Thai tourism ministry unveils plan for sustainable tourism growth

[KhnomKhnom]

I'd say the Marshall law doesn't have a great deal to do with it. I believe in some respects they have been victims of their own success and greed.

Probably Thailand needs Marshall Law, but Marshall Dillon is off television show now.

Try martial law

or try marital law.

All needed in some places.

[Fat Haggis]

Next experience, End of May, 2014:

FRA to BKK, THAI Airways again.

The scheduled flight from BKK to FRA was cancelled.

THAI in FRA went for improvisation again and asked DLH to take passengers from FRA to Munich for transit. DLH flight crossed a turbulence area in Germany, I thought they would crash the plane. THAI flight also crossed some turbulence areas in Asia, smooth as silk.

DLH forgot to take my luggage checked in at FRA, THAI posted me in BKK and took my luggage to my address in Thailand. No problem for THAI, big problem for DLH.

So again, which country is better in tourism, and which carrier would you prefer?

Your comparing apples to oranges with a few of these "points"'

For example what type of aircraft were you on on both occasions?

What was the barometric pressure over both areas of turbulence?

What was the altitude of both flights when the turbulence took place?

What exactly has turbulence and aircraft types got to do with Tourism?

I have used budget aircraft which we're cheap to use and the service and the flights horrendous but it has NO bearing on the touriat services at the destination, sure of you lose your luggage but that happens on almost every single airline and it's normally back in your possession within 24-48 hours.

[quandow]

"William Heinecke, chairman and chief executive officer of Minor International, said . . . lifting martial law would help tourism return to normal."

This is the FIRST honest thing I've heard anyone from this cabinet report. Let's hope the right people are listening!

[DLock]

"Lol, look whose talking"

Nice comeback kid.

Now run along. Mom will have lunch ready soon.

[kannot]

Might as well...........

[Jim walker]

Thailand was named the world's best tourist destination in 2013, and the most dangerous destination in 2014 the goose is gone once you have eaten it there is no way for it to come back Thailand has nothing special to offer compared to other Asian countries I think what they need is another committee who could come up with predictions of tourists in excess of 50 million per year and spending 20 trillion Baht each and then we can all go home happy.

[kannot]

I was thinking of doing some tours for foreigners

Come see the pristine beaches full of corpses, the hedgerows full of rubbish, the jet ski "once in a lifetime trip"....youll never forget it

Dont forget to bring 2-3 times more money with you for all the parks etc, the friendly tourist Police will "interface" with you and the Thai ( as long as you speak Thai) you have deeply offended so you can give them as much baht as possible for their "service"

Finally a trip on the mountain roads with the thrill of the century as you overtake on blind bends, traverse 1in1 gradients with dodgy brakes , all the fun of the fair, survivors can have a free happy ending massage in Sukhumvit ........sorry cancelled due to martial law.

Includes free insurance with "guaranteed no payout"

Thailand "finally you've arrived"

Im not sure TAT will go for it but it makes about as much sense as the "waffle" going on in their meetings.

[kannot]

Thailand was named the world's best tourist destination in 2013, and the most dangerous destination in 2014 the goose is gone once you have eaten it there is no way for it to come back Thailand has nothing special to offer compared to other Asian countries I think what they need is another committee who could come up with predictions of tourists in excess of 50 million per year and spending 20 trillion Baht each and then we can all go home happy.

"happy endings" cancelled

[Jim walker]

Thailand was named the world's best tourist destination in 2013, and the most dangerous destination in 2014 the goose is gone once you have eaten it there is no way for it to come back Thailand has nothing special to offer compared to other Asian countries I think what they need is another committee who could come up with predictions of tourists in excess of 50 million per year and spending 20 trillion Baht each and then we can all go home happy.

[mrtoad]

Lol, look whose talking

Somebody that does a lot of high end business in Thailand.

[patinseoul]

I always thought of Thailand (especially Pattaya) as a blue collar getaway. easy-cheap-exotic. A little scruffy around the edges, but easy visas and the cheap cost of fun balanced out some of the rougher aspects.. If it changes to attract only high end tourists, the scruffy element becomes harder to deny. Big bucks tourists have many choices. Maldives-caribbean-mediterranian-and a whole lot of other places I don't know about because i'm a blue collar type! The high end strategy for thaailand will be difficult to achieve in much greater numbers IMHO. And if the welcome mat for us blue collar people is rolled up through higher costs, punitive regulations, and difficult visas, then the bulk of the tourist revenue is lost and the dream of higher end customers remains only a dream.

It's their country. I don't care what they do!, but if anyone can screw up a good thing, it's a thai official.

[retsdon]

'...... and perceptions that Thailand is a cheap destination need to change. '

Pattaya as the new Antibes? Of course! Why did we never think of it before?

[robertthebruce]

Try cleaning the place up, put in Piblic transport where needed, with the likes of Phuket, stop Jet Skis and over priced Taxis......

It ain't rocket Science listen to Tourists, and there basic needs.....

Get real.....move into the 21 St Century, loads of,class destinations to go to and pick from.....

[petermik]

Another week goes by and TOT comes up with yet another hair-brain scheme

[micmichd]

TG 920, Airbus A 380.

LH 120, Airbus A 320 or 330. TG 925, Airbus A 380.

Meteorological details not known.

Baggage can get lost everywhere, I know.

I'm not talking about physics, I'm talking about the way they handle problems.

In Germany they treat you like a querulant if you want something, in Thailand they treat customers with a smile. And their organization is more effective - and cheaper, btw.

[micmichd]

Both -DLH and THAI - are members of Star Alliance, btw.

[Fat Haggis]

TG 920, Airbus A 380.

LH 120, Airbus A 320 or 330. TG 925, Airbus A 380.

Meteorological details not known.

Baggage can get lost everywhere, I know.

I'm not talking about physics, I'm talking about the way they handle problems.

In Germany they treat you like a querulant if you want something, in Thailand they treat customers with a smile. And their organization is more effective - and cheaper, btw.

It's a German thing as most of the ones I know are quite brash and abrupt and rude too .

[Alwyn]

I'd say the Marshall law doesn't have a great deal to do with it. I believe in some respects they have been victims of their own success and greed.

I'd disagree with the first part of your comment. The issue with Martial law being in place is not being able to get travel insurance which will surely impact tourist numbers - especially when one considers the recent (and long term) crimes against people and property

[Fat Haggis]

Seemingly that's not quite true about the travel insurance many travel operators still have full travel insurance available

[bangon04]

"Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said her ministry had drafted a one-year plan that aimed to establish fundamentals for long-term growth."

Plan Number #365 - a one year plan? As long as that? What stamina they are developing.

[bangon04]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Yep, hence the reason for Hiton 50% off sale because they all booked out

lots of hotels in Bangkok willing to block book 500 rooms on a telephone call......

[bangon04]

Thailand was named the world's best tourist destination in 2013, and the most dangerous destination in 2014 the goose is gone once you have eaten it there is no way for it to come back Thailand has nothing special to offer compared to other Asian countries I think what they need is another committee who could come up with predictions of tourists in excess of 50 million per year and spending 20 trillion Baht each and then we can all go home happy.

Not completely .. Thailand has long been an attractive destination for the first time long haul tourist, who will spend a lot of money in 2 weeks.

The trouble is that if they go home and tell enough people about the ripoffs, filth, muggings and scams, then eventually Thailand will run out of first time long haul tourists.

The expats who live here have few illusions about the real Thailand and "Thainess".

If the first time visitor learns too much, it will indeed be game over.

Even the Chinese tourists have their limits...

Then only the Russians will feel comfortable here.

[maidee]

tourism industry

the words say enough .... come here money money money

[Johnny S]

I believe the fallback in tourism is the result of the bad news about Thailand.

More and more news about Thailand is negative news:

- The martial law

- People jailed for lese majeste

- Lack of freedom of expression

- Tourist being killed, scapegoats arrested

- large scale scams

- violence on the streets of BKK

- airports being closed

- stricter visa rules

Some Malaysian use the expression : " don't Thai me" - meaning don't cheat or scam me - it has come that far.

The reality is that normal Thai people are very honest, certainly if you take into account they are not rich.

There is also very little violence in the country, if you take into account Thai people are not rich (compare to South-America).

The ones responsible for the bad news are the leaders of the country: politicians, police and army.

They are involved in all the corruption - they are the real reason for the political unrest and lack of respect for human rights.

As long as the attitude of the leaders doesn't change, tourists will not come back.

"dont thai me" - ha ha ha, you saved my day, gonna use that one many times I think

[khaowong1]

They simply don't get it, do they??

Time to realise that the days, where you could deliever a third class product and charge for first class, are well and truly over!!

The visitors have started to vote with their feet!

Exactly what I was thinking when I read this article.

[Dogmatix]

The numbers reported here are nonsense. Next year aiming for less tourists than in 2013 but for 50% revenue? I was there and what she actually said and put up in her slide was 25.5m for 2014 and 29m for 2015 which makes sense - a slight drop of 4% for this year and a pick up of 14% in 2015. But her expenditures numbers didn't make sense - B1.8 trillion in 2014 and B2.2 trillion in 2015. The TAT's website says B1.2 trillion for 2014, i.e. no change from 2013, which makes sense but I have no idea what expenditures are really being forecast for 2015.

The speech highlighted ideas like making Pattaya a family and sporting destination, promoting the attraction of Thainess and the Thai people and promoting secondary destinations like Nan for the over 50s who still have high salaries but don't need any night life. In the panel discussion and Q&A afterwards there was discussion about how to promote Thainess as an attraction when there are hardly any Thais working in the tourism industry in the South any more, where most foreign tourists go. It was also pointed out that promoting secondary destinations like Nan might be counter productive as there is inadequate tourism infrastructure and tourists might be disappointed with poor quality hotels and staff. Better to promote destinations with the capacity to handle more tourists. Some hoteliers complained that the deckchair and vendor mafias were already coming back to the beaches as many had connections with police and other local officials. Just about everyone complained that martial law was impacting their business and hoped it would be lifte as soon as possible.

[Lupatria]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Jeffrey, you should be sitting on the Panel with TAT. If i were you would lay off the drink for a few days get your head clear mate the BS has clearly took hold of your Brain.

Not interested in TAT, just wanna do business, that's it.

Then learn how to do business properly.

You can't handle 400-500 people, flights, transport, event, dinners, etc.

You can't even talk to the right people at a hotel.

Hire a professional agency and they will get the exact dates you want, at a rate better than you can get and handle all the details.

...you aren't fooling no one kid.

Dear Jeffrey,

No offense. I’m not a native English speaker. However, if you are ‘in this kind of business’ I hope your English speaking assistant is doing the request handling for you. As a former hotel manager, who lived in Singapore for years, I’m a little surprised a Singapore based IT company in need to find a venue for 4 to 5 hundred participants left this task with you.

[madmitch]

I'd say the Marshall law doesn't have a great deal to do with it. I believe in some respects they have been victims of their own success and greed.

I'd disagree with the first part of your comment. The issue with Martial law being in place is not being able to get travel insurance which will surely impact tourist numbers - especially when one considers the recent (and long term) crimes against people and property

How many more times? Travel insurance is not invalid as a result of martial law.

[Alwyn]

I'd say the Marshall law doesn't have a great deal to do with it. I believe in some respects they have been victims of their own success and greed.

I'd disagree with the first part of your comment. The issue with Martial law being in place is not being able to get travel insurance which will surely impact tourist numbers - especially when one considers the recent (and long term) crimes against people and property

How many more times? Travel insurance is not invalid as a result of martial law.

Really? And for the last time, travel insurance can be invalid due to martial law. After 2 minutes of looking I found these which totally contradict your ridiculous statement. so for the last time, look at this and to make it easy for you, page 5, point 13 © ("c) war, invasion or warlike operations (whether war be declared or not), hostile acts of sovereign or government entities, civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising, military or usurped power or martial law or confiscation by order of any government or public authority; http://www.outbackerinsurance.com/content/policywording-outbacker-natcat.pdf

Or here? http://www.stickboybangkok.com/news/valid-medical-travel-insurance-thailand/ or http://www.globalsurance.com/choose-your-plan/travel-more-info/

I could go on but you can do your own research - in fact you should do research before making statements that make you look dim-witted

[geisha]

Someone should tell this minister that Thailand is not cheap. An average return flight is about 800 euros for a start. If you want good clean food you have to pay the price. The shopping malls are more expensive than in Europe. Decent hotel prices are about the same as everywhere else. But, and it's a big but, the pavements are in ruins, the gutters and drains are filthy, there is no decent, safe reliable public transport ( especially on Phuket ) the beaches are rat infested and I could go on and on. Where most people living here have got used to these conditions over the years, for tourists it's all bad news !