Tourism Minister Kobkarn affirms wildfire in Chiang Mai will not affect tourism

[webfact]

Minister of Tourism and Sport affirms wildfire in Chiang Mai will not affect tourism

BANGKOK, 10 May 2016 (NNT) - The Minister of Tourism and Sport has affirmed that the wildfire fire in Chiang Mai will not affect tourism and has encouraged locals to continue to welcome visitors.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said the wildfire on Doi Suthep National Park near the village of Khun Chang Kian in Chiang Mai Province will definitely not affect the tourism industry in Chiang Mai Province.

The Ministry has discussed with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Related Agencies to ascertain the cause of the forest fires in the region. She pointed out that despite the smog in certain areas during the Songkran festival, tourists have continued to visit the country. Meanwhile, locals are urged to continue to act as hospitable hosts and welcome visitors to the country.

-- NNT 2016-05-10

[ratcatcher]

Absolutely nothing will affect tourism. Period!

[Thechook]

Absolutely nothing will affect tourism. Period!

So true. You could have a nuclear blast destroying all life in Thailand and the only thing that survives is a little black box with a recording from TAT. "This total destruction of the country will not effect tourism"

[Thailand]

The acres of charred trees and ruins will be designated as a tourist new attraction and foreigners will be charged THB500 a head to view it.

[saakura]

Absolutely nothing will affect tourism. Period!

Much as we may dislike it, this does seem to be true to a great extent.

[Rayk]

Heck. An end of the world asteroid who definitely not affect tourism in this person's mind.

Mommy, mommy I want to go to Chaing Mai and see the wonderful wildfires, can we, can we, please.

[cardinalblue]

Why are they so insecure?

Too bad they can't be driven by principles and not dollars...

[gandalf12]

Why are they so insecure?

Too bad they can't be driven by principles and not dollars...

Their principles ARE dollars

[Pimay1]

Why are they so insecure?

Too bad they can't be driven by principles and not dollars...

Their principles ARE dollars

Correct. The first thing TAT does is to announce the dollars will keep flowing in.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Kind of like the Thai equivalent of the old saying... fiddling while Rome burns.

[spidermike007]

Another day in Thailand. As usual Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is just making things up as he goes along. We are bulletproof. Nothing affects us. No adversity would drive tourists away. No amount of police corruption, violence against Westerners, or scandals will keep you away. We know that. We offer some of the finest food, some of the nicest people, some of the most gorgeous tourist attractions, and everything is really, really cheap. Plus we really take care of our country, and are very concerned about the environment, the forests, the beaches, and keep the water in both in the Gulf and the Andaman in crystal clear condition, due to all of our progressive programs to save the environment. Plus, we are taking really good care of our migrants, and have ended slavery in all forms. Come and see. We are waiting for you, and will greet you with big smiles. We know you will come, as you really do not have many alternatives to our great and gorgeous nation. Don't even consider any other countries within SE Asia. None of them are as good as our country. We are the best!

As many of us know, western tourism is way, way down. Nearly everyone I talk to, whether it be a restaurant, bar, massage shop, gift store, travel agent, tour operator, or hotel owner, say the same thing. Tourism is way down. The TAT would claim the numbers are up. Of course they are counting the Chinese tourists, all business visas, and all border runs in those (not so accurate) numbers! The Chinese have contributed to the arrival numbers. But, they are mostly low quality tourists, who contribute little to the Thai economy, as most of the profits from their tours are repatriated to China, and elsewhere. And the Chinese do not spend much money in the shops, restaurants, bars, or elsewhere. And the room rates they are paying are highly discounted.

So, again this numskull is missing the mark, as usual. Rather than focus on developing or sustaining higher quality western tourism, these TAT people just trod on, seemingly oblivious, or unconcerned about the decline in the quality of tourists here. Plus, the PM is not the greatest ally of tourism, as he is continually being allowed to mouth off, and sabotage Western tourism, on a daily basis, with his fabulously ignorant statements about Westerners, and his continued demonstration of nationalism, at every opportunity.

[Wilsonandson]

Another day in Thailand. As usual Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is just making things up as he goes along. We are bulletproof. Nothing affects us. No adversity would drive tourists away. No amount of police corruption, violence against Westerners, or scandals will keep you away. We know that. We offer some of the finest food, some of the nicest people, some of the most gorgeous tourist attractions, and everything is really, really cheap. Plus we really take care of our country, and are very concerned about the environment, the forests, the beaches, and keep the water in both in the Gulf and the Andaman in crystal clear condition, due to all of our progressive programs to save the environment. Plus, we are taking really good care of our migrants, and have ended slavery in all forms. Come and see. We are waiting for you, and will greet you with big smiles. We know you will come, as you really do not have many alternatives to our great and gorgeous nation. Don't even consider any other countries within SE Asia. None of them are as good as our country. We are the best!

As many of us know, western tourism is way, way down. Nearly everyone I talk to, whether it be a restaurant, bar, massage shop, gift store, travel agent, tour operator, or hotel owner, say the same thing. Tourism is way down. The TAT would claim the numbers are up. Of course they are counting the Chinese tourists, all business visas, and all border runs in those (not so accurate) numbers! The Chinese have contributed to the arrival numbers. But, they are mostly low quality tourists, who contribute little to the Thai economy, as most of the profits from their tours are repatriated to China, and elsewhere. And the Chinese do not spend much money in the shops, restaurants, bars, or elsewhere. And the room rates they are paying are highly discounted.

So, again this numskull is missing the mark, as usual. Rather than focus on developing or sustaining higher quality western tourism, these TAT people just trod on, seemingly oblivious, or unconcerned about the decline in the quality of tourists here. Plus, the PM is not the greatest ally of tourism, as he is continually being allowed to mouth off, and sabotage Western tourism, on a daily basis, with his fabulously ignorant statements about Westerners, and his continued demonstration of nationalism, at every opportunity.

[ratcatcher]

Another day in Thailand. As usual Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is just making things up as he goes along. We are bulletproof. Nothing affects us. No adversity would drive tourists away. No amount of police corruption, violence against Westerners, or scandals will keep you away. We know that. We offer some of the finest food, some of the nicest people, some of the most gorgeous tourist attractions, and everything is really, really cheap. Plus we really take care of our country, and are very concerned about the environment, the forests, the beaches, and keep the water in both in the Gulf and the Andaman in crystal clear condition, due to all of our progressive programs to save the environment. Plus, we are taking really good care of our migrants, and have ended slavery in all forms. Come and see. We are waiting for you, and will greet you with big smiles. We know you will come, as you really do not have many alternatives to our great and gorgeous nation. Don't even consider any other countries within SE Asia. None of them are as good as our country. We are the best!

As many of us know, western tourism is way, way down. Nearly everyone I talk to, whether it be a restaurant, bar, massage shop, gift store, travel agent, tour operator, or hotel owner, say the same thing. Tourism is way down. The TAT would claim the numbers are up. Of course they are counting the Chinese tourists, all business visas, and all border runs in those (not so accurate) numbers! The Chinese have contributed to the arrival numbers. But, they are mostly low quality tourists, who contribute little to the Thai economy, as most of the profits from their tours are repatriated to China, and elsewhere. And the Chinese do not spend much money in the shops, restaurants, bars, or elsewhere. And the room rates they are paying are highly discounted.

So, again this numskull is missing the mark, as usual. Rather than focus on developing or sustaining higher quality western tourism, these TAT people just trod on, seemingly oblivious, or unconcerned about the decline in the quality of tourists here. Plus, the PM is not the greatest ally of tourism, as he is continually being allowed to mouth off, and sabotage Western tourism, on a daily basis, with his fabulously ignorant statements about Westerners, and his continued demonstration of nationalism, at every opportunity.

As usual Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is just making things up as he goes along".

Good post except I believe the minister would be offended by your reference to her gender.

[wabothai]

So madame has come back out of hiding from under her rug and found something to run her little recording.

[DrTuner]

For the Chinese a bit of wildfire smoke is like crystal clear air.

[Jai Dee]

A couple of off-topic troll posts have been removed from this thread.

[DM07]

I can't believe it!

I just can't believe it!

What the #$@%?!

[marko kok prong]

At least it is an improvement this wildfire smoke over the smell of burning plastic.

[blazes]

Post #11 said:

Rather than focus on developing or sustaining higher quality western tourism, these TAT people just trod on, seemingly oblivious, or unconcerned about the decline in the quality of tourists here.

Quite apart from finding this post a bit snobbish (high-quality v low-quality tourists), one has to wonder who, precisely, are these high-quality western tourists who have gone missing? Or, more to the point, what is it the missing tourists are missing? When you've seen one wat , you've seen them all. Beaches? Mostly now filthy? But, to be brief, what is there in LoS that a "high-quality" western tourist would want to come to Thailand for?

Would a hi-so Westerner come here for the excellent beer or wine, in all their great global variety, freely available at low cost? For the opera? the symphony (which, btw, are top-notch in other Asian cities, like Tokyo, KL and most Chinese cities)?

Is the hi-so visitor coming for the kick-boxing? for jet-skiing? etc etc etc.

Warm weather (guaranteed) will attract most people, hi and lo so, from all over the world. That's about it.

So, it is indeed reasonable to assume that tourism will not be affected very much by smoke in CM. The hi-so Westerner is already absent....

[Jimbo2014]

Hey let's look at the positives. It provides something for the new wave of tourists to roast their prawns on ??

[spidermike007]

Post #11 said:

Rather than focus on developing or sustaining higher quality western tourism, these TAT people just trod on, seemingly oblivious, or unconcerned about the decline in the quality of tourists here.

Quite apart from finding this post a bit snobbish (high-quality v low-quality tourists), one has to wonder who, precisely, are these high-quality western tourists who have gone missing? Or, more to the point, what is it the missing tourists are missing? When you've seen one wat , you've seen them all. Beaches? Mostly now filthy? But, to be brief, what is there in LoS that a "high-quality" western tourist would want to come to Thailand for?

Would a hi-so Westerner come here for the excellent beer or wine, in all their great global variety, freely available at low cost? For the opera? the symphony (which, btw, are top-notch in other Asian cities, like Tokyo, KL and most Chinese cities)?

Is the hi-so visitor coming for the kick-boxing? for jet-skiing? etc etc etc.

Warm weather (guaranteed) will attract most people, hi and lo so, from all over the world. That's about it.

So, it is indeed reasonable to assume that tourism will not be affected very much by smoke in CM. The hi-so Westerner is already absent....

I was definitely not referring to high society Europeans. I was referring to the average Western tourist, who spends money. Not a fortune, mind you. But someone who frequents the restaurants, bars, massage shops, gift shops, and is not afraid to drop a few bucks. Totally unlike the average Chinese tourist here, who comes as part of a tour package, and is shepherded into the places the tour operators have deals with. All the rest of the establishments are left behind. Most of the Chinese package tourists simply do not spend much cash while here, and that makes them a low quality tourist, by any business standard, related to tourism.

I am not making this stuff up. I have heard it from dozens of people who are involved in the industry. And there is no doubt the number of the higher quality (I stick with that term, even if it offends) tourists is declining. Regardless of what they came here for, they came in the millions, every year, and supported this economy in a big way. That is on the decline for a dozen different reasons, but chief amongst them is the current regime, and the inability of the leader to keep his mouth shut, and if speaking, to avoid saying things that are ignorant, beyond imagination.

Edited May 10, 2016 by spidermike007

[elgordo38]

Another day in Thailand. As usual Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is just making things up as he goes along. We are bulletproof. Nothing affects us. No adversity would drive tourists away. No amount of police corruption, violence against Westerners, or scandals will keep you away. We know that. We offer some of the finest food, some of the nicest people, some of the most gorgeous tourist attractions, and everything is really, really cheap. Plus we really take care of our country, and are very concerned about the environment, the forests, the beaches, and keep the water in both in the Gulf and the Andaman in crystal clear condition, due to all of our progressive programs to save the environment. Plus, we are taking really good care of our migrants, and have ended slavery in all forms. Come and see. We are waiting for you, and will greet you with big smiles. We know you will come, as you really do not have many alternatives to our great and gorgeous nation. Don't even consider any other countries within SE Asia. None of them are as good as our country. We are the best!

As many of us know, western tourism is way, way down. Nearly everyone I talk to, whether it be a restaurant, bar, massage shop, gift store, travel agent, tour operator, or hotel owner, say the same thing. Tourism is way down. The TAT would claim the numbers are up. Of course they are counting the Chinese tourists, all business visas, and all border runs in those (not so accurate) numbers! The Chinese have contributed to the arrival numbers. But, they are mostly low quality tourists, who contribute little to the Thai economy, as most of the profits from their tours are repatriated to China, and elsewhere. And the Chinese do not spend much money in the shops, restaurants, bars, or elsewhere. And the room rates they are paying are highly discounted.

So, again this numskull is missing the mark, as usual. Rather than focus on developing or sustaining higher quality western tourism, these TAT people just trod on, seemingly oblivious, or unconcerned about the decline in the quality of tourists here. Plus, the PM is not the greatest ally of tourism, as he is continually being allowed to mouth off, and sabotage Western tourism, on a daily basis, with his fabulously ignorant statements about Westerners, and his continued demonstration of nationalism, at every opportunity.

As usual Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is just making things up as he goes along".

Good post except I believe the minister would be offended by your reference to her gender. popcorn.jpg

Kind of a gentler version of the big lady on North Korean TV. Too bad we cannot get a DVD of one of her TV programs as they are hilarious. She is just so funny. Its almost as if one could see her handler urging her on to greater glory for de fatherland.