Minister Kobkarn: Thailand needs to focus on quantity of tourism

[webfact]

Minister Kobkarn: Thailand needs to focus on quantity of tourism

BANGKOK, 05 October 2015, (NNT) - Thailand must adjust its tourism policy, focusing on attracting tourists to remain in the Kingdom longer and spend more, said the Tourism Minister, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul.

The comment was made during the 'Thailand Moves Forward program', after the Cabinet had approved the 2015-2017 national tourism plan and a long term tourism strategy.

The strategy involves cooperation from both the government and the private sector to promote secondary tourism destinations aimed at increasing the number of tourists and the time they stay as well as the money they spend in Thailand.

The Minister said the move would help generate income for locals through the sales of native products.

She also pointed out that part of the strategy would involve urging those in the tourism sector to conserve water as well as asking tourists to do, so given that Thailand has been facing water shortage crises.

-- NNT 2015-10-05

[worgeordie]

I think we heard this before, and got hoards of Chinese.

regards Worgeordie

[jaidam]

Bear in mind this is the woman that said tourists should wear electronic ankle bracelets to help police keep track of them. Her comments came after the Koh Tao double murder when it was apparent that the real culprits were above the law and she was concerned that having a gang of serial killers on the loose might scare away a few tourists.

[NCC1701A]

"The Minister said the move would help generate income for locals through the sales of native products."

they should widen Cowboy so the tour buses can drop everybody off in the middle.

Edited October 5, 2015 by NCC1701A

[cockatoowho]

Why doesn't someone give this oxygen bandit some butcher's paper and a pack of crayons and let her sit in the corner of the padded room.

[Misterwhisper]

"Please stay longer and spend more, but don't waste so much water while you're here."

Is that in essence what she's saying?

[Sam Jones]

More empty statements from Ms. Popcorn - She can hear the fat lady is Warming up to finish this dying tourist industri ...

[Pattaya28]

More Waffle !!

Thailand only knows how to do things "on-the-cheap".

Thailand doesn't know the meaning of "quality".

Edited October 5, 2015 by Pattaya28

[clockman]

A better lure, is required!

[terryp]

going by past actions they will most prob announce that all tourists have a maximum stay of 24 hours then they must leave the country ...this will make them spend all their money in 1 day ...thai logic at its finest

if Carlsberg/Chang did f..d up countrys it would be this one.

[ChrisY1]

Like a cracked record........you wanted Chinese...you got 'em......you want 'em to stay longer and spend...ain't gonna happen!

[bamnutsak]

Why do I have the impression that Kunh Kobkarn's compensation package is tied to tourist headcount?

[kevc]

Thought it was quality tourist they wanted not quantity.....no that was last month.

[clockman]

They killed the golden goose, along time ago. Now they are charging first world prices. And they are still a third world country.

[trogers]

What does this country have to offer to quality tourists?

One can only overprice kao kang 2x and not 10x...

[GeckosDiving]

Why doesn't someone give this oxygen bandit some butcher's paper and a pack of crayons and let her sit in the corner of the padded room.

How do you know when a women knows what she is talking about ?

When they start their sentence with "My husband / Boyfriend says.............

Edited October 5, 2015 by GeckosDiving

[ldiablo]

So now they have moved from quality to quantity. Remind me to leave the faucets running.

[Squeegee]

You don't deserve any tourists.

You, missy, should be forced to wear a wristband if you go outside Thailand.

[Hawk]

The immigration doesn't want anybody but the government only wants tourists who don't wash or shower.

[taony]

Yeah, they should have two tourisms. Two is always better than one.

[Ruud4u]

It is exactly the opposite of the West. It is really a well-founded strategy or not .......

It unfortunately confirms the level of Thai on high position.
It's bad for the people and the country to have such weak-founded strategies.

We want to grow but do not know how and wait and see what happens.

Good Luck.

[MaxLee]

Minister Kobkarn: Thailand needs to focus on quantity of tourism

The comment was made during the 'Thailand Moves Forward program'

You fool, you didn't learn anything!!!!!!

[whatproblem]

Try making Thailand safe first

[rethaier]

I don't suppose we could consider focusing any effort on quality of the hosts. Some things to consider mat be corrupt cops shaking people down, scamming tuk-tuk drivers, dual pricing and violence toward tourists. Nah that would be expecting to much.

[Jessi]

Thought it was quality tourist they wanted not quantity.....no that was last month.

When Thaksin was in power he wanted better quality tourist and we finished up with Russians & Chinese.

Next please .

[Emster23]

Perhaps if they provided quality then quantity would follow? Pull in billions but can't bother to pick up the endemic trash, for example. Should give each tourist a bullseye shirt so everyone knows, from the police on down (or up?) "easy money here, hunting season is ON!"

[GAZZPA]

Erm, I dont think thats what he really means when he says "stay longer and spend more", what I think he meant to say was "stay less and spend more".

Perhaps you could start with,, stopping police corruption and harassment, dont have dual pricing for tourists, come down hard all all scammers (jet ski, sun beds etc), create effective policing where tourists know they can rely on emergency services etc,,,

At present the only news I see coming out of Thailand is bad news, sorry to say but it seems to be true.

[thaimat]

The Farangs who come here year after year, and stay 2-3 months, have it harder and harder with ever changing ever more difficult visa policies. So the strategy is, let's make it more difficult for the tourists who are staying longer, and spending more, but try to get more of the same?

[thaimat]

Erm, I dont think thats what he really means when he says "stay longer and spend more", what I think he meant to say was "stay less and spend more".

Perhaps you could start with,, stopping police corruption and harassment, dont have dual pricing for tourists, come down hard all all scammers (jet ski, sun beds etc), create effective policing where tourists know they can rely on emergency services etc,,,

At present the only news I see coming out of Thailand is bad news, sorry to say but it seems to be true.

TAT 50 years behind the times, they still think advertising trumps PR. Someone might want to mention to them that this is the digital age, PR is everything.

[diehard60]

WOW! I don't beleive it. They finally woke up?