PRD gears up campaign to create positive image for Thailand with foreigners

[Peter Strand]

What a joke.

First the Thai government is making troubles with Visas, than the change the rules back ( anyway the immigration officers getting more and more to ask stupid questions and being unfriendly ), than they create troubles with ED-Visa regulation changes and now they starting a campaign for attracting foreigners ?

Why they not simply change the foreign investment law ? In most of SEA countries you can found a company 100% foreign owned which is impossible in Thailand, same as getting a residency I you buy an apartment or put some money on the bank ( Malaysia for example ).

Retirement Visa requirements are stupid depending on the age of the foreigner ( In the Philippines for example it depends on the amount of money you can show ). On top of that prices in Thailand are not cheap anymore and especially in the tourist regions which attract foreigner a rip off.

I lived in Thailand for quite a long time but now left to work in Vietnam, much easier, more friendly people and more value. Same as most of other SEA-contries like Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia etc.

[chotthee]

PRD can always create fake farang blog, to tell the world how much they love Thailand, the food, the girls, the junta, the bars, the beach, the culture, the family Somchai, etc.

TAT had paid a farang to do that, and the youtube was much viewed and believe to be real.

Edited December 3, 2014 by chotthee

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

As I said before, "putting lipstick on a pig"! Try what they might, it's still going to be a pig.

My pig looks good in bright red lipstick..

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Well there goes all the Happy Ending Massage Shops throughout thailand.. As I said many times Thailand wants a clean image. I wouldn't be surprised that they ban sex by unmarried persons. Sounds extreme but seems the decision makers always do not enough or go overboar. NNevertheless, for Thailand to change the world's perception then they must eradicate prostitution and the other "Sins" that promote and assist it.

[bushwacker]

Sounds like nothing is going to happen, the article is talking about a group of people sitting down to discuss a possible plan. Blah blah blah.

[The manic]

Every successful Asian economy started on the path to success with a dictator. That's what it takes to reset a system too dysfunctional to be fixed.

Is this the right guy? I don't know, but things are better where I live since the coup.

Send me a PM if you start hearing about executions and kidnappings and ripping out fingernails. But I won't be waiting up.

What 'Dictator' here? I do hope you are not referencing ....

A lot of oppressive action is done in private. HRW has published a searing indictment about the use of force and violence and imprisonment to coerce the population.

[The manic]

Well there goes all the Happy Ending Massage Shops throughout thailand.. As I said many times Thailand wants a clean image. I wouldn't be surprised that they ban sex by unmarried persons. Sounds extreme but seems the decision makers always do not enough or go overboar. NNevertheless, for Thailand to change the world's perception then they must eradicate prostitution and the other "Sins" that promote and assist it.

What? Unhappy marriages for example?

[The manic]

My dream is for all foreigners to pay the same price for a piece of chicken and sticky rice, when I buy it on the street ? khab khun Na Khrap

Your 'dream' is not exactly Martin Luther King is it?

[The manic]

Image boosting campaign to create positive attitude for foreigners?

Here's and idea!

Return Thailand to the people and have an election.

Not only I will the rest of the world look at Thailand in a more positive light the economy will be much brighter to!

Do you really think the rest of the world gives a rat's what is going on in Thailand ? The average tourist who comes to Thailand probably knows nothing about the local politics or that there was a coup recently and martial law in place.

Most foreigners go to Thailand for cheap food, accommodation, shopping, booze and girls, no matter what party is in power.

The average Thai knows little about Democracy and politics and the only reason some of them would want an election is because of the cash reward they get for their bloody vote !

Currently the UK government is mooting enormous economic projects to sweeten the electorate for their support in the next election. All electorates in all democracies are offered financial incentives to vote for one party or another. So what if it is more transparent and direct in Thailand. As all parties can do it it is perfectly fair.

[jpeg]

They are tackling corruption in a big way

No. They're not.

[impulse]

Every successful Asian economy started on the path to success with a dictator. That's what it takes to reset a system too dysfunctional to be fixed.

Is this the right guy? I don't know, but things are better where I live since the coup.

Send me a PM if you start hearing about executions and kidnappings and ripping out fingernails. But I won't be waiting up.

What 'Dictator' here? I do hope you are not referencing ....

Dictator- someone who dictates. Not necessarily a derogatory term. And some dictators are elected.

Sometimes it takes one guy with a clear vision and clear intention to get a country moving in the right direction, then to step out of the way.

I'm not sure this is the "one guy". But so far, results look pretty favorable.

[The manic]

Image boosting campaign to create positive attitude for foreigners?

Here's and idea!

Return Thailand to the people and have an election.

Not only I will the rest of the world look at Thailand in a more positive light the economy will be much brighter to!

I fail to understand ,why your comment is popular.The best thing that happened to thailand ,was and still is military rule.Tourism has nothing to do with who runs the country.either yellow shirts or red shirts.Tourism dropped,because not only thailand becomming more expencive,,,8 years ago,there attitude started changing badly towards farangs,,and every year became worse.Also the fuss with changing laws every 5 december.,Many went other places,,and many returned back to the own country,when the baht dropped to as low as 45 to the pound.....The reason the military took control,simply because the country ,was out of control.Have you not read and understood the coruption that has been going on.And now being put right by the military.As soon as the military give the power.back,The same crooks will move back in.I think thailand needs to be run by the military for a least ,another 5 years,,Its other countrys crooks that dont like the military rule.Because they cannot be bribed.

Nonsense. Military rule is never good for tourism and the crooks are the people who have guns and uniforms who steal a government to line their own pockets. Get real. Read some history books. Read up on Thai history when you are out of Thailand and can read the banned books.

[aaacorp]

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

Image boosting campaign to create positive attitude for foreigners?

Here's and idea!

Return Thailand to the people and have an election.

Not only I will the rest of the world look at Thailand in a more positive light the economy will be much brighter to!

I fail to understand ,why your comment is popular.The best thing that happened to thailand ,was and still is military rule.Tourism has nothing to do with who runs the country.either yellow shirts or red shirts.Tourism dropped,because not only thailand becomming more expencive,,,8 years ago,there attitude started changing badly towards farangs,,and every year became worse.Also the fuss with changing laws every 5 december.,Many went other places,,and many returned back to the own country,when the baht dropped to as low as 45 to the pound.....The reason the military took control,simply because the country ,was out of control.Have you not read and understood the coruption that has been going on.And now being put right by the military.As soon as the military give the power.back,The same crooks will move back in.I think thailand needs to be run by the military for a least ,another 5 years,,Its other countrys crooks that dont like the military rule.Because they cannot be bribed.

Nonsense. Military rule is never good for tourism and the crooks are the people who have guns and uniforms who steal a government to line their own pockets. Get real. Read some history books. Read up on Thai history when you are out of Thailand and can read the banned books.

Forget about it... Some people are nostalgic of people like Pinochet who was liked by a lot of Chilian...

However ThomasHanna, you should ask the British families whose sons have been murdered if they like the way Prayut handled the case so far.

You should ask yourself why "only color" purge is made so far, why no guy like Suthep who clearly amassed a fortune with the palm oil shortage he created some years ago didn t have any trouble so far.

If you think the military is not as rotten as the police then you clearly needs to read some thai history IMHO

Edited December 3, 2014 by aaacorp

[freedom4life]

Seriously though... mention the word ' Thailand ' to anyone in a developed country and they just laugh at the sillyness here.... I am not a Thai basher I have lived here a long time and love the place.... but where the hell is it all this going?

How about going to a police-state with the help of ASEAN? Nothing but criminals running this planet...

[mikemac]

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

Image boosting campaign to create positive attitude for foreigners?

Here's and idea!

Return Thailand to the people and have an election.

Not only I will the rest of the world look at Thailand in a more positive light the economy will be much brighter to!

I fail to understand ,why your comment is popular.The best thing that happened to thailand ,was and still is military rule.Tourism has nothing to do with who runs the country.either yellow shirts or red shirts.Tourism dropped,because not only thailand becomming more expencive,,,8 years ago,there attitude started changing badly towards farangs,,and every year became worse.Also the fuss with changing laws every 5 december.,Many went other places,,and many returned back to the own country,when the baht dropped to as low as 45 to the pound.....The reason the military took control,simply because the country ,was out of control.Have you not read and understood the coruption that has been going on.And now being put right by the military.As soon as the military give the power.back,The same crooks will move back in.I think thailand needs to be run by the military for a least ,another 5 years,,Its other countrys crooks that dont like the military rule.Because they cannot be bribed.

Nonsense. Military rule is never good for tourism and the crooks are the people who have guns and uniforms who steal a government to line their own pockets. Get real. Read some history books. Read up on Thai history when you are out of Thailand and can read the banned books.

Forget about it... Some people are nostalgic of people like Pinochet who was liked by a lot of Chilian...

However ThomasHanna, you should ask the British families whose sons have been murdered if they like the way Prayut handled the case so far.

You should ask yourself why "only color" purge is made so far, why no guy like Suthep who clearly amassed a fortune with the palm oil shortage he created some years ago didn t have any trouble so far.

If you think the military is not as rotten as the police then you clearly needs to read some thai history IMHO

......................"However ThomasHanna, you should ask the British families whose sons have been murdered if they like the way Prayut handled the case so far.".....................

What a hypocrite ! How many similar crimes occurred under "democratically elected" previous governments, crimes that were botched from the very beginning of the investigation, crimes that were covered up, and many that went unsolved ? Hardly fair to attack the current government over something that also happened under previous governments.

You mention "color purge", well that is easy to explain. When a government, or the Military is in power it uses this power to attack and punish the groups or people it does not like.

In this case it's the Military's turn to purge scumbags like redshirts, bent cops, criminal ex-politicians etc etc. Suthep has been spared only because of the good service he provided to the country in leading the anti-government protesters.

Manic and aaacorp, you are both peeing into the wind and now you are soaked !

Edited December 3, 2014 by mikemac

[perdido]

You know leaving the coup out of it I have some friends who not only looked to other destinations but now prefer them.

One lot now prefer Vietnam while another likes Bali Indonesia and not the tourist spots of Bali but away from there they say it's nicer than Thailand .I can't comment never been there.

I really don't whether Thailand has lost it's tourist pull but I have noticed lately a little bit more pitch for retirees.

...what does '...a little bit more pitch', mean , please?

[mikemac]

As I said before, "putting lipstick on a pig"! Try what they might, it's still going to be a pig.

My pig looks good in bright red lipstick..

I am very happy for your pig but please leave it at that, enough information, and no pictures please !

[The manic]

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

Image boosting campaign to create positive attitude for foreigners?

Here's and idea!

Return Thailand to the people and have an election.

Not only I will the rest of the world look at Thailand in a more positive light the economy will be much brighter to!

I fail to understand ,why your comment is popular.The best thing that happened to thailand ,was and still is military rule.Tourism has nothing to do with who runs the country.either yellow shirts or red shirts.Tourism dropped,because not only thailand becomming more expencive,,,8 years ago,there attitude started changing badly towards farangs,,and every year became worse.Also the fuss with changing laws every 5 december.,Many went other places,,and many returned back to the own country,when the baht dropped to as low as 45 to the pound.....The reason the military took control,simply because the country ,was out of control.Have you not read and understood the coruption that has been going on.And now being put right by the military.As soon as the military give the power.back,The same crooks will move back in.I think thailand needs to be run by the military for a least ,another 5 years,,Its other countrys crooks that dont like the military rule.Because they cannot be bribed.

Nonsense. Military rule is never good for tourism and the crooks are the people who have guns and uniforms who steal a government to line their own pockets. Get real. Read some history books. Read up on Thai history when you are out of Thailand and can read the banned books.

Forget about it... Some people are nostalgic of people like Pinochet who was liked by a lot of Chilian...

However ThomasHanna, you should ask the British families whose sons have been murdered if they like the way Prayut handled the case so far.

You should ask yourself why "only color" purge is made so far, why no guy like Suthep who clearly amassed a fortune with the palm oil shortage he created some years ago didn t have any trouble so far.

If you think the military is not as rotten as the police then you clearly needs to read some thai history IMHO

......................"However ThomasHanna, you should ask the British families whose sons have been murdered if they like the way Prayut handled the case so far.".....................

What a hypocrite ! How many similar crimes occurred under "democratically elected" previous governments, crimes that were botched from the very beginning of the investigation, crimes that were covered up, and many that went unsolved ? Hardly fair to attack the current government over something that also happened under previous governments.

You mention "color purge", well that is easy to explain. When a government, or the Military is in power it uses this power to attack and punish the groups or people it does not like.

In this case it's the Military's turn to purge scumbags like redshirts, bent cops, criminal ex-politicians etc etc. Suthep has been spared only because of the good service he provided to the country in leading the anti-government protesters.

Manic and aaacorp, you are both peeing into the wind and now you are soaked !

Crimes happen in societies under all form of governments. But when a military jujta takes power at the point of a gun that is the ultimate crime. There was no need for the creation of quasi fascist junta. An election could have been arranged and all factions allowed to vote. As for you referring to the Thais, many of whom work in the agricultural sector and related poorly rewarded sectors, as 'scumbags' indicates to me you are mentally sick with some kind of pathological hatred of poorer people. They are loyal subjects and as such your not just being offensive but committing the offence of LM. You might consider being more circumspect when you gratuitously insult a political movement with millions of followers. As for me 'peeing in the wind' - I would rather do that than sh*t on the long suffering, brave people of Thailand which seems to be your forte.

[The manic]

Seriously though... mention the word ' Thailand ' to anyone in a developed country and they just laugh at the sillyness here.... I am not a Thai basher I have lived here a long time and love the place.... but where the hell is it all this going?

How about going to a police-state with the help of ASEAN? Nothing but criminals running this planet...

Where did this cartoon come from?

[hawker9000]

Not that you don't have the right to ask, but why is that important?

[The manic]

Better image = better cover-up of of dirty human rights reputation and illegal overthrow of democratically elected government

Why do we have to put up with this nonsense. For the thousandth time the Shinawatra regimes were not democratically elected. An election per se is not the end all and be all of democracy. People who did vote were voting for a dictatorship in waiting. The evidence against the Shinawatra regime is overwhelming. Sometimes a coup is the only way of stopping despots in their tracks. Give me a benevolent military against a so-called Thaksin democracy any day.

They were as democratically elected as Thatcher, Bush and countless other politicians. We all know parliamentary democracy is not perfect but it is better than the alternatives. Especially better than a dictatorship which bans books, hand gestures, freedom of speech and thought and locks up peaceful protesters. As for the nonsense that Taksin was corruptly elected that was not for the want of trying by the corrupt opposition. Neither party was clean but the Taksin party machine got more votes twice. He and his party won. As for corrupt politics just look at Chicago in the USA. But it does not justify a military takeover. The Military in all countries are the most incompetent managers in existence. Their job is to protect their country from external enemies. It is not their job to turn half the civilian population into their enemies and coerce and suppress them.

[hawker9000]

Better image = better cover-up of of dirty human rights reputation and illegal overthrow of democratically elected government

Why do we have to put up with this nonsense. For the thousandth time the Shinawatra regimes were not democratically elected. An election per se is not the end all and be all of democracy. People who did vote were voting for a dictatorship in waiting. The evidence against the Shinawatra regime is overwhelming. Sometimes a coup is the only way of stopping despots in their tracks. Give me a benevolent military against a so-called Thaksin democracy any day.

They were as democratically elected as Thatcher, Bush and countless other politicians. We all know parliamentary democracy is not perfect but it is better than the alternatives. Especially better than a dictatorship which bans books, hand gestures, freedom of speech and thought and locks up peaceful protesters. As for the nonsense that Taksin was corruptly elected that was not for the want of trying by the corrupt opposition. Neither party was clean but the Taksin party machine got more votes twice. He and his party won. As for corrupt politics just look at Chicago in the USA. But it does not justify a military takeover. The Military in all countries are the most incompetent managers in existence. Their job is to protect their country from external enemies. It is not their job to turn half the civilian population into their enemies and coerce and suppress them.

Oh how often we hear that old chestnut about "it being better than the alternatives"... Well, what you're missing - more like deliberately ignoring -is that a great many seem to disagree with you about the "alternative" now in place in this case. And Thaksin, who was the de facto leader, was most definitely NOT the elected leader but rather hiding out abroad due to a small matter of his being a convicted fugitive awaiting a jail sentence ( you know, one of those small "imperfections" in some democracies...lol). The unrest in the streets, the shootings & bombings, the Bangkok checkerboard of areas "safe" for tourists and not, most definitely DID justify - more like necessitate - the removal of YL and the abusive PTP from power. Edited December 3, 2014 by hawker9000

[mikemac]

Crimes happen in societies under all form of governments. But when a military jujta takes power at the point of a gun that is the ultimate crime. There was no need for the creation of quasi fascist junta. An election could have been arranged and all factions allowed to vote. As for you referring to the Thais, many of whom work in the agricultural sector and related poorly rewarded sectors, as 'scumbags' indicates to me you are mentally sick with some kind of pathological hatred of poorer people. They are loyal subjects and as such your not just being offensive but committing the offence of LM. You might consider being more circumspect when you gratuitously insult a political movement with millions of followers. As for me 'peeing in the wind' - I would rather do that than sh*t on the long suffering, brave people of Thailand which seems to be your forte.

Do me a favor, learn to read and stop misquoting me. You know quite well I was not referring to "the Thais" in my comment. If you twist my words again I will report you to the mods.

Your ridiculous comment has "trainee troll" written all over it.

[retsdon]

I do live in the US and our freedoms are much less than they were when I was younger. I admitted I haven't been there yet, but from the number of Thai blogs I read regularly. It sounds to me, from my perspective, that freedom is more prevelant in Thailand. Though it's sounding like things may be changing, unfortunately. I haven't read about andI certainly don't like the idea of on the street urine tests, being charged more because I'm farang, or being handcuffed and thrown in the wagon for not having my passport. It's why I read ThaiVisa. That being said, when I do get there I will focus on and write about the things I like. I feel confident there will be alot.

In a lot of ways Thailand is freer than the west. And if I were still a single man, and had an independent income from abroad, I wouldn't care less about the politics, or even getting stopped by the police for a urine test on Sukumvit. I hardly ever spend time in Bangkok anyway. I can still go out and have a few beers with friends and not worry about riding my motorcycle home.

When you have children though, your perspective changes. The hopeless education, the kreng jai social system, the corruption, the gangster politics, the willful ignorance - the list goes on and on and it's hard not to get a tad negative and bitter.

But if all you want to do is retire, play a bit of golf, drink a few beers and eat half-decent food at a reasonable price, Thailand is still a pretty good place to do it.

[hawker9000]

Crimes happen in societies under all form of governments. But when a military jujta takes power at the point of a gun that is the ultimate crime. There was no need for the creation of quasi fascist junta. An election could have been arranged and all factions allowed to vote. As for you referring to the Thais, many of whom work in the agricultural sector and related poorly rewarded sectors, as 'scumbags' indicates to me you are mentally sick with some kind of pathological hatred of poorer people. They are loyal subjects and as such your not just being offensive but committing the offence of LM. You might consider being more circumspect when you gratuitously insult a political movement with millions of followers. As for me 'peeing in the wind' - I would rather do that than sh*t on the long suffering, brave people of Thailand which seems to be your forte.

Do me a favor, learn to read and stop misquoting me. You know quite well I was not referring to "the Thais" in my comment. If you twist my words again I will report you to the mods.

Your ridiculous comment has "trainee troll" written all over it.

You gotta' admit, he has just about mastered the cheap art of hyperbole though.

[Dah fahrang]

to help PRD get the bal rolling, along comes this in today's UK Daily Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/thailand/11266414/Phuket-tourists-told-to-bring-own-beach-umbrellas.html

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Image boosting campaign to create positive attitude for foreigners?

Here's and idea!

Return Thailand to the people and have an election.

Not only I will the rest of the world look at Thailand in a more positive light the economy will be much brighter to!

I fail to understand ,why your comment is popular.The best thing that happened to thailand ,was and still is military rule.Tourism has nothing to do with who runs the country.either yellow shirts or red shirts.Tourism dropped,because not only thailand becomming more expencive,,,8 years ago,there attitude started changing badly towards farangs,,and every year became worse.Also the fuss with changing laws every 5 december.,Many went other places,,and many returned back to the own country,when the baht dropped to as low as 45 to the pound.....The reason the military took control,simply because the country ,was out of control.Have you not read and understood the coruption that has been going on.And now being put right by the military.As soon as the military give the power.back,The same crooks will move back in.I think thailand needs to be run by the military for a least ,another 5 years,,Its other countrys crooks that dont like the military rule.Because they cannot be bribed.

Nonsense. Military rule is never good for tourism and the crooks are the people who have guns and uniforms who steal a government to line their own pockets. Get real. Read some history books. Read up on Thai history when you are out of Thailand and can read the banned books.

People do not realize the psychological warfare being waged. The idea is to win you over. Sure make some improvements to get you to follow the parade. Cambodia had military rule and we're sheep led to slaughter. They didn't want the people to think and when they accomplished that well the rest is history. There is only one problem about being a sheep... When you get to the slaughterhouse it looks like your last home until you get inside and then it's too late.

[Tongdee]

You can't polish a turd......

It can be done.

Step one Dry it Thouroughly

Step two 2 primer coats of sprayed on High qualitly Urethane turning turd after first coat

step three allow to dry overnight

Steps four through fourteen Recoat 3 times a day for ten days turning turd prior to each coat sanding lightly prior to first coat each day.

starting with 120 grit first day, 150 second day, each subsequent day finer paper up to 600

Step fifteen apply maguires polishing compound to lambs wool pad and follow instructions on package.

[spidermike007]

The Director-General of the Public Relations Department (PRD) Apinan Juntarungsri presided over the opening seminar on the integration of the public relations to foreign countries under the title ‘The Drive of Public Relations Plan for the practical implementation to create positive attitude in foreign target groups’ at the Century Park hotel.

He said that the PRD has the duty to send a positive image of Thailand to the world, and to let the capabilities of the nation be recognized globally.

Great stuff. How about this for starters:

​1. Stop the police from searching random tourists on the street. Fewer things will reduce tourism in a hurry. And if you are going to do random searches, apply them evenly with foreigners and Thais.

2. Start prosecuting guys like the Tao piglet, who come from super rich families, and murder at random, with impunity.

3. Develop traffic safety procedures, and then train the police to enforce them.

4. Create easier, and more favorable visa procedures, for tourists with enough cash, who want to stay for some time.

5. Hold elections. Get rid of the junta, so people can get travel insurance again.

6. Convict the creeps who are currently getting arrested. Show the world you are a serious nation, and that you take these kinds of massive crimes seriously, even if they are being committed by very rich men, who are connected.

7. Go after the scammers, like the jet ski pigs, and the other scam artists. Prosecute, confiscate their equipment, set an example.

Do something. Stop jawboning. Show us some action. No action, and only words make Johnny a dull boy indeed.

[bob009]

A good start would be in treating the foreigners who live work and have retired here with a little more respect, and cutting some of the draconian measures and the hoops they have to jump through to live here. “And pigs will fly”