Can Thailand Tourism Rebound After Political Unrest?

[MaiChai]

My observation: Thailand is getting expensive. Its no longer a low cost holiday destination. Then factor in an expensive long haul flight from Europe. Food prices have nearly doubled in a year. Hotel rooms, etc have increased in price, i think this is due to the number of Thais with cars who can go on holiday and want to pay high prices for their 1/2 nights away so they can tell all their friends!

[Alwyn]

If anything, Thailand is a better place with the current junta in power. They seem to be doing what the 'democratically elected' government should have been doing. It TAT could get this message across to the world tourism may recover.

Tell that to the people in the south

[Alwyn]

Honestly i 'm very happy with the army and i don't see their bunkers anymore. Today i saw a bus full of them so they are still around which gives me a safe feeling. Last year i drove between protests, bombs, shootings, corrupt police, roadblocks and that's all over now

I'm not a Thai hater let that be clear. I only hope it will be a decent safe fair country one day without corruption, roadaccidents, scams, cheating and so on.

Funny thing is that the Thai still speak about democrazy, i taught my wife to never use the word that way but i wonder if they all do it on purpose. Probably they have no idea at all what democracy means so somebody has to explain it to them.

Today my new motorbike broke down. A security guard helped me perfectly, my honda dealer helped me perfect and now it is being fixed (warranty) and i got a replacementbike for free. What else could i want? My honda dealer even speaks good english and he can't help that the fuelpump died suddenly. I know i complaint a lot but if things go well i also will be the first one to say so.

Just the other day here in Chiang Mai we had the Army cooperating with the police in a big drug bust. the TAT should be advertising the improvement in Thailand with it's new government. Alas most of them are probably supporters of the previous regime that allowed things to get bad.

I'm confused John. "Alas most of them are probably supporters of the previous regime that allowed things to get bad" who do you mean the "them" TAT? Police? Army?

[jacky54]

surely tourists being raped and having their faces smashed in is far more of a deterrent for visitors than idiotic Thai political unrest?

[GAZZPA]

Some day in the near future Thailand will gain a negative reputation on the European caprid market, The Thai government will replace this cow milk with chinese caprids and it will be the end of it.

Governments in Asia would rather do without us big egos big mouths, heads full of tv crap; goverments in Europe would rather see us stay home on welfare and watch tv... And vote accordingly...

Expat quality of life in Thailand has been on tue decline for the past 10 years, and dropping.

And in a few years from now it will be about impossible to live in another country. Well all have to plug in our tv sets in an appartment somewhere and wait for life to stop.

People moving from country to country is on the rise no decline.

You're right Westerners do voice their opinions and we are such a nuisance but thats how things change.

from your post you seem to be extremely bitter and perhaps even a little depressed. I think you should chill out a bit, go for a drink or 2 with some friends and not take it all too seriously. hope you feel in a better mood soon,,

take care of yourself

[joecoolfrog]

I concur with the majority of posters , Thailand has lost a lot of its appeal, I foresee a further decline in tourist numbers , especially from the west.

I think TAT are well aware of the problems , and the answers , but there seems no political will to address the real issues. Instead we will get further meaningless slogans and the odd sticking plaster initiative , worthless and certain to fail.

[jesimps]

There are a lot more problems for Thailand,that would deter tourists,

than just the coup,and they need to realize this.

regards Worgeordi

These problems were there pre protests and coup but tourist numbers were increasing. Of course it's due to the coup. Travel ins anybody???

[jesimps]

If anything, Thailand is a better place with the current junta in power. They seem to be doing what the 'democratically elected' government should have been doing. It TAT could get this message across to the world tourism may recover.

Blx!

[dhream]

The Chinese and the Russians are getting richer, with that, eventually comes a degree of refinement. If the price rises keep away the yobbo element of any nationality, at least we gets something for the money, right?

I too, have heard the story of the Chinese tourist letting the baby, or holding the baby, and letting herself, shit in the Chiang Mai moat (the story seems to change!)

Having been to China, I have experienced both arrogant 'service' and superb hospitality on the same day, seems about the same as France!

Chiang Mai right now seems to be the same as it was in the low season, so numbers are down, you don't need to be a TAT bean counter to see that!

There are far less tourists here now than when I first came here last February.

All the Chinese I have seen are quiet, well-presented hipster couples, which surprises me, as I have experienced ugly Chinese in HKG a lot! At any rate the current influx in Chiang Mai make us look pretty shabby by comparison, just saying.

Regardless of the failure to fix anything here (don't hold your breath). global demographics are changing. The arse won't fall out of tourism here entirely, and neither will they mend their ways, the solution to a Thai tourist related business owner is to put prices UP when numbers fall! There are no shortage of mug punters globally, so it will be more of the same.

I doubt Thailand was EVER a paradise lost, I still remember with shock my first trip here early nineties, the level of soliciting and grifting on the streets of BKK by safari suited 'loongs' with shit-eating grins was unreal. In Khao San Road, a very personable fair-skinned young Thai co-ed type charmed me into the back room of a farang-packed bar to 'drink and practice English' where her 'student friends' who looked like 'Scarface' extras, lay in wait, realising she and they did not add up, I beat a swift retreat. But it's proof how stupid they think we are! And they always have, it seems.

Prices will rise regardless, Thailand is not in a time-capsule, even though some of us wish they were, me included! The price rises are in part a global phenomenon, it's not all down to local greed. And speaking of which, were Thailand ever to get its act together, prices would go through the roof, probably worse than Singapore, so be careful what you wish for. The whole glad-handing thing is centuries old, if it is ever hobbled by rule of law (not in our lifetimes) high commerce 'Singapore/Hong Kong' style, would fill the vacuum. Guaranteed.

I would not like to be getting by on my meagre retirement savings then!

Nevermind, soon there will be a lot of really good and reasonable Chinese restaurants around, and there's nothing wrong with that!

I agree with most of the comments here about the place, but I don't agree they will 'learn a lesson', or change to suit us, or that prices will stop rising, unless the world really goes into a full-blown depression (likely). They'll still be Thais, even then...

Happy days, huh?

Edited November 11, 2014 by dhream

[retsdon]

Thailand was in fashion. Now it's falling out of fashion. Modernization, higher prices, and unplanned development of what used to be its main attractions also don't help. It's still OK, but there are better alternatives out there. It's becoming the Ford Cortina of tourist destinations.

[moobie]

As a tourist I'm still trying to make my mind up whether to visit Thailand to see my expat friends during this "Christmas high season."

(I've visited 2 x 4 weeks in the past year to date and have been visiting often since 2003.)

But even as a contractor in a well paid job with a relatively high disposable income there comes the realisation that the prices in Thailand are not really worth it on the basis of service and quality. Yes, it can be fun "hitting the strip" with friends but I swear some of the bar staff in may establishments are the greediest and most pestering folk I have ever met. There are many bars which I will never return to due to constant hounding for drinks, etc. And on that subject I have to say that the cost of alcohol in some establishments are just plain daft - these tend to be the places which are empty when you enter and continue to be so throughout your stay. And I suppose will not last long anyway. (Food prices are in generally towards the higher end but then this is my choice as I generally avoid street food.)

So with my take on the bar scene out of the way we are left with what to do in Thailand? Granted there are some grand vistas especially if you can afford those "Conde Nast" infinity pool places but in general the days of rocking up and renting a beach hut for a couple of pounds/dollars for a night are generally over. Which is a shame for that still seems to represent a good many people's dream of Thailand. Especially the younger generation.

Okay then? What about attractions, Art galleries, museums, sporting events, etc? Well Thailand is well behind Singapore and, dare I say it, Malaysia and these are often the type of places people do want to visit. Believe me I like my architecture and apart from the Grand Palace and Wat Pho I cannot think of many more buildings or monuments which would grab my interest to visit.

Sorry for the rant above but TAT should realise that the Global financial crisis/pessimism is still on-going and they should not only work with what they have but polish it up accordingly and if this mean hiring foreigners then so-be-it since they plainly do not understand their market(s) demands. After all, they have to persuade "whingey" people such as me to part with £1100 for a flight which in low season (or booked well in advance) would have cost £530. (Ref. Emirates, just now.) And Breathe......

[wilcopops]

Thailand has fewer tourists than Russia or Turkey and fewer than 1/3 what France has. LINK

Its very true, its easy to forget that although Thailand has a sizeable tourist industry it is a long way behind the most visited, in fact it has only just made it into number 10 position.

France does indeed have a huge tourist industry, and its easy to see why. Rich culture, historical landmarks, museums, amazing cities (including the most romantic in the World), beautiful countryside and the 2 things for me are the language and of course the home of the worlds finest food and wine.

The downside? Its not cheap of course but over 80 million people thought it was worth the money during 2013 so clearly people still want quality.

Take note Thailand, if you want quality tourists look at what the best do,, you can start by dropping the obvious dislike for foreigners (farangs) and stop telling people you are the Land Of Smiles which you are clearly not,,, not sure Thailand ever was.

France has several land-based neighbours and is part of the EU - it is VERY VERY easy for tourists to flock into France from all sides via land as well as international flights and shipping.

France also SPENDS - or invests - a lot on the tourist industry, as a portion of the economy - it is about 10%

Thailand's tourism industry is between 7 and 10 % of GDP which is HUGE for any economy....especially a developing one

Perhaps but I think it is easy to get anywhere nowadays, and relatively cheap. There's still no denying for me that France is a great country to go on vacation with just about every single aspect of holiday making you could want,, city, culture, museums, nightlife, beauty, countryside, unspoilt landscapes and even skiing in the French Alps.

I would ask what is Thailand known for? Beautiful tropical islands perhaps but also for sex trade, ladyboys, scandals, corruption and many other bad things that I don't need to remind anyone of.

If Thailand wants to get its act together then they should just shut up, get o with it and start doing something,, start by cleaning up the sex trade and firing all the corrupt police,, will it happen? very doubtful, its all just hot air.

The result? People will eventually see it as a giant shitehole and go elsewhere,, surely everyone can see that?

Yes - it is easy...however the biggest single group of visitors to Thailand is from Malaysia - next door.

when I lived in Europe I visited France for work or pleasure every week - I haven't been back for years since being based in Australia and Asia. - proximity makes a difference.

the products are of course different, and Thailand now has replaced Benedorm for many low-cost European travellers - shitehholes attract customers, but in the end - as with Benedorm - have a habit of imploding. Benedorm successfully re0invented itself - as a retirement destination (probably for those original customers!?!?)

Would be interested to hear how these stats are complied though...as during my travels around Europe I seldom showed a passport or stopped at a border.

Edited November 12, 2014 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

As a tourist I'm still trying to make my mind up whether to visit Thailand to see my expat friends during this "Christmas high season."

(I've visited 2 x 4 weeks in the past year to date and have been visiting often since 2003.)

But even as a contractor in a well paid job with a relatively high disposable income there comes the realisation that the prices in Thailand are not really worth it on the basis of service and quality. Yes, it can be fun "hitting the strip" with friends but I swear some of the bar staff in may establishments are the greediest and most pestering folk I have ever met. There are many bars which I will never return to due to constant hounding for drinks, etc. And on that subject I have to say that the cost of alcohol in some establishments are just plain daft - these tend to be the places which are empty when you enter and continue to be so throughout your stay. And I suppose will not last long anyway. (Food prices are in generally towards the higher end but then this is my choice as I generally avoid street food.)

So with my take on the bar scene out of the way we are left with what to do in Thailand? Granted there are some grand vistas especially if you can afford those "Conde Nast" infinity pool places but in general the days of rocking up and renting a beach hut for a couple of pounds/dollars for a night are generally over. Which is a shame for that still seems to represent a good many people's dream of Thailand. Especially the younger generation.

Okay then? What about attractions, Art galleries, museums, sporting events, etc? Well Thailand is well behind Singapore and, dare I say it, Malaysia and these are often the type of places people do want to visit. Believe me I like my architecture and apart from the Grand Palace and Wat Pho I cannot think of many more buildings or monuments which would grab my interest to visit.

Sorry for the rant above but TAT should realise that the Global financial crisis/pessimism is still on-going and they should not only work with what they have but polish it up accordingly and if this mean hiring foreigners then so-be-it since they plainly do not understand their market(s) demands. After all, they have to persuade "whingey" people such as me to part with £1100 for a flight which in low season (or booked well in advance) would have cost £530. (Ref. Emirates, just now.) And Breathe......

a drinkers perspective?

[Mango Bob]

The political unrest has little to do with tourism numbers. It's the number of tourist who are coming here and getting killed on boats and buses. Being scam by jet ski operators and ATM machine scams. Robberies, thiefs and murders are the reasons people are not coming to Thailand. It has very little to do with the coup.

[wilcopops]

The political unrest has little to do with tourism numbers. It's the number of tourist who are coming here and getting killed on boats and buses. Being scam by jet ski operators and ATM machine scams. Robberies, thiefs and murders are the reasons people are not coming to Thailand. It has very little to do with the coup.

I think that has been covered already. Coups in Thailand have always resulted in a sharp drop in tourism. The figures then usually gradually recover. However subsequent events - e.g. the Koh Tao murders have revealed to the world the more unpleasant aspects of Thailand's underbelly. This may well have a more significant and more long-term effect.

Edited November 12, 2014 by wilcopops

[bunuel]

first of all people don't like to visit countries run by a junta....or where political unrest lies just under the surface. (for one thing they may not be insured).

Then people don't like to visit countries where they read about horrific crimes.

The murders on Koh Tao have probably done more to dent the tourist trade than the coup. It has opened the eyes of the world to the way in which Thailand is run - corruption nepotism and under punished crimes are rife.

Parents don't want their backpacker children visiting Thailand's islands - they've read about the "fails of influential people"...they read about scams and poor customer device in general.

Other parts of the world have encountered this sort of problems in the past...

they need to improve their international image....here are a few suggestions that spring to mind.....

• A democratic government would help.
• A well- trained/disciplined poise force.
• A tourist industry that has policies to make it sustainable.....infrastructure, planning and regulation
• Preservation of natural resources that tourism relies on. - for too long Thailand has been shitting in it's own nest.
• Training in the tourist industry in customer service.
• a more open and welcoming attitude to foreign visitors and a lewes pernickety visa system for visitors.
• a relaxation in the ways that foreigners and foreign companies can set up in tourist related occupations, would been more expertise coming into the industry and better managed facilities.
• Better control/regulation of wildlife attractions - many foreigners are horrified by zoos and wildlife shows here.
• better planning and regulation of resorts etc built around beauty spots to preserve what is left of Thailand's natural beauty.........

it remains to be seen if Thailand will rise to the occasioni

Excellent post! If the question is what will make LOS more attractive to the upscale market TAT says they so desperately seem to crave, there are two additions to this list above:

1) Upgrade the travel product and determine which market is best for each attraction. Family tourism does not mix with sex tourism, for example.

2) End martial law, because that scares everyone!

[dhream]

If people are daft enough, in spite of being told NOT to... to deposit their passports as collateral for scooter rentals, and get on a bloody bike in the first place here, then the murders, and the bungling of the investigations, and all the other crap will have exactly ZERO effect on tourism.

My theory is that numbers are down simply because the GFC grinds on quietly out of the headlines; people can't afford to come here (or go anywhere else -where is cheaper? Seriously, where? And DON'T say Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, PI, BZZT! Wrong!) Maybe India or Nepal... No thanks!

Another point is that these boards are the commentary of expats and serial visitors, with a justifiable axe to grind. Most visitors are going to be apologists, or newbies.

France, and Paris in particular, also gets a global reputation for being bloody unwelcoming to tourists, but that has done nothing to stop the hordes.

Thailand will profit from our naivete until either ebola or civil war put an end to the flow of arrivals, nothing else will do it. No matter how hard you wish it will....

[moobie]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

As a tourist I'm still trying to make my mind up whether to visit Thailand to see my expat friends during this "Christmas high season."

(I've visited 2 x 4 weeks in the past year to date and have been visiting often since 2003.)

But even as a contractor in a well paid job with a relatively high disposable income there comes the realisation that the prices in Thailand are not really worth it on the basis of service and quality. Yes, it can be fun "hitting the strip" with friends but I swear some of the bar staff in may establishments are the greediest and most pestering folk I have ever met. There are many bars which I will never return to due to constant hounding for drinks, etc. And on that subject I have to say that the cost of alcohol in some establishments are just plain daft - these tend to be the places which are empty when you enter and continue to be so throughout your stay. And I suppose will not last long anyway. (Food prices are in generally towards the higher end but then this is my choice as I generally avoid street food.)

So with my take on the bar scene out of the way we are left with what to do in Thailand? Granted there are some grand vistas especially if you can afford those "Conde Nast" infinity pool places but in general the days of rocking up and renting a beach hut for a couple of pounds/dollars for a night are generally over. Which is a shame for that still seems to represent a good many people's dream of Thailand. Especially the younger generation.

Okay then? What about attractions, Art galleries, museums, sporting events, etc? Well Thailand is well behind Singapore and, dare I say it, Malaysia and these are often the type of places people do want to visit. Believe me I like my architecture and apart from the Grand Palace and Wat Pho I cannot think of many more buildings or monuments which would grab my interest to visit.

Sorry for the rant above but TAT should realise that the Global financial crisis/pessimism is still on-going and they should not only work with what they have but polish it up accordingly and if this mean hiring foreigners then so-be-it since they plainly do not understand their market(s) demands. After all, they have to persuade "whingey" people such as me to part with £1100 for a flight which in low season (or booked well in advance) would have cost £530. (Ref. Emirates, just now.) And Breathe......

a drinkers perspective?

It's fair to say I like a drink but over the years have cut down drastically on my "party lifestyle". Now it takes a reserve place to many other activities.

In a nutshell : Thailand is too expensive and has too little to offer to accommodate the modern day traveller let alone ones with family travelling to it.

[catweazle]

Thailand will not recover unless each and every Thai person here understands that it is not about politics, Russians, Chinese, whatever, but honesty (honest smiles, honest business, honest business approach, etc.), fair treatment of foreigners who want to live and/or invest here (visa and immigration regulations for that NOT remind of Nazi Germany, allowing private retirees to have their own, tiny one Rai and house in THEIR name, business investors truly owning their business, etc.), safety and a corruption-free police force that truly does their job (unlike on Koh Tao), education (i.e. teach Thais that it is bad to throw the 7Eleven garbage out of their car window, ditch old motor oil, paint, thinner, other toxic substances into the gutter, creating global awareness, stopping this crap about Thailand being so great and never having been colonized or occupied, etc... stopping this nationalism anti-foreigner brain wash, etc.), enforce national park protection against poachers and the fishing industry, and all the other flaws in the Thai system that could fill books...

In short, a well educated, honest and pro-foreign nation would automatically establish a functioning and trustworthy government, resulting in a happy and functioning nation that tourists would happily visit to spend their money here.

As of today, Thailand is losing its luster by the hour. The times are over where millions flock in and throw their money onto the streets just because there is easy sex just around the corner or because the life here is more relaxed and more desirable than living elsewhere. By now both - the common Thai, as well as the Thai loving foreigner - are angry, disappointed and disillusioned to the point where the question comes up, "What the F**** am I doing here in this country and why did I come here in the first place?"

[catweazle]

The usual nonsense post by the Thai haters, high season is underway in Chiang Mai the little cafe I go to was packed yesterday by two different tour groups coming thru Chiang Mai, usually just locals and a few individual tourist. The walking traffic of tourist has also increased and the long stay hotel I stay at is full. It is filled by the folks who have been coming for years and who stay up to 3 months for the winter season and the short term stayers of a few weeks or days.

My obsevations are not scientific but based on my own experience from living in this neighborhood for 5 years, the shop owners are all happy with the uptick in visitors and business. Sorry to disappoint the haters but it does appear Thailand is doing ok or at least our neigborhood is.

So you are prejudice against the people who tell about the bad things they see or experiences they had and call them all Thai haters? You are the hater here.

I live and love Thailand and my Thai wife and her Thai family and my half Thai kids. But i agree with almost everyone who posted in here except you.

I am sitting here at khaosan and for high season it is about half then what i have seen in other high seasons.

I also have seen the same on sukkhumvit and silom.

So i would think either your groups are chinese or you had a good day only. Reply when you can compare your opinions with your profit margin to last year you foreigner hater.

Ran out of likes for the day, but needed to LIKE this one too!

I'm parking in your garage, thesetat... To me, with a Thai wife and 2 Thai/foreign kids it comes across quite disturbing to be called a Thai hater... We simply are not blind and def enough to not see, hear, and feel the increasing anti-foreign sentiment amongst common Thai people and officials alike as well as considering all the CONs Thailand has piled up over the past years in opposition to the many PROs living in Thailand had to offer many years ago... This is called being alertness and receptiveness, but has nothing to do with Thai bashing or hate...

Very superficial post, moe666 - try another number, the number of the beast always leaves a sour aftertaste!

Edited November 12, 2014 by catweazle

[simon43]

Small hoteliers like me in Phuket can do nothing to change the mindset of the TAT and other similar organisations. We are at the mercy of their inept marketing strategies and simply have to go with the flow - couple that with a military junta, tourist murders, scams etc, and no wonder the westerners don't come anymore.

Years ago, my hotel was typically 95% occupied by western tourists (Australia, Europe, America etc), the other 5% being Japanese. Now the westerners have given up on Phuket and I have had to adjust my own marketing to to keep the rooms full.

2 of my little hotels cater predominantly for Chinese and Russian guests, with the Chinese being better-behaved than the Russians, (sorry for the generalisation). The 3rd traditional B&B property is still booked mainly by Western guests, but I doubt that I could fill the other 2 hotels with Westerners - there simply are not enough of them on the island for my type of hotel to achieve a decent share.

The Chinese and the Russians (generalisation again), don't give a damn about rubbish everywhere, murders of innocent westerners, animal cruelty or military juntas. They (the Chinese especially) are ticking off their list of 'must sees', (as promoted in the film 'Lost in Thailand'). So its a quick trip to Phi-Phi, a trip to Phang Nga Bay, a trip to Patong and then back to China.

I've been busy today making more 'welcome' signs in Chinese language.

Shame on the TAT for their incompetence, and shame on the government for failing to keep their promises of cleaning up the beaches, (well they cleared the small fry but let the big fry continue their illegal businesses....)

[wilcopops]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

As a tourist I'm still trying to make my mind up whether to visit Thailand to see my expat friends during this "Christmas high season."

(I've visited 2 x 4 weeks in the past year to date and have been visiting often since 2003.)

But even as a contractor in a well paid job with a relatively high disposable income there comes the realisation that the prices in Thailand are not really worth it on the basis of service and quality. Yes, it can be fun "hitting the strip" with friends but I swear some of the bar staff in may establishments are the greediest and most pestering folk I have ever met. There are many bars which I will never return to due to constant hounding for drinks, etc. And on that subject I have to say that the cost of alcohol in some establishments are just plain daft - these tend to be the places which are empty when you enter and continue to be so throughout your stay. And I suppose will not last long anyway. (Food prices are in generally towards the higher end but then this is my choice as I generally avoid street food.)

So with my take on the bar scene out of the way we are left with what to do in Thailand? Granted there are some grand vistas especially if you can afford those "Conde Nast" infinity pool places but in general the days of rocking up and renting a beach hut for a couple of pounds/dollars for a night are generally over. Which is a shame for that still seems to represent a good many people's dream of Thailand. Especially the younger generation.

Okay then? What about attractions, Art galleries, museums, sporting events, etc? Well Thailand is well behind Singapore and, dare I say it, Malaysia and these are often the type of places people do want to visit. Believe me I like my architecture and apart from the Grand Palace and Wat Pho I cannot think of many more buildings or monuments which would grab my interest to visit.

Sorry for the rant above but TAT should realise that the Global financial crisis/pessimism is still on-going and they should not only work with what they have but polish it up accordingly and if this mean hiring foreigners then so-be-it since they plainly do not understand their market(s) demands. After all, they have to persuade "whingey" people such as me to part with £1100 for a flight which in low season (or booked well in advance) would have cost £530. (Ref. Emirates, just now.) And Breathe......

a drinkers perspective?

It's fair to say I like a drink but over the years have cut down drastically on my "party lifestyle". Now it takes a reserve place to many other activities.

In a nutshell : Thailand is too expensive and has too little to offer to accommodate the modern day traveller let alone ones with family travelling to it.

Many people come to Thailand for it's natural resources......this would include the National parks as well as the maritime ones.......... eco-tourism in Thailand is for the most part a joke, yet it would appear that TAT simply haven't even considered it as a potential draw for extra tourists.

Properly managed eco-tourism is worth millions even billions and Thailand has the potential, but TAT whilst asking for "quality" tourists doesn't even consider anything but a more expensive hotel and a golf-course....they simply haven't a clue.

I don't drink at all and alcohol and "bon-vivre-ism" doesn't feature highly in any of my vacations - and I'm not alone in this.......if Thailand wants "quality tourists" they need to find out what that entails - it's certainly not what they have in mind...........sitting in a bar or restaurant with a manufactured entertainment or environment is quite thew opposite of what I and many others are seeking.

Thailand has some of the best and most varied wildlife in the world yet not a single law to protect it....they sign international treaties like CITES and then ignore their obligations........

Eco-tourism is BIG MONEY yet those who run Thailand's tourism are simply too blinkered or ignorant to take heed.

Thailand also has a good wealth of historical sites, museums and architecture as well as if they are some second-rate TV gameshow - museums and historical sites are poorly managed and usually either uninformative or just downright inaccurate........pricing, presentation and management are just not up to international standards and it would appear that those in charge are just too ignorant to understand this........ the ministry of culture is little more than a propaganda office and Universities are prevented from research and presentation of papers on history by the lese majeste laws........all this needs radical change - I see no evidence that the current government shows any inclination to be different for any form governments......

They are condemning the country to be the receptacle to all that is worst in tourism - an international cesspit.

Edited November 12, 2014 by wilcopops