I say quite right to a couple of the posts above. Furthermore, I don't buy the 15% figure. I believe it's much higher, and the characters in charge know it.

It is higher, but not by much: Travel & Tourism Total Contribution to GDP

Normally I stay out of Bangkok now a day's but yesterday I went here as my nephew came to Thailand. So, a little sightseeing, Khao Sarn road, beer and finally he asked about massage. I have gone to the same place for massage sins my first time in Bangkok, they have always been full so you need to wait (the owner and 7 workers). Yesterday there were 2 workers and the owner herself working only, I asked why so few.

"No customer, today 2 customers... You and your nephew!" She estimated that if it continues like this she will have to close before the end of high season, she have been running that shop for 18 years!

And I asked her about a guesthouse as I know her friend have one close to the palace "Closed, no customers!".

So I have my answer about what a drop of tourists does for the Thai economy!

We were talking to a friend who owns a lot of condos usually all are rented ,60% down this time ,he has never known this before .

As for there being lots of Russians ,they booked their holiday months ago when the Ruble was high ,how many are booking now? next year will be quiet i think.

So true!

I have a very global perspective -- living in Hawaii half time and BKK half time, and traveling often.

Tourism in ALL countries is called "Good Dollars" with much trickle-down effect to many industries. No one can actually, accurately quantify the effect of tourism dollars.

Last year, my son and DIL came to visit me in BKK, along with over 20 friends during the year.

Now -- No one is interested. The MEDIA outside of Thailand is KILLING this country.

I agreed with you until the last sentence.

It is not the MEDIA outside Thailand that is killing this country, it is Thailand's own arrogance, ignorance, and corruption that is giving the foreign media a lot of negative things to report on that is killing the country.

Nobody is telling lies about poor Thailand. The frequent murders and suspicious deaths of tourists, rampant corruption at all levels of society, police shakedowns and extortion of legal tourists and expats, a complete failure on the part of police and transportation officials to protect tourists from unsafe and corrupt operators (read: jet skis, taxis, vans, boats, ferries), months of protests that crippled the country, yet another coup, ongoing martial law, and a constant stream of ignorant and ill conceived policy changes (like visas, foreign business ownership, et al) that are unclear, corrupt, xenophobic, and frequently so flawed that they are usually changed, amended, "clarified" (read: explained differently every time an "official" opens his mouth), and sometimes immediately backtracked as soon as they are announced, are all happening... DAILY. The foreign media is just reporting what is going on. If Thailand doesn't like what is being said about the country, perhaps they should try a new approach and actually DO something constructive to change it.

I've lived here 5 years (I know that makes me a noob as compared to some on the forum) and I have enjoyed most of that time but, as I have said here before, if I were not married to a Thai, after my experience over the last ~12 months, I would be looking for another place to live.

I can't imagine why a tourist would come here to put up with this nonsense when there are so many other choices available.

I can't imagine why a person would want to come here to try to do business in this constantly changing and corrupt environment.

Thailand is a beautiful country with a lot of wonderful people and it had a golden opportunity to develop its economy in ways that would have benefited all of the Thai people and to be a roll model in the region, but it has truly killed the golden goose and they have NO ONE to blame for it but themselves.

Spot on. Could not agree with you more mate !! Very nicely and accurately said.

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