Major Tourism Drop?

[taxexile]

for every falang that stays away because of the rip off culture prevalent here , there will be 2 koreans and 3 chinese to fill those places.

koreans and chinese dont speak english or thai , they come in groups and mostly travel everywhere with an interpreter / guide to order food , drinks etc.etc. and take them on trips.

the overcharging and bill padding that occurs is on a large scale as they get creamed everywhere they go. with the guides making very good money on it all.

they are much easier to fleece than westerners as they dont ask any questions. they leave everything up to the guides.

falangs will not be missed should they stay away , there are suckers born every minute and at the moment its the chinese and koreans.

have been told these stories by thais in the hotel business .

i think there is some substance in them.

[pap]

A tour operator friend of mine told me recently that this will be one of Thailand's busiest ever Novembers. The coup had hardly any effect at all on tourist numbers.

I talked with a friend of mine recently that works as a tour operator for one of the majors in BKK. She said it is slower than normal.

I guess it depends who you talk to and when you talk to them.

[pap]

for every falang that stays away because of the rip off culture prevalent here , there will be 2 koreans and 3 chinese to fill those places.

koreans and chinese dont speak english or thai , they come in groups and mostly travel everywhere with an interpreter / guide to order food , drinks etc.etc. and take them on trips.

the overcharging and bill padding that occurs is on a large scale as they get creamed everywhere they go. with the guides making very good money on it all.

they are much easier to fleece than westerners as they dont ask any questions. they leave everything up to the guides.

falangs will not be missed should they stay away , there are suckers born every minute and at the moment its the chinese and koreans.

have been told these stories by thais in the hotel business .

i think there is some substance in them.

I didn't notice while in Korea or China a fondness for being ripped off. I must pay attention more next time.

I am a simple person and hate quoting stats because they can be used so many ways but again 1 person has a great time they tell 5 people. When 1 person has a lousy time they tell 20. Bad news travels much faster than good news. It doesn't take long to change things for the worse.

The Amazing Thailand Campagns worked wonders for Thailand for many reasons. Screwing people was not high on the list. It appears this campagn may be less successful today however.

To bad.

[Ulysses G.]

You tell me.

Sorry Skipper, but you ain't getting any action from Maryanne or Ginger!

[cdnvic]

for every falang that stays away because of the rip off culture prevalent here , there will be 2 koreans

falangs will not be missed should they stay away , there are suckers born every minute and at the moment its the chinese and koreans.

have been told these stories by thais in the hotel business .

i think there is some substance in them.

I can concur with that. Korean and Japanese tour groups are the best guests to have bar none

[The Skipper]

You tell me.

Sorry Skipper, but you ain't getting any action from Maryanne or Ginger!

Action?

I see more tail than a public toilet Not a problem..

Like I said, I was in the tour business, met tourists everyday. They all had horror stories about the gangs of tourist cheats, lined up, telling them lies all day, cheating, scamming them from the minute they arrive till the moment they leave. Not an occasional tale of someone being cheated but a constand stream of people telling me about the scams they encounter.

They are at the Airport.

They are parked outside of EVERY hotel posing as Taxis driver. They are only there to scam. Legit drivers can't park there.

Swarms of these guys are surrounding the perimiter of every tourist spot trolling for a victim.

Do you think the TUK Tuk guys trolling Sukhumvit are there to give sightseeings rides? No. They are trolling for victims.

Smooth talking Con men at intersections striking up conversations.

I see it. Everybody knows it. It's everywhere.

The whole Country is practically in on it. Cheat the Farang is OK.

Thailand is getting a serious bad rap and the TAT does nothing but advertise for more schmucks to come to the Land of Smiling Ripoffs.

How about a warning or a move to clean up the scammers.

I see nothing done at all.

[Nam Kao]

I have SCAMRAD (scam radar) engaged everywhere in Thai, its always making a beeping sound

Then i engage F-OFF (Acoustic Farang-2-SCAMR) countermeasures, works good

[Buckwheat]

I have SCAMRAD (scam radar) engaged everywhere in Thai, its always making a beeping sound

Then i engage F-OFF (Acoustic Farang-2-SCAMR) countermeasures, works good

Great post!!!

[Ulysses G.]

You tell me.

Sorry Skipper, but you ain't getting any action from Maryanne or Ginger!

Action?

I see more tail than a public toilet Not a problem..

Is Gilligan as good as they say?

[ourmanflint]

Like I said, I was in the tour business, met tourists everyday. They all had horror stories about the gangs of tourist cheats, lined up, telling them lies all day, cheating, scamming them from the minute they arrive till the moment they leave. Not an occasional tale of someone being cheated but a constand stream of people telling me about the scams they encounter.

They are at the Airport.

They are parked outside of EVERY hotel posing as Taxis driver. They are only there to scam. Legit drivers can't park there.

Swarms of these guys are surrounding the perimiter of every tourist spot trolling for a victim.

Do you think the TUK Tuk guys trolling Sukhumvit are there to give sightseeings rides? No. They are trolling for victims.

Smooth talking Con men at intersections striking up conversations.

I see it. Everybody knows it. It's everywhere.

The whole Country is practically in on it. Cheat the Farang is OK.

Thailand is getting a serious bad rap and the TAT does nothing but advertise for more schmucks to come to the Land of Smiling Ripoffs.

How about a warning or a move to clean up the scammers.

I see nothing done at all.

There was another thread not so laong ago, asking wether you would stop a farang from being ripped off by one of these conmen, and my great astonishment most of the morons on this board thought that it was completely Ok to rip off someone if they were gullible enough, and they wouldn't intervene even if it was OK to do so.

That's the calibre of person who posts here... no morals and no integrity.

[Robski]

That's the calibre of person who posts here... no morals and no integrity.

Don't raise the bar too high and you won't be dissapointed.

I think some business are over enthusing about business, simply 'cos things aint so good, but they're putting a brave face on it.

There are too many business's and not enough customers that is for sure, especially in Pattaya, you can't just tick over, your either making it or your losing it.

Europeans don't view Thailand the way they used to do and are finding new locations, others will fill their place, Russians, Chinese, Taiwanese and Koreans.

As the customer base changes so will the types of business.

[likite]

QUOTE(The Skipper @ 2006-11-25 09:22:09) *

Like I said, I was in the tour business, met tourists everyday. They all had horror stories about the gangs of tourist cheats, lined up, telling them lies all day, cheating, scamming them from the minute they arrive till the moment they leave. Not an occasional tale of someone being cheated but a constand stream of people telling me about the scams they encounter.

They are at the Airport.

They are parked outside of EVERY hotel posing as Taxis driver. They are only there to scam. Legit drivers can't park there.

Swarms of these guys are surrounding the perimiter of every tourist spot trolling for a victim.

Do you think the TUK Tuk guys trolling Sukhumvit are there to give sightseeings rides? No. They are trolling for victims.

Smooth talking Con men at intersections striking up conversations.

I see it. Everybody knows it. It's everywhere.

The whole Country is practically in on it. Cheat the Farang is OK.

Thailand is getting a serious bad rap and the TAT does nothing but advertise for more schmucks to come to the Land of Smiling Ripoffs.

How about a warning or a move to clean up the scammers.

I see nothing done at all.

I think most of what you say is right. But Thailand is not alone when it comes to scamming and cheating. There is hardly a country in the world where (especially if you do not speak the language) you don't get scammed too. I've been on holiday to many countries and I don't think there was country where I was not ripped off or they tried.

The majority of tourists coming here are seasoned to scams and the like by and large, and they are aware of it.

Sure they moan about it but tourists have done this for years and there is no real impact because it's part of the holiday experience and although they don't like it it's not going to put them off as they know it can and does happen everywhere. They may moan a little more about Thailand as they have the perception of the "land of smiles" etc etc which paints a rosier view, but a few hundred baht here and there is really peanuts to the average tourist. They have money to spend and the amounts are insignicant - Thailand is very cheap.

I would agree with you that more warnings should be given but most of the well known tourist guide books do have some reference to scams etc.

[womble]

Like I said, I was in the tour business, met tourists everyday. They all had horror stories about the gangs of tourist cheats, lined up, telling them lies all day, cheating, scamming them from the minute they arrive till the moment they leave. Not an occasional tale of someone being cheated but a constand stream of people telling me about the scams they encounter.

They are at the Airport.

They are parked outside of EVERY hotel posing as Taxis driver. They are only there to scam. Legit drivers can't park there.

Swarms of these guys are surrounding the perimiter of every tourist spot trolling for a victim.

Do you think the TUK Tuk guys trolling Sukhumvit are there to give sightseeings rides? No. They are trolling for victims.

Smooth talking Con men at intersections striking up conversations.

I see it. Everybody knows it. It's everywhere.

The whole Country is practically in on it. Cheat the Farang is OK.

Thailand is getting a serious bad rap and the TAT does nothing but advertise for more schmucks to come to the Land of Smiling Ripoffs.

How about a warning or a move to clean up the scammers.

I see nothing done at all.

There was another thread not so laong ago, asking wether you would stop a farang from being ripped off by one of these conmen, and my great astonishment most of the morons on this board thought that it was completely Ok to rip off someone if they were gullible enough, and they wouldn't intervene even if it was OK to do so.

That's the calibre of person who posts here... no morals and no integrity.

You don't mess with someones rice bowl here in Thailand it's a dangerous game, and for that reason you wouldn't see me jump in to rescue a tourist paying 50 baht to much for a T shirt.

[meadish_sweetball]

I cannot speak for anywhere else, but...

Chiang Mai is currently experiencing a major boom in tourism, mainly thanks to the Royal Horticultural Exhibition.

The traffic congestion is on par with Bangkok, and the influx of money must be considerable for many businesses.

[think_too_mut]

I think most of what you say is right. But Thailand is not alone when it comes to scamming and cheating. There is hardly a country in the world where (especially if you do not speak the language) you don't get scammed too. I've been on holiday to many countries and I don't think there was country where I was not ripped off or they tried.

Now we know you have not been to Japan.

Edited November 25, 2006 by think_too_mut

[terry57]

You tell me.

Sorry Skipper, but you ain't getting any action from Maryanne or Ginger!

your a legend mr G, IM LOVING IT.

[likite]

I think most of what you say is right. But Thailand is not alone when it comes to scamming and cheating. There is hardly a country in the world where (especially if you do not speak the language) you don't get scammed too. I've been on holiday to many countries and I don't think there was country where I was not ripped off or they tried.

Now we know you have not been to Japan.

Funny you should mention Japan.

On holiday in Krabi a few months back a Japanese tourist and his wife asked us to share our boat and pay for half of the boat fare to the mainland – about 200 baht. We took pity on them and agreed as there were no other boats to be had.

Did they pay when we landed at the other end? They sure did not, simply walked off. They did say thank you though. Ripped off by the Japanese in Thailand oh dear.

[unbiasbob]

You tell me.

Sorry Skipper, but you ain't getting any action from Maryanne or Ginger!

Hey but Skip's been getting down and dirty with Mrs Howell III

[thaigerd]

Driving through Patong this afternoon I thought it's high season already.

Arrival figures from the airport are very high this year, I guess one of the best seasons ever here.

Gerd

[think_too_mut]

I think most of what you say is right. But Thailand is not alone when it comes to scamming and cheating. There is hardly a country in the world where (especially if you do not speak the language) you don't get scammed too. I've been on holiday to many countries and I don't think there was country where I was not ripped off or they tried.

Now we know you have not been to Japan.

Funny you should mention Japan.

On holiday in Krabi a few months back a Japanese tourist and his wife asked us to share our boat and pay for half of the boat fare to the mainland – about 200 baht. We took pity on them and agreed as there were no other boats to be had.

Did they pay when we landed at the other end? They sure did not, simply walked off. They did say thank you though. Ripped off by the Japanese in Thailand oh dear.

I believe it was misunderstanding. There is nothing more un-Japanese than cheating or stealing. At least in everyday's life. Even in Tokyo some people still don't lock their houses. Once, I (accidentaly) left mine unlocked and went to Thailand for 27 days. No security gate at the building (Shinjuku area) and nothing happened.

Even bottle shops have full bottles of alcohol on display ouside, no chains or buzzers.

[unbiasbob]

I am noticing that it is pretty quiet on Sukhumvit this year and a massive police presence as well. My gut tells me that tourism is down big time this year

ah yes, the famed gut comment.

Did you know that your gut has the most nerve connections in the body?

now I know some of you have looked up the information on the net, or in a book, and I know it says that your brain has the most nerve connections.

But that is because you went to wrong source. You asked a book or the internet. When you should have asked your gut.

Better to look at the TAT numbers....and what you may learn is YES there are many reasons why the number of farang hanging out in the Sukhumvit farang ghetto might indeed by down; but in all likelihood, tourist numbers in 2006 are going to top 2005 in terms of arrivals.

For every American or British person not visiting anymore since they started clamping down nightclubs at 1am/2am (or so I would be lead to believe, reading the threats of leaving on almost every english language website about Thailand) there is a replacement Chinese/Korean/Indian/Middle eastern tourist coming in their place and probably spending more per day anyway (but perhaps not staying as long, although I would be willing to investigate it as i simply don't know); and at least some of these are probably not staying in the Sukhumvit.

Plenty of other explanations as well; weather, relative appeal of clubs; issue of coup keeping people out of the streets...who knows.

Ah yes, the typical response from the annoying cocky bugger that I have read so many times before.

So goes sukhumvit so goes Thailand tourism. Sukhumvit appears down, way down.

[likite]

I think most of what you say is right. But Thailand is not alone when it comes to scamming and cheating. There is hardly a country in the world where (especially if you do not speak the language) you don't get scammed too. I've been on holiday to many countries and I don't think there was country where I was not ripped off or they tried.

Now we know you have not been to Japan.

Funny you should mention Japan.

On holiday in Krabi a few months back a Japanese tourist and his wife asked us to share our boat and pay for half of the boat fare to the mainland – about 200 baht. We took pity on them and agreed as there were no other boats to be had.

Did they pay when we landed at the other end? They sure did not, simply walked off. They did say thank you though. Ripped off by the Japanese in Thailand oh dear.

I believe it was misunderstanding. There is nothing more un-Japanese than cheating or stealing. At least in everyday's life. Even in Tokyo some people still don't lock their houses. Once, I (accidentaly) left mine unlocked and went to Thailand for 27 days. No security gate at the building (Shinjuku area) and nothing happened.

Even bottle shops have full bottles of alcohol on display ouside, no chains or buzzers.

No misunderstanding I'm afraid.............................so sorry to shatter your delusion about the Japanese.

[chiang mai]

I cannot speak for anywhere else, but...

Chiang Mai is currently experiencing a major boom in tourism, mainly thanks to the Royal Horticultural Exhibition.

The traffic congestion is on par with Bangkok, and the influx of money must be considerable for many businesses.

Yes indeed, all the hotels are full and all the tourists sites are packed - couldn't even get a flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai from Friday through Monday this weekend and that includes any flight on any airline. But guess what the few bar beer places that do exist in CM are all very quiet and the owners are crying, where's the tourists!

[steveromagnino]

No misunderstanding I'm afraid.............................so sorry to shatter your delusion about the Japanese.

Well all I can relate is a friend finished work in Japan at some ski resort, then left his money belt (with all his earnings) in a taxi on the way to a hotel, but he went to some shopping mall first.

3 days later, the taxi driver showed up at the hotel where my now very stressed friend had been dirnking and boozing trying to forget 4 months of savings (and he was a university student and needed the $$). It had taken the guy that long to track him down! Honesty.

Mind you, exactly the same thing happened to me here; taxi driver's next passenger saw my wallet in the car; passed it to the driver, who then drove back to where he had dropped me off and returned it. Got a nice 2000b tip as a result; but hel_l I forgot everyone here is out to rip off the farang and we are all in on it?!

Agree though, needs to be a clamp down; scams are out of control here.

[Ulysses G.]

I cannot speak for anywhere else, but...

Chiang Mai is currently experiencing a major boom in tourism, mainly thanks to the Royal Horticultural Exhibition.

The traffic congestion is on par with Bangkok, and the influx of money must be considerable for many businesses.

Yes indeed, all the hotels are full and all the tourists sites are packed - couldn't even get a flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai from Friday through Monday this weekend and that includes any flight on any airline. But guess what the few bar beer places that do exist in CM are all very quiet and the owners are crying, where's the tourists!

Chiang Mai is full of Thai tourists who eat cheap Thai food and buy cheap Thai stuff.

The nerve of them!