Thai Tourism Minister confirms stringent measures to take care of tourists

[oldlakey]

oh dear, .........to ensure that all tourists put on life vests.........

that sentence just stinks again of blaming the tourists

nothing to do with -

over loading

no training

taking loaded boats out when severe weather warnings are in effect

perhaps when people are held responsible and severe penalties are handed out to the people running these businesses (and we all have an idea who that could be) and not just after an incident occurs.

How many more people have to die before they get it, perhaps when their very important tourist industry vanishes they will be left scratching their heads wondering what went wrong

I'm not sure I like your tone - this fine Minister was handpicked to lead Thai Tourism by Prayut himself, and she has his full support. She, like the PM, is doing the best she can ...

Thankyou that explains everything

[connda]

Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, traveled to Koh Samui in Surat Thani to listen to measures being taken to tackle problems in the tourism industry, including those related to the rental of speed boats and ferries, passenger boats, motorcycle taxis and taxis.

And how about the Thai on Farang group beat-downs that are all too common or the beat-downs/assaults due to not having sufficient funds to pay bill (police matter), not having sufficient funds to cover damage to a rental (police matter - maybe), simply loss-of-face (well, call the cops before beating the tar out of the farangs).

Edited June 6, 2016 by connda

[sambum]

Oh this again. Is it that time of the month again? Meanwhile tourists are dying and being beaten in droves, can't wait for the July media release stating stringent measures being rolled out to protect tourist dollars.

Love the bitter foriegners, dying and beaten in droves.. Ahahaha, beating tourist hmm come to Australia and see

I have told him a million times not to exaggerate.

30 million tourists come a year and a handful get beaten up.

From that handful, most have brought it upon themselves by slapping, punching, pushing, swearing, abusing, spitting or not paying for their drinks etc A few more are injured while being robbed as is normal in any country.

There are transport accidents but common sense should tell you not to get on an overcrowded speedboat in weather that already caused the cancellation of the very same tours by other companies. Don't hire a motorbike if you don't have a licsence and wear a helmet if you do. Don't drink and ride/drive.

IMO the best thing they could do would be to hand out a list of dos and don'ts with the arrival card on the plane. Let tourists know that Thais don't want to be patted on the head (farangs mistakenly think they are being friendly), don't put your feet on things, and all the things that the Thais are sensitive to, but farangs are not. Don't make an angry big scene out of a small mix up.

The Thais are very friendly people and most are proud of their country and happy to share it with polite foreigners. The way I have been treated by thai people here has been great.

As the above poster said, go to Australia and see how foreigners are treated there. No one goes out of their way to help foreigners. They will likely be racially abused on public transport, attacked for fun, and in the more severe cases be shot and buried in the bush.There was also the case of the Thai woman being thrown off a bridge and being fed to saltwater crocodiles. A Thai school girl is still missing. Indian students are singled out for beatings.

Thais don't go around beating up foreigners just for fun, there is usually something that sparks these incidents and often it is drunk or angry foreigners.

Lovely people these Thais, 30 million tourists coming this year, 29,999,900 will have a great time, many will have the best time of their lives.

"Common sense should tell you not to get on an overcrowded speedboat .....................etc"

Common sense should tell the speedboat driver not to overload it in the first place - should be a maximum number of passengers allowed that should NEVER be exceeded. Baht rules OK?

Edited June 6, 2016 by sambum

[Roomuck]

Oh this again. Is it that time of the month again? Meanwhile tourists are dying and being beaten in droves, can't wait for the July media release stating stringent measures being rolled out to protect tourist dollars.

Love the bitter foriegners, dying and beaten in droves.. Ahahaha, beating tourist hmm come to Australia and see

I have told him a million times not to exaggerate.

30 million tourists come a year and a handful get beaten up.

From that handful, most have brought it upon themselves by slapping, punching, pushing, swearing, abusing, spitting or not paying for their drinks etc A few more are injured while being robbed as is normal in any country.

There are transport accidents but common sense should tell you not to get on an overcrowded speedboat in weather that already caused the cancellation of the very same tours by other companies. Don't hire a motorbike if you don't have a licsence and wear a helmet if you do. Don't drink and ride/drive.

IMO the best thing they could do would be to hand out a list of dos and don'ts with the arrival card on the plane. Let tourists know that Thais don't want to be patted on the head (farangs mistakenly think they are being friendly), don't put your feet on things, and all the things that the Thais are sensitive to, but farangs are not. Don't make an angry big scene out of a small mix up.

The Thais are very friendly people and most are proud of their country and happy to share it with polite foreigners. The way I have been treated by thai people here has been great.

As the above poster said, go to Australia and see how foreigners are treated there. No one goes out of their way to help foreigners. They will likely be racially abused on public transport, attacked for fun, and in the more severe cases be shot and buried in the bush.There was also the case of the Thai woman being thrown off a bridge and being fed to saltwater crocodiles. A Thai school girl is still missing. Indian students are singled out for beatings.

Thais don't go around beating up foreigners just for fun, there is usually something that sparks these incidents and often it is drunk or angry foreigners.

Lovely people these Thais, 30 million tourists coming this year, 29,999,900 will have a great time, many will have the best time of their lives.

It's a privilege to recognise a stars-in-their-eyes tourist, doubtless complete with conviction that inside every primitive culture lies a spiritual depth unknown to or forgotten by the more advanced civilisations. It's like watching a bad Shangri-la movie sometimes.

The reality of course is different. There are no advanced medicinal cures for ailments incurable in the west, in fact the medicine in Thailand is primitive at bestand incompetent at worst. Buddhism does not hold spiritual depths that the west, in their broader evolution, has lost sight of. The culture is primitive, the religion is misinterpreted and corrupted, the politics is primitive and deceitful, the economy is based on corruption and theft. The sociology is based on arrogance, face, a belief in their immutable superiority, and violence.

Please, enough of the starry-eyed newcomer, they are full of wishful thinking and if they've been in Thailand for more than 2 years, then they are willingly delusional as well. The above post is a wonderful example of the kind of stupidity that encourages Thais to think that all foreigners are stupid.

All you have to do to understand Thailand and Thais is read the newspapers and watch the Thai TV stations. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Sorry for the rant, but these 'Thais-do-nothing-wrong' fools get right up my nose.

W

Why live here then?

I have been coming to Thailand since 1978, with family and friends. Over 100 of us all up, I live here, had some mates visit over 20 times, as have my parents.

None of us have ever been bashed here (a few of us have had blues we have won and lost in Oz). Come off a bike once, my own fault and received first class medical treatment in the Bangkok Phuket hospital. It was cheap too.

The problem with getting your information from the press here, is that they are police and ambulance chasers, so a distorted view of bad news is reported. A mobile phone was stolen a couple of weeks back and that was reported.

Thailand is great for the food, cheap prices weather etc. But neighboring countries also have all that. What makes Thailand number one is the lovely, fun people.

How many tourists have been murdered by Thais this year? I can't think of any. The only tourist I can think of in Pattaya this year (or maybe last) was an Aussie killed by another Aussie in Jomtien.

And the crack RTP solved that case in 48 hours.

Have you personally been bashed? For no reason?

When the Owens drama was first reported, it was claimed by chicken littles on TVF that it was a bunch of racist Thais out targeting farangs. If it wasn't for the video showing the Owens pushing, punching and slapping, the peanut gallery here would have lapped it up as fact. But it wasn't true as the video proves.

I can't understand why so many people bag Thailand but stay. Why don't you leave if it is so terrible? Do you like complaining all the time.

Lovely people these Thais, there are a few bad eggs like in every country.

They are very nice to me, and I am very grateful, I wonder why your experience is so different to mine and the other 29,999,900 people who come have a ball and bloody love it.

Maybe you complain too much, Thai people don't like listening to whiners, that is true.

Thank God for Thailand and thank Christ for Pattaya, the City of Love, heaven on earth.

[kannot]

ahem...........

[Winniedapu]

I have told him a million times not to exaggerate.

30 million tourists come a year and a handful get beaten up.

From that handful, most have brought it upon themselves by slapping, punching, pushing, swearing, abusing, spitting or not paying for their drinks etc A few more are injured while being robbed as is normal in any country.

There are transport accidents but common sense should tell you not to get on an overcrowded speedboat in weather that already caused the cancellation of the very same tours by other companies. Don't hire a motorbike if you don't have a licsence and wear a helmet if you do. Don't drink and ride/drive.

IMO the best thing they could do would be to hand out a list of dos and don'ts with the arrival card on the plane. Let tourists know that Thais don't want to be patted on the head (farangs mistakenly think they are being friendly), don't put your feet on things, and all the things that the Thais are sensitive to, but farangs are not. Don't make an angry big scene out of a small mix up.

The Thais are very friendly people and most are proud of their country and happy to share it with polite foreigners. The way I have been treated by thai people here has been great.

As the above poster said, go to Australia and see how foreigners are treated there. No one goes out of their way to help foreigners. They will likely be racially abused on public transport, attacked for fun, and in the more severe cases be shot and buried in the bush.There was also the case of the Thai woman being thrown off a bridge and being fed to saltwater crocodiles. A Thai school girl is still missing. Indian students are singled out for beatings.

Thais don't go around beating up foreigners just for fun, there is usually something that sparks these incidents and often it is drunk or angry foreigners.

Lovely people these Thais, 30 million tourists coming this year, 29,999,900 will have a great time, many will have the best time of their lives.

It's a privilege to recognise a stars-in-their-eyes tourist, doubtless complete with conviction that inside every primitive culture lies a spiritual depth unknown to or forgotten by the more advanced civilisations. It's like watching a bad Shangri-la movie sometimes.

The reality of course is different. There are no advanced medicinal cures for ailments incurable in the west, in fact the medicine in Thailand is primitive at bestand incompetent at worst. Buddhism does not hold spiritual depths that the west, in their broader evolution, has lost sight of. The culture is primitive, the religion is misinterpreted and corrupted, the politics is primitive and deceitful, the economy is based on corruption and theft. The sociology is based on arrogance, face, a belief in their immutable superiority, and violence.

Please, enough of the starry-eyed newcomer, they are full of wishful thinking and if they've been in Thailand for more than 2 years, then they are willingly delusional as well. The above post is a wonderful example of the kind of stupidity that encourages Thais to think that all foreigners are stupid.

All you have to do to understand Thailand and Thais is read the newspapers and watch the Thai TV stations. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Sorry for the rant, but these 'Thais-do-nothing-wrong' fools get right up my nose.

W

Why live here then?

I have been coming to Thailand since 1978, with family and friends. Over 100 of us all up, I live here, had some mates visit over 20 times, as have my parents.

None of us have ever been bashed here (a few of us have had blues we have won and lost in Oz). Come off a bike once, my own fault and received first class medical treatment in the Bangkok Phuket hospital. It was cheap too.

The problem with getting your information from the press here, is that they are police and ambulance chasers, so a distorted view of bad news is reported. A mobile phone was stolen a couple of weeks back and that was reported.

Thailand is great for the food, cheap prices weather etc. But neighboring countries also have all that. What makes Thailand number one is the lovely, fun people.

How many tourists have been murdered by Thais this year? I can't think of any. The only tourist I can think of in Pattaya this year (or maybe last) was an Aussie killed by another Aussie in Jomtien.

And the crack RTP solved that case in 48 hours.

Have you personally been bashed? For no reason?

When the Owens drama was first reported, it was claimed by chicken littles on TVF that it was a bunch of racist Thais out targeting farangs. If it wasn't for the video showing the Owens pushing, punching and slapping, the peanut gallery here would have lapped it up as fact. But it wasn't true as the video proves.

I can't understand why so many people bag Thailand but stay. Why don't you leave if it is so terrible? Do you like complaining all the time.

Lovely people these Thais, there are a few bad eggs like in every country.

They are very nice to me, and I am very grateful, I wonder why your experience is so different to mine and the other 29,999,900 people who come have a ball and bloody love it.

Maybe you complain too much, Thai people don't like listening to whiners, that is true.

Thank God for Thailand and thank Christ for Pattaya, the City of Love, heaven on earth.

Well, that was entertaining.

W

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The meaningless promises from the minister kind of remind me of Paul Simon's old song,

with the slight revision to, "50 Ways to Leave This Earth in Thailand":

--Just get on a bus, Gus

--Try taking a van, Dan

--Go for a moto-taxi ride, Clyde

--Hop on a jet ski, Lee

--Travel on a ferry, Larry

--Stay in the wrong hotel, Del

--Don't become Thai BBQ, Lou

--Inhale that bedbug spray, Jay

--Go drive a motorcycle, Michael

--Cross the wrong street, Pete

--Wear the wrong color shirt, Bert

--Piss off the wrong Thai man, Stan

etc. etc etc... ... and you'll be gone REAL SOON!

Edited June 6, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[wvavin]

Give more money to the temple and you are bomb proof!

[Kabula]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

[DrTuner]

Stringent.. yes that sounds like a good word. A string, pull it a little bit and let it loose. A rubber string in these parts, always comes back to rest where it started from.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

What's disgusting is to wake up every day and read the recurring, and mostly preventable, carnage of deaths related to ...

car crashes, motorcycle crashes, bus crashes, van crashes, train derailings, ferry sinkings, speedboat and jetski mishaps, etc etc etc.

And to know full well that the authorities are going to do literally nothing to stop it.

So far, like you, I lead an entirely peaceful life here thus far. But, to the point, I'm careful to NOT do any of the things above that regularly get Thais, tourists and others needlessly killed.

Edited June 6, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[gemguy]

More good intentions that will, sooner or later.... Run Amuck.

Cheers

[Winniedapu]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

What's disgusting is to wake up every day and read the recurring, and mostly preventable, carnage of deaths related to ...

car crashes, motorcycle crashes, bus crashes, van crashes, train derailings, ferry sinkings, speedboat and jetski mishaps, etc etc etc.

And to know full well that the authorities are going to do literally nothing to stop it.

So far, like you, I lead an entirely peaceful life here thus far. But, to the point, I'm careful to NOT do any of the things above that regularly get Thais, tourists and others needlessly killed.

How do you cross roads? Stay away from zebra crossings? Stay away from footbridges? Don't venture into underpasses or other tunnel-shaped things? Play dodge-the-motosai-with-the-maniac-riding-it?

OK.

Then your house will probably slide down a hill. Or your condo will slide down a hole in the ground. Remember the bridge in Ayutthaya and give thanks it hadn't opened yet.

Like the abbot, they'll getcha one way or another.

W

[Wilsonandson]

Bring back happy endings at all massage outlets!!! Nationwide. We demand to be masterbated.

[oldlakey]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

I suggest Hans Christian Anderson might be more suitable for you reading matter

Reality can be a bit scary when its in your face on a daily basis

[biplanebluey]

The Koh Samui Marine Department has launched a safety awareness campaign . . .

. . . Department of Land Transport has been advised to tackle problems related to public transportation.

Wow those are certainly stringent measures! ! ! I did not see where they once used the word "please" so obviously these measures will be taken seriously.

Have to love these ministry officials.

EXACTLY--------- "Stringent measures"------------ Like What ????----------Havn't made up my mind yet

[Maroon Watcher]

Better to train Non tourists to protect their asset not destroy it...

[Kru Baa]

They are children their whole lives. This is what would happen anywhere else in the world where a country was run by a bunch of 13 year olds.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... the Koh Samui Marine Department has launched a safety awareness campaign to ensure that all tourists put on life vests while traveling.' Helps if the ferry has them on board. But we're talking Thailand and safety, one mutually incompatible with the other.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Jonmarleesco

[Jonmarleesco]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

How many decades do you need to recognise reality when it's staring you in the face?

[mikiea]

Thais are always introducing "stringent measures." A Thai introduction of stringent measures is nothing more than a flatulence in church.

dude this is thailand Temple is the word not church . watch for the the rising of a orange frock .

[mikiea]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

if you want to stand in a cow pie field for many decades that is great . good for you . i wish you long life . but i refuse to stand in the dung with my eyes closed and pretend all is well because i see no wrong . i hear nothing , and i say nothing . sounds like a Sargent Schultz routine to me . in any case the reverse can be said of you . but i will not go down that path ..... long life , many more decades for you i wish .

[geisha]

I am not a Thailand basher . Just tell me any other countries that have accidents , deaths and general calamities ( collapsing buildings, sinking roads) daily ???

[kannot]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

funny

[kannot]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

I suggest Hans Christian Anderson might be more suitable for you reading matter

Reality can be a bit scary when its in your face on a daily basis

especially once youve left kindergarten!

[kannot]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

if you want to stand in a cow pie field for many decades that is great . good for you . i wish you long life . but i refuse to stand in the dung with my eyes closed and pretend all is well because i see no wrong . i hear nothing , and i say nothing . sounds like a Sargent Schultz routine to me . in any case the reverse can be said of you . but i will not go down that path ..... long life , many more decades for you i wish .

u forgot "and baaaaaaaaaaa like a sheep"

[metisdead]

A post containing comments in ALL CAPS has been removed as well as the replies. Some posts containing overly derogatory comments toward Thais have been removed as well.

[streetsweeper]

"Trust me, we are Thai"

[BlindMagician]

Toughest measure would be to employees all TVF members who comment here as officials to implement all their comments.

[Roomuck]

All these negative comments are disgusting.

And we wonder why more and more Thai citizens hate their guests? And why taxi drivers avoid us.

Your ignorance and stupidity create negative polorization, which leads to discrimination, and violence.

If you don't have anything positive and helpful to post or say; shut up and leave!

Please, so the rest of us who have been living here for many decades can continue to have a great life.

What's disgusting is to wake up every day and read the recurring, and mostly preventable, carnage of deaths related to ...

car crashes, motorcycle crashes, bus crashes, van crashes, train derailings, ferry sinkings, speedboat and jetski mishaps, etc etc etc.

And to know full well that the authorities are going to do literally nothing to stop it.

So far, like you, I lead an entirely peaceful life here thus far. But, to the point, I'm careful to NOT do any of the things above that regularly get Thais, tourists and others needlessly killed.

How do you cross roads? Stay away from zebra crossings? Stay away from footbridges? Don't venture into underpasses or other tunnel-shaped things? Play dodge-the-motosai-with-the-maniac-riding-it?

OK.

Then your house will probably slide down a hill. Or your condo will slide down a hole in the ground. Remember the bridge in Ayutthaya and give thanks it hadn't opened yet.

Like the abbot, they'll getcha one way or another.

W

Well off you go, your Nanny is awaiting your return Chicken Little. Nobody is forcing you to stay.