Thai tourism industry again braces for another tough year ahead

[NBD]

It looks like a school project. The idea that window dressing and "rebranding" destinations in Thailand will fix anything is utterly ridiculous. Fix the actual problems of rampant corruption and criminality and you might be getting somewhere.

And to take it a step further actually make sure Thai people know about and are proud of Thailand's own, quite interesting, history rather than just a load of platitudes and empty dances to tick off the "Thai Culture" box and move along to selling cheap tat and prostitution.

Until then it's likely to remain a favourite destination of drunks and idiots with a relatively small number of quality tourists spending decent money.

[madmitch]

There's so much wrong with this article and most of it's been commented on already but the last paragraph caught my eye:

"In 2013, the average tourist's length of stay in Thailand was 9.8 days, the highest rate among Asean nations. Spending per head per trip was also at top level in the region with US$1,400 (Bt42,000)."

Well, it's no surprise that Thailand has the longest average length of stay as it's the only country in the region that is really marketed as a typical two week holiday destination.

Spending was at the top level per trip. Yes, for two reasons: 1. People stay longer and 2. It's the most expensive place (Singapore excepted, where people only ever take short breaks). But even then, 4,000 baht a day doesn't exactly represent high quality tourists though factoring in the Chinese spending 100 baht a day on 3 pot noodles then regular tourist expenditure will be a bit more realistically.

But they have to look for the positives at the moment

[DLock]

It looks like a school project. The idea that window dressing and "rebranding" destinations in Thailand will fix anything is utterly ridiculous. Fix the actual problems of rampant corruption and criminality and you might be getting somewhere.

And to take it a step further actually make sure Thai people know about and are proud of Thailand's own, quite interesting, history rather than just a load of platitudes and empty dances to tick off the "Thai Culture" box and move along to selling cheap tat and prostitution.

Until then it's likely to remain a favourite destination of drunks and idiots with a relatively small number of quality tourists spending decent money.

NBD, you're right. It does feel like a 6th grade school project where all the kids were given a country at random and asked how they would fix tourism.

This woman got Thailand as her country, read a few websites and came up with a plan.

She would have received comments like...

"Kobkarn, whilst you grasped some of the challenges of Thai tourism, your presentation lacked any meaningful solution to the problems presented, did not address these issues, offered unrealistic suggestions, failed to articulate the reasons for tourism woes and had no basis in fact for your projected increase in tourist numbers or revenue. Next time, please do more than read a few websites...and leave Pattaya alone."

Fail. Please try harder.

[DaffyDuck]

The junta botched tourism. Made some nonsensical moves that just put so many off.

Same junta that has that time machine, right?

(Tourism has been steadily declining for over 5 years. The junta has only been in charge for 6-7 months.)

[lil fluffy clouds]

Tourism makes a country unrealistic, loses it's amenity and destroys the soul of individuals.

Having said that, Thailand could be blessed by a large reduction in the people traveling there who appear to have little regard for anything other than their own entertainment. It really is pathetic. Gone it seems are days when people traveled and had more of a interest in the places they were going to. Now it seems that many travel to these countries just to escape their dull purposeless lives in the countries they come from. How many people that go to thailand and on departure actualy can say they know anything about the place. May as well stay home and indulge there until they are really interested in seeing some heart in another land....

Edited December 24, 2014 by lil fluffy clouds

[Alan653]

Pattaya a family destination?

Okay...blow some more smoke

up my backside.

Bangkok the hub of culture?

Try walikng across the controlled

intersection at Asok and Sukhumvit.

There's your culture!

[alex8912]

I have been coming here for the last 14 Winters and Silom/Surawong were just dead last night. I spoke to a few venders and everybody says "business no good". Even the weeks after the airport closure six years ago were busier. It hurts everybody. Tourists are not coming.

[gandalf12]

'Discover Thainess'? Don't do that, let people discover the 'pleasure' of Thainess once they've booked their flights and spent lots of money.

It is like saying "Discover Britishness" or "Discover Americanism" you cant and you wont with a visit

[phuketlive]

in phuket, the problem is the kind of people in charge of tourists...

Jet ski mafia, tuk tuks, etc

Impossible to change those people so things will stay the same and people will go away.

how many stories with tuk tuk charging drunk tourists at night, 1500 or 2000 baths for 5mn ride...

Tuk tuk charging 400 baths, saying no change for a 1000 bath bill and driving away with the 1000 baths...

What a shame but they just dont understand, they are limited people who say, "another nationality will replace the russians"...

A thai owner told me that the other day so they dont care what tourist face when they come here, they think people will keep coming anyway...

[Suffinator]

"The ministry is ready to run a one-year plan to reconstruct the industry and line up fundamentals for long-term growth," Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said.

Hasn't anyone told that that a 1 year plan is actually short-term? Long-term is a minimum of 5 years.

Negative images and perceptions that Thai tourism is cheap also need to change, along with rebuilding the deteriorating environment and other attractions, the ministry believes.

The negativity has nothing to do with Thailand being cheap... it's all the scams, violence and crooked cops. Change these and you might have a viable tourism industry; don't and it's doomed to continue its decline.

Chanin Donavanik, managing director and chief executive officer of Dusit International, said Thai tourism had no problem with products and services. The one major item bothering tourists was the political scene.

For a guy who runs a major hotel chain he's either delusional or in denial ... sure the products and definitely services could be improved but unless of the scams, violence and crooked cops and put a stop to things won't get better but worse.

Bangkok will be rebranded and noted for its river cruises, complemented with existing variety products such as shopping, dining, weekend holidays, history and culture.

So a smell river cruise followed by over priced shopping where most of it is copied ... sounds like a winner to me.

Pattaya, which is famed as a nightlife and beach town, will be transformed by world-class sports activities and also as a family destination.

So they are going to turn it from a whore house into a sport centre ... ummm, maybe they could make sex an Olympic sport ... he who cums first comes last.

Koh Pha Ngan, now known as home to the world's most popular full-moon party, will be turned into a resort based more on "Thainess".

There's already far too much 'Thainess' and that's why the tourism industry in Thailand is taking a beating ... never going to learn.

Phuket is targeted as a venue for premium cruises and a destination for MICE, together with beaches and diving.

Speed boats packed with Chinese tourists and a moron at the helm; yeah sounds like another winner. Beaches are filthy and the water full of human waste. Diving is appalling as it's been illegally over fished ... you might find the odd bit of dead coral but that's about it.

I'm afraid that until they can acknowledge, accept and admit their failures as a nation and tourist destination I fail to see how growth can be obtained. You simply cannot continue to rip off tourists and expect them to come flocking back.

[CharlieH]

off topic removed

[JDMCanuck]

Ok so here i go finally,Ive had enough of the THai BS. This is an unedited rant cause I am so P at the aggravation of trying to coordinate a decent ticket price on a decent airline without having to extend my exempt because I am 1 day over. Not to mention the shakedowns but they do NOT have a positive effect, the Police shakedown effect is very negative outside of Thailand. All of you that want to tell me to stay home then, can just PO, I could care less, stop defending a stunned ass countries policie and get the F out of Dodge, there are much better places in the world than Thailand, that acxtually want your money. I am a older affluent Canadian with enough money to travel anywhere I want. I am not a drunken expat looking for a flop house where I can spend my retirement as the Thailand equivqalent of a warm weather dumpster diver. I have enough money to be quite comfotable wherever I go and I can go anywhere in the world that I choose next week for one month to as long as 2 months if I want. But Ill be F damed if Ill go to any stunned ass country that does not recognize affluent travelers and treat them as such. Go ahead call me egotistical I could care less, I travel business class so tough sh. Thoise are facts. I just got back from Mexico where I was granted a 180 day stay the same as I am granted when I go to the US or Panama, a small town where the beach I stayed on was perfect, safe , very hot every day, I could drink the tap water , there were no mozies, no moslems, no russians, no chinese, no pakistanis, no indiamns and no midlle eastern or aficans of any kind NONE.. I did not hear one englishman , one drunken irishmen or scotsmen. There were no Dutch whoremongers, and I did not see one german in a thong. I saw very friendly Mexican families enjoying themselves in a very clean, very hot beach town. I saw no peddlers and NO beggars. I walked at any time of the day or nioght anywhere I felt and was never under the impression that I was not safe and I do 360s constantly. I saw very few Americans although there were some. In short why would I want to come to a country and stand in line with the above scum of the earth to extend my visa because the Thai dept of Immigration is so F braindead as to not recognize "quality Tourists" when it hits themn between the eyes. I dont like being screwed over any more than anyone else but when there are options you can keep the thong crowd and stuff them where the sun doesnt shine. Ill be F damed if because I want to stay in your country a few extra days AND spend my money that you are going to make me stand in a line like every other backpacking student from god nows where. If the Thailand ministry ever gets it figured out Maybe , just maybe will I vist again. Go ahead call me elitist and conceited and highbred and everything else you want , I dont care, Thailand Immigration is F. I would have spent 300000tb minimum, thats outside money I would have spent at least probably more in Thailand this next two months, ( I even went as far as getting a 60 day visa from Vancouver Thai consulate but then had to change plans and could not get there before it starts so that was a wasted picture 75 CA and postage fees and aggravation too). but travel but as of now Thailand gets a big fat $0 instead.

[bikerbri]

Its clear and simple. Thailand has had its day.People used to come here for the cheapness and the fun.Sorry to say all this has gone. Thailand and its people have forgotten that tourist have choices,which false smiles and obligatory wha's can not change. The Thai middle class now dominate and are hungry for cash at any cost.Scams and even more scams have been the Thai's downfall. Greed has overtaken common sense,and trying to blame World events only makes Thai's look more stupid than they really are.Corruption is endemic and never ending.Free speech,forget it.When opening your mouth to a so called friend or neighbour can land you to the place of attitude adjustment,or even prison,who would want to even talk to anyone.The thought police are around every corner waiting to search your bags or take a urine sample.Trying to sell the so called Thainess is a lost cause,no one believes it any more.

[Kitsune]

With 19 millions of tourists a year, and despite political turmoil, natural disasters (flooding, tsunami) Thailand remains a top tourist destination.

weirdly enough hostility towards foreigners taken for easy targets of scams, crimes and intimidation is still largely ignored by the vast majority of tourists who see these events as marginals. But then again so it was on this very forum a year ago.

I think they are right to believe in Chinese tourism: These guys are tourism virgins, they all come in groups with a tour guide, which will assure their security, but as the Japanese did, they will slowly venture on their own, which will make them easy prey for tuktuks etc, but Chinese social media is very controlled and largely cut off from the world so it won't affect Chinese tourism in Thailand or not for a few years at least.

On the other hand, crime and corruption is out of hand and won't be tackled...

So I predict less farangs more Chinese/Asean for a while, before something really gruesome happens to some Chinese/Asean then figures will go down

[wow64]

This is totally wrong.. Thailand is getting their smiles back next year.. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786521-chinese-tourists-to-bring-smiles-back-to-thailand/

[Thai at Heart]

Welcome back independent travellers.

Back to backpackers. The quality tourist and Chinese package is dead already.

[Thai at Heart]

With 19 millions of tourists a year, and despite political turmoil, natural disasters (flooding, tsunami) Thailand remains a top tourist destination.

weirdly enough hostility towards foreigners taken for easy targets of scams, crimes and intimidation is still largely ignored by the vast majority of tourists who see these events as marginals. But then again so it was on this very forum a year ago.

I think they are right to believe in Chinese tourism: These guys are tourism virgins, they all come in groups with a tour guide, which will assure their security, but as the Japanese did, they will slowly venture on their own, which will make them easy prey for tuktuks etc, but Chinese social media is very controlled and largely cut off from the world so it won't affect Chinese tourism in Thailand or not for a few years at least.

On the other hand, crime and corruption is out of hand and won't be tackled...

So I predict less farangs more Chinese/Asean for a while, before something really gruesome happens to some Chinese/Asean then figures will go down

Chinese tourism plumetted already because they banned zero fare tours. As though you might expect a tourist to pay for his trip, right?

[fey]

why would they draw families to a sleaze location like pattaya. makes no sense.

[Kitsune]

With 19 millions of tourists a year, and despite political turmoil, natural disasters (flooding, tsunami) Thailand remains a top tourist destination.

weirdly enough hostility towards foreigners taken for easy targets of scams, crimes and intimidation is still largely ignored by the vast majority of tourists who see these events as marginals. But then again so it was on this very forum a year ago.

I think they are right to believe in Chinese tourism: These guys are tourism virgins, they all come in groups with a tour guide, which will assure their security, but as the Japanese did, they will slowly venture on their own, which will make them easy prey for tuktuks etc, but Chinese social media is very controlled and largely cut off from the world so it won't affect Chinese tourism in Thailand or not for a few years at least.

On the other hand, crime and corruption is out of hand and won't be tackled...

So I predict less farangs more Chinese/Asean for a while, before something really gruesome happens to some Chinese/Asean then figures will go down

Chinese tourism plumetted already because they banned zero fare tours. As though you might expect a tourist to pay for his trip, right?

They banned what?

[MaRKie]

Well there are two other choices in the area. Cambodia and Philippines. Philippines everything is cheaper other than hotels. Cambodia everything is cheaper. Not as beautiful as thailand. However Philippines is more beautiful. If thailand doesn't want us anymore, good bye thailand.

I love the way they are predicting tourism to be up next year, and then up again in 2016.

[Kitsune]

Well there are two other choices in the area. Cambodia and Philippines. Philippines everything is cheaper other than hotels. Cambodia everything is cheaper. Not as beautiful as thailand. However Philippines is more beautiful. If thailand doesn't want us anymore, good bye thailand.

I love the way they are predicting tourism to be up next year, and then up again in 2016.

Quid of Lao, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia?

[Jay Sata]

why would they draw families to a sleaze location like pattaya. makes no sense.

I quite agree.

Pattaya is one of the worst sex resorts in Asia and certainly not a family holiday destination.

I sometimes wonder if the hiso tourist board members have ever ventured in to the sort of places

that western media use to illustrate Thailand.

[DaffyDuck]

Another thread that degenerated into the usual "Thailand is dead / Thailand is bad / Thailand is over" - yet, oddly the most vocal still remain in Thailand, and keep coming.

[ehw200]

the Junta,,,may be the best thing that has happened to Thailand in years,,,although my vote is still out

and I am still in a wait and see position

if Thailand wants to regain it tourist business,,,clean up the corruption, the scams and crime, the murders of foreigners, the violence and of course last but not least the corrupt and thieving police (mafia) force

[Stargeezr]

It is heartening to see that the Tourism bunch are admitting that

2015 could be more hard times. I wonder if any of them will put pressure on

the authorities to modernize the Visas available for travellers and tourists

to Thailand. 90 days without any visa, a 6 month visa with multiple entry

say 4 times for a reasonable price. It is time for this country to really

try to make tourism in Thailand more attractive for people and a part of

that would be to simplify the hassles of the visa requirements.

I am happy to see the new PM and the present government, are still doing their best to rid the country of some of the corruption, and I hope him success in the future!

Stargeezer

[Ulic]

Thailand biggest problem will be the 50% devaluation of the Russian Rouble. The biggest plus is the falling

price of oil that should lower the price of flights if the airlines pass on the savings (has not happened yet in Canada)

The medical tourism is a red herring for the most part as only the US does not have a socialized health care system

and the price of cosmetic surgery in/by the private hospitals/doctors is edging closer to western rates. Certainly

Canada. Those Asians with money, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong/China will use there own highly regarded

medical infrastructure. Most 1st time tourists will not be put off by the various scams in Thailand as they are not

aware of them, however once stung will be less likely to return so I expect the return tourist percentage to drop.

Just my take on things.

[bboy]

I used to get irritated by so many mannerisms of different nationality tourists but now it just washes over me and i smile. The most amusing trait of Chinese tourists is their eagerness to photograph / see attractions up close with no regard for other tourists. The photo is from a recent samet trip outside ploy bar. They (with help from some farang backpackers) totally blocked the view of everyone else trying to watch the fire show!

[thaibeachlovers]

Well, a good start would be to follow Malaysia's lead and have 90 day stays at the border for tourists from countries not likely to cause problems.

Then they could actually stop the scams, and they could make sure pavements are for walking on, not m'bike taxi parking etc.

[thaibeachlovers]

why would they draw families to a sleaze location like pattaya. makes no sense.

I quite agree.

Pattaya is one of the worst sex resorts in Asia and certainly not a family holiday destination.

I sometimes wonder if the hiso tourist board members have ever ventured in to the sort of places

that western media use to illustrate Thailand.

That should be "Pattaya is one of the BEST sex resorts in Asia", but I agree that the families should b****r off as they are ruining it.