunds)

People need to remember its a Junta - they can do what they want -Rules don't apply - they can invent them.

Those who blindly trust them could in the future have their assets seized under some trumped up law violation .

Quality Tourist is code for ""hate Farang we only want buffalo big spender" ( who have no comment welcome -)

"Man with wife and three children" ( who is CEO or close to it -)

They strangely blame the sexpats for the down turn. *(disregarding their addiction adds up to massive amounts per decade)

And child like think they can choose the best kind of tourists and Bingo they will come?

Its so silly -

What I see is White Trash who seem to think they are the masters of the universe and have a given privilege to mess up a beautiful country.

so why Thai begs "the masters" (you called them that) to come here?

Go ahead, stop all tourist visas and show'em you can do without them! Damn right! Put your money where your mouth is.

BTW Thai are very good.... at messing up their country, need no help from anybody.

It is a beautiful Country, shame about a large majority of the locals are messing it up for everybody !

and as to every tom dick and harry keeping on about sex tourist, when i had my place in Spain there were some stunning russian/polish girls on many roundabouts by Torrevieca. just toot your horn and up would come their tops, Oh magic days. he he, yeah, the better half always gave me a bollockin !!

Does the close proximity to the Golden Triangle count as one of the natural resources?

there should be a train from pattaya to the north east

so you can visit the origins of sin city

farmers laying around selling their daughters to pattaya, for the good life in the hamac or in front of the tv, with the rest of the family

there should be a train from pattaya to the north east

so you can visit the origins of sin city

farmers laying around selling their daughters to pattaya, for the good life in the hamac or in front of the tv, with the rest of the family

Brings a new slant of Sex History Tourism I guess.

Its a singlularly better idea than anything TaT have come up with for 10 years.

Amazing Thailand, is calling to you,

Where golden dreams come true.........

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First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

But, you can still be an idiot with a posh accent.....................

Dear Nakajima,

I did not call them "masters", I'm only afraid this is their self-perception.

And of course, it's their money Thais are after if they have nothing else (like respect or good manners )

I would not invite people at my home if they have poor manners, no matter how much money they have, because I have morals and self respect. If it is true that tourists are just trash, then why begging for them?

regarding self perception: you are right I know Thai people would NEVER believe to be more than they are, I am being ironic of course (in case you cannot grasp it) we all know they make fools of themselves believing Thailand is best in the whole world at everything and anything.

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First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

But, you can still be an idiot with a posh accent.....................

Does not matter if you are an idiot, money is what counts!

My point was appearance is not much of a guide in the West, when not at work.

Type of car also not much of a clue, we just are not into Thai status signals!

Let's prioritise, a pleasant home in a good neighbourhood, good schools nearby and a comfortable life style, holiday abroad once a year; or a Benz and a shack! Up to your neck in debt and thinking , no knowing, people are fooled!

BTW, BKK was very quiet on Oct. 21 (09.00 am) and Oct. 29 (02.00 pm)

and as to every tom dick and harry keeping on about sex tourist, when i had my place in Spain there were some stunning russian/polish girls on many roundabouts by Torrevieca. just toot your horn and up would come their tops, Oh magic days. he he, yeah, the better half always gave me a bollockin !!

The good old N332 ? And many an Eastern European lady of the night got their heads caved in on that road too , I used to live near Moraira lovely part of Spain ?

LOS....Land of !!

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First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

But, you can still be an idiot with a posh accent.....................

he's not talking about accent you absolute donut. he's talking about having wide range of vocabulary. for example using formal words, and other type of sentence structures to communicate.

Do you have to be stupid to work for TAT or do you become stupid after working there for a while?

Hannah and David were quality tourists. Look what happened to them. Rest In Peace.

i think we went through this a few days back....if Thailand wants "quality:" tourists they need a quality product.....and as they've spent the last 2 decades shitting-in-their-own-nest, it seems unlikely that that is going to happen.

They just won't get it. Poor sods. Perhaps ignorance is the country's biggest problem.

No, you must combine that with stupidity and naivety to be truly successful...........I think they have it licked.

It takes little time to read someone's FACE . BUT it takes years to read his MIND. Humans are attracted to smiling faces . It is but NATURAL. If the face does match the mind, then we keep visiting. Otherwise.......we tend to flee and find new friends.

Just don't let anyone board a Thai Airways flight with a backpack as luggage.

Surely anyone who pays for a THAI ticket is exactly he sort of high spending, undiscerning tourist that TAT is looking for.

I was discussing this topic with my wife, Thai. Guess she has been with me too long as she wholly understood.

If you want a decent , good , hotel, at a reasonable price, then Thailand is excellent. That is for us normal middle class mortals, not high end.

Then you also have to put up with the filth outside the compound and the scams.

Great for us expats who know the ropes and can deal with the problems before they arise.

Good for back packers, but they are in constant danger due to their young naivete.

At least Pattaya makes no pretense, in your face; just as the night spots in Bangkok are.

Island paradise? In Thailand?

High end?

Well only if you never venture out.

We once, only once, spent a week at a highish end resort on Samui, hated it.

Too far from the action, too "nice", just unreal, not Thai. And the foreigners there thought they were in Thailand. My wife hated it more than me and we spent most of our time driving around and only slept there, a total waste of money.

Next time you are at the Chiang Mai airport terminal keep your eyes peeled for a sighting of the Bentley Mulsanne ,license plate no#1 awaiting arrivals for shuttle to the 7-star Mandarin Dhara Dhevi. Surely those being picked-up must be "quality" tourist.

Thailand has passed it's hayday. Same as in Europe: Popular tourist destinations were first Italy, then Spain, Greece, Turkey...Whichever offered the most for the smallest amount of money, respectively.

Thai don' t seem to understand that it is equally easy for a European to holiday anywhere else in the world. And once you've been in Thailand, once or twice, and the victim of various ripoffs (starting with taxis), the lack of languageskills, the general dishonesty, many people might well like to go elsewhere.

I unfortunately am forced to live here, but I always recommend people I know to better go somewhere else.

Nobody is forced to live anywhere. There are always choices. Some not so palatable agreed.

First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

How so? just by speaking?

Plenty of poor snobs in Britain.

Apparently Michael Caine always got a "larf" about being a cockney millionaire from the snobby Brits.

First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

How so? just by speaking?

Plenty of poor snobs in Britain.

Apparently Michael Caine always got a "larf" about being a cockney millionaire from the snobby Brits.

The way someone "speaks" isn't necessarily a way to judge whether someone has money or not, but it can often determine whether they have "class".

Spare a thought for those of us who run guesthouses and hotels, and are at the mercy of TAT's ludicrous policies and marketing strategies.

Over the past 10 years, my hotel customer base has exhibited a paradigm shift. It used to be 'western' (UK/USA/Australia/Canada/European) guests who didn't quibble over the room rate, cost of beers and meals. Now the majority of guests are mainland Chinese, Russians and Indians. Most of them are not such free-spenders, with the Chinese buying pot-noodles from 7/11, the Indians stealing all the coffee sachets (sorry but true), and the Russian guests arriving drunk and staying drunk through out their stay.

Of course, there are exceptions....

I didn't choose this type of guest - I would rather have easy-going Scandanavians and Ozzies, as I used to have.

That being said, the saying 'if you can't take the heat, then stay out of the kitchen' is very true. So even though many of my hotel guests are - let's say - 'loso', unlike TAT's declarations, I still consider them 'quality tourists', because they perfectly match the 'quality' that Thailand offers.

"Hotel'?????

Wealthy foreigners have been waiting in the wings for this invitation to come and spend their hard earned money in in the dust bowls of Isaan and have their wives and daughters gang raped and murdered by local mafiosi followed by obvious police cover-up operations. Go for it.

Apparently they can stay in some parts of England and get this for free by all reports.

A few years ago, Thaksin made a similar edict: the only tourists that are welcome will check-in, empty their wallets at Immigration , then take the next flight out without ever troubling to set foot on Thai soil.

The million smiles are on the faces of those whose hands are deep in a tourist's wallet.

First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

How so? just by speaking?

Plenty of poor snobs in Britain.

Apparently Michael Caine always got a "larf" about being a cockney millionaire from the snobby Brits.

The way someone "speaks" isn't necessarily a way to judge whether someone has money or not, but it can often determine whether they have "class".

Pure &lt;deleted&gt; mate there's plenty of Scottish and Geordie millionaires that sound like broken bottles and then you have slag chicks from Windsor who sound like Posh Totty and they aren't !!

Snobs and eloquent people don't always have shit loads of cash and rough and ready can have it !!

Quite simply unless you spend any amount if time in someone's company you have no idea if they are quality or not, Joe Bloggs with the Mercedes S series and a 6 figure income 500 quid Armani suits and is a CEO of an IT company might sound like quality, but if he's a domestic abuser and treats his staff like shit, nothing quality in him at all is there?