Chiang Mai Governor warns traders not to take advantage of tourists

[Lite Beer]

Chiang Mai Governor warns traders not to take advantage of tourists

CHIANG MAI, 27 December 2014 (NNT) - Mr. Suriya Prasatbuntitya, Governor of Chiang Mai Province, has warned operators of restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and buses in Chiang Mai not to take advantage of tourists as such a practice will send negative impacts to the good image of this age-old city with a high culture and history.

According to the governor, Chiang Mai is the center of tourism in the northern part of Thailand and expected to become a tourism hub of ASEAN.

Therefore, all sectors of the province especially business operators related to tourists should help conserve and maintain their own valuable assets particularly the good characteristics of Chiang Mai people such as kind-heartedness, generosity, politeness, and sweet speaking style to all visitors.

These are the selling point of the city which needs to be maintained, along with the ancient heritages and remains, the Governor said.

-- NNT 2014-12-27

[JOC]

Have to admire the good governors sense of humor!!

Tell the wolf not to kill the sheep !!

[crazygreg44]

will you speak sweet to me ? Thank you velly mutt !!

How do you teach indian tailors to speak sweet to you ?

Let's all go to Chiang Mai experience the sweetness of talk.

The poor dutch guy who got beaten up by TEN thai "doormen" in the "Kalaoke Bar" after he complained that he was being scammed, has come too early for the sweetness campaign. It just started this morning, yesterday it was observed as a load of <deleted> if you mentioned any of this.

But now sweetness and sweet speakeasy will sweep through Chiang Mai should we believe the words of the gouverneur.

Intentions = good. Outcome = low

[dave2]

re

CHIANG MAI, 27 December 2014 (NNT) - Mr. Suriya Prasatbuntitya, Governor of Chiang Mai Province, has warned operators of restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and buses in Chiang Mai not to take advantage of tourists as such a practice will send negative impacts to the good image of this age-old city with a high culture and history.

hes joking ... right ?

dave2

[chooka]

I am not allowed to go to the markets with my wife as she says that they up the prices if they see a farang with a thai.

[ukrules]

This is hilarious. On another note I wonder how many people will go to prison for beating the shit out of the tourist who refused to overpay ?

Edited December 27, 2014 by ukrules

[Kooweerup]

Great no more dual pricing in Chiangmai. I can go to the zoo and pay the same as thais, get into places like Doi Suthep for free like thais. Maybe the rest of Thailand will follow and treat all people with equal standing and respect.

[Sparkles]

Governor are the Karaoke Bars on Changklan Rd included when they present a 30,000 baht bill to a customer and then bash him senseless when he refuses to pay ?

[ehs818]

I find the Governors comments to be most insulting and offensive. He skirted the obvious issue and did not even directly mention the most recent and upsetting incident where 10 Thai men assaulted an individual Farang, simply because he did not want to be scammed out of 30,000 baht. That's almost a thousand US Dollars. <deleted>!? Also, I would say that "not taking advantage of" is not even close to "don't assault and rob" foreigners.

REALLY!! Thais are slowly killing off the goose that lays the golden eggs---tourists. How sad, short sighted, and of course, typical.

[sweatalot]

I wonder if anybody will believe him - let alone act as he recommends

[clockman]

Remember, Down Town Inn.! Come as a tourist. Leave in a coffin.

[bristolgeoff]

I remember the karokie iccident in chaing mai the other day.they took advantage of the man or the man was stupid to go in there in the first place.this will be one of many in chiang mai this year with a tourist

[Jungle Jim]

Can you speak Thai ? If they try to charge a higher price i just walk away and will always remember that person. Easy no rip offs.

I am not allowed to go to the markets with my wife as she says that they up the prices if they see a farang with a thai.

[Jungle Jim]

One reason i just avoid Chiang Mai and other tourist areas. Perhaps much of the problem is stupid foreigners tossing money around and not asking the price before they buy something or get a ride. No one is holding a gun to your head. Rarely if ever have any problems in bars, taxis or Thais in general but like i said i just avoid tourist areas. Too many dumb foreigners.

[Jungle Jim]

if i see a foreigner in a bar or an English sign i just avoid the place. Guess what ? No problems with getting ripped off.

I remember the karokie iccident in chaing mai the other day.they took advantage of the man or the man was stupid to go in there in the first place.this will be one of many in chiang mai this year with a tourist

[monkeycountry]

One reason i just avoid Chiang Mai and other tourist areas. Perhaps much of the problem is stupid foreigners tossing money around and not asking the price before they buy something or get a ride. No one is holding a gun to your head. Rarely if ever have any problems in bars, taxis or Thais in general but like i said i just avoid tourist areas. Too many dumb foreigners.

I do not think you understand how how blatantly they cheat people. Knowing the price may not be enough. As an example, many years ago in some gogos they would have a sign both inside and outside the bar saying "no cover charge","free show" or similar, and staff would confirm. You then go in, drink and have fun, and when it is time to pay, you were of course charged a fortune, and when you wanted to point to the signs, they would be gone. They could make any variety of that scam if any bar if they wanted, even in a bar with no girls. "Yes sir, your beer is 100 baht, but the chair you sit in is 10,000 baht/hour and you have been here all night" :-)

[Equalizer]

So do the honorable thing and close them well known Karaoke bars, you know the ones Pal.

[Equalizer]

One reason i just avoid Chiang Mai and other tourist areas. Perhaps much of the problem is stupid foreigners tossing money around and not asking the price before they buy something or get a ride. No one is holding a gun to your head. Rarely if ever have any problems in bars, taxis or Thais in general but like i said i just avoid tourist areas. Too many dumb foreigners.

Jim the Jungle is a fitting place to live, fruit on trees does not need a price tag. However would you not agree a simple solution to all this would be a system where as all vendors display a price tag for all products? Not difficult seeing as all the dumb foreigners come from a country that do just that and know no different. The first time i visited Thailand i crossed a road at a Zebra crossing and nearly got run over. Some things are not the same but should be to avoid confusion and confrontation. This is not a case of trying to change a culture this is simply a no brainer that would assist in the governors lame attempt to justify his statement.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

One reason i just avoid Chiang Mai and other tourist areas. Perhaps much of the problem is stupid foreigners tossing money around and not asking the price before they buy something or get a ride. No one is holding a gun to your head. Rarely if ever have any problems in bars, taxis or Thais in general but like i said i just avoid tourist areas. Too many dumb foreigners.

In some of the karaoke bars they do hold a gun to your head.

[Isaanfreak]

I am not allowed to go to the markets with my wife as she says that they up the prices if they see a farang with a thai.

Same here...

[Mudcrab]

I find the Governors comments to be most insulting and offensive. He skirted the obvious issue and did not even directly mention the most recent and upsetting incident where 10 Thai men assaulted an individual Farang, simply because he did not want to be scammed out of 30,000 baht. That's almost a thousand US Dollars. <deleted>!? Also, I would say that "not taking advantage of" is not even close to "don't assault and rob" foreigners.

REALLY!! Thais are slowly killing off the goose that lays the golden eggs---tourists. How sad, short sighted, and of course, typical.

How is it "typical"?

Millions come here every year. Millions don't get beat up or scammed.

You need to spend more time in Thailand and less time on the internet.

[Mudcrab]

One reason i just avoid Chiang Mai and other tourist areas. Perhaps much of the problem is stupid foreigners tossing money around and not asking the price before they buy something or get a ride. No one is holding a gun to your head. Rarely if ever have any problems in bars, taxis or Thais in general but like i said i just avoid tourist areas. Too many dumb foreigners.

In some of the karaoke bars they do hold a gun to your head.

Name them.

Or tell us your experience with a gun held to your head.

[CMCMANGOMAN]

I find the Governors comments to be most insulting and offensive. He skirted the obvious issue and did not even directly mention the most recent and upsetting incident where 10 Thai men assaulted an individual Farang, simply because he did not want to be scammed out of 30,000 baht. That's almost a thousand US Dollars. <deleted>!? Also, I would say that "not taking advantage of" is not even close to "don't assault and rob" foreigners.

REALLY!! Thais are slowly killing off the goose that lays the golden eggs---tourists. How sad, short sighted, and of course, typical.

How is it "typical"?

Millions come here every year. Millions don't get beat up or scammed.

You need to spend more time in Thailand and less time on the internet.

Mudcrap: Cultural Apologist

A cultural apologist is a person that will defend a culture, no matter how offensive or incorrect, that is not native to himself in any way, shape or form. This he does as a way of lording his pseudo self-importance over others he interacts with. These people tend to think that indigenous people like them better, when in fact, the very opposite is true.

Edited December 28, 2014 by CMCMANGOMAN

[onthedarkside]

2 off topics have been removed.

[Nowisee]

I am not allowed to go to the markets with my wife as she says that they up the prices if they see a farang with a thai.

Same here...

i still enjoy asking the market person why they charge me more after i show them my goods from the other vendor my gf bought from. and i tell them how much she paid and they lost the sale because they are greedy. then i smile and give them the kiss wave

i always ask how much, then ask if that is same price as thais pay. or just wait and see how much they charge thais and only give them that much money.

more farang should do that

[bangmai]

and who exactly is behind the 400% tax on wine? the tuk-tuk drivers?

[Jim walker]

And if they are going to take advantage of tourists remember and do it in packs of 10 as the odds are better this way for getting a result.

[Sparkles]

I remember the karokie iccident in chaing mai the other day.they took advantage of the man or the man was stupid to go in there in the first place.this will be one of many in chiang mai this year with a tourist

You call him "stupid" but In the man's defence he was a'tourist" and may have just arrived in the country ,just how was he to know that these are places to be avoided ?

It takes quite a while to experience, or get knowledge, of scams that exist here.

Lets not blame the "victim" blame the gutless officials who do nothing about it.

I personally know many people who have scratched Chiang Mai and Thailand off their future travel plans, there are far too many alternatives.

[chooka]

I remember the karokie iccident in chaing mai the other day.they took advantage of the man or the man was stupid to go in there in the first place.this will be one of many in chiang mai this year with a tourist

You call him "stupid" but In the man's defence he was a'tourist" and may have just arrived in the country ,just how was he to know that these are places to be avoided ?

It takes quite a while to experience, or get knowledge, of scams that exist here.

Lets not blame the "victim" blame the gutless officials who do nothing about it.

I personally know many people who have scratched Chiang Mai and Thailand off their future travel plans, there are far too many alternatives.

very true, most who fall as victims are those that have read the material put out by TAT saying Thailand is a warm, loving and friendly place. TAT did use the word "lure" about 6 months ago to get tourists. These clubs lure tourists in also then gut and scale them.

[jamiesilver]

I would love to see more undercover footage of all these scams in Thailand, then watch them go viral. Its the only way any Karaoke bar will get shut down. Just saying they got scammed is not enough.
Big trouble in Thailand - you remember that show?
Thailand tried to ban it then tried to sue the BBC for defamation lol.

We need more of these shows.